If you’ve ever clicked ‘buy’ on a flashy Apex Legends skin by accident, or realized the new heirloom you saved up for doesn’t feel as good in-game as it did in the preview, you’ve probably asked can you refund items in Apex Legends. I’ve been there too—last month I picked up a Wraith recolor I swore I’d use, only to realize it clashed with every banner frame I owned. I spent 20 minutes digging through Respawn’s support pages to figure out if I could get my Apex Coins back, and I’ve put together everything I learned to save you the hassle. This guide covers every type of purchase, eligibility rules, and step-by-step tips to make sure your request gets approved if you qualify.
Can You Refund Items in Apex Legends? Core Eligibility Rules First
The short answer is yes, but only if your purchase meets very specific rules set by both Respawn Entertainment and the platform you bought the item on. First, all refund requests have to be submitted within 7 days of the original purchase date. No exceptions here—if you bought a skin three weeks ago and just decided you don’t like it, you’re out of luck. Next, you can’t have used the item in any way, right? Wait, no, actually Respawn makes a small exception for heirlooms and mythic skins: you can test them in the firing range once, but if you use them in a public match, ranked game, or even a private lobby with friends, you forfeit your right to a refund.
You also can’t have refunded more than 2 Apex Legends purchases in the last 12 months, per Respawn’s policy. They limit the number of refunds per account to prevent abuse from players who buy skins to use for a weekend and return them. You also need to make sure you’re submitting the request through the right channel: if you bought Apex Coins on Steam, you have to go through Steam support first, not Respawn. Console purchases (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch) go through your console’s support team, only in-game purchases made directly through the EA app go through EA/Respawn support. If you’re still wondering can you refund items in Apex Legends after going through these eligibility points, the best next step is to cross-check your account activity to confirm you haven’t used the item at all.
Let me break down the common eligible purchases first:
- Unused cosmetic items (skins, banner frames, finishers) bought from the in-game store that you haven’t equipped or used in any match
- Apex Coins that you purchased by accident and haven’t spent on any in-game items yet
- Battle Passes that you bought within the 7 day window and haven’t progressed past level 2 on
- Mythic items and heirlooms that you only tested in the firing range and haven’t used in any public or private matches
How to Submit a Refund Request for Apex Legends Purchases
The process changes a little depending on where you made your purchase, but the core steps are the same across all platforms. First, gather all your purchase proof: you’ll need the transaction ID from your email receipt, your account ID, and the exact name of the item you want to refund. Never lie about how you used the item in your request, because support teams can pull your account activity to see if you equipped or used the item in a match. If you get caught lying, you could lose the ability to request refunds entirely, or even get your account suspended temporarily.
For Steam purchases, head to your Steam purchase history, find the Apex Legends transaction, select “I would like a refund”, and follow the prompts. Steam usually processes requests within 24 hours if you meet the eligibility rules. For PlayStation, go to the PlayStation Store support page, select “Request a refund”, choose the Apex purchase, and submit your reason. Xbox follows the same process, through your Microsoft account order history. If you bought the item directly through the EA app on PC, you’ll submit your request through EA’s help center, select Apex Legends, choose “refund request” as your issue, and fill out the form. In most cases, you’ll get a response within 3 business days.
If your first request gets denied, don’t panic. You can submit a follow-up request with more context, but only if you actually meet the eligibility rules. For example, if you were charged for an item you never actually received, include screenshots of your empty in-game inventory and your transaction receipt to prove it. I’ve seen players get denied first because the support rep missed that the item was never added to their account, so following up with proof almost always fixes that. It’s easy to get frustrated if your request takes longer than expected, but remember that support teams get hundreds of questions about can you refund items in Apex Legends every day, so a little patience goes a long way.
Types of Apex Legends Purchases That Never Qualify for Refunds
There are a lot of purchases you can’t return, no matter how new they are or how little you used them, so it’s important to know these before you try to submit a request. Any limited-time event items that you earned through gameplay, not purchased with real money or Apex Coins, can’t be refunded, obviously, since you didn’t pay for them. But even some paid items are non-refundable. First, any Apex Coins you’ve already spent on in-game items can’t be returned—you can only refund unspent coins that you bought by accident. If you bought 1000 Apex Coins and spent 500 on a skin, you can only refund the remaining 500, if you meet the timeline rules.
Next, any battle pass levels you bought after you already purchased the base battle pass are non-refundable, even if you bought them by mistake. So if you accidentally click “buy 10 levels” instead of “claim level reward”, you’re stuck with those levels. Crafting Metals can never be refunded, whether you earned them through loot boxes or bought them directly, since they’re considered a consumable in-game currency. Loot boxes (Apex Packs) are also almost always non-refundable, even if you didn’t get the item you wanted from them. The only exception is if you were charged for Apex Packs you never received, but even that requires solid proof.
One thing a lot of players don’t know is that if you get banned from Apex Legends for violating terms of service, you can’t refund any purchases you made on that account, even if the ban is new. Respawn doesn’t issue refunds for banned accounts, no matter how much money you spent on it. So if you’re thinking about violating the rules, remember you’ll lose access to all your purchases with no way to get your money back.
Pro Tips to Avoid Needing an Apex Legends Refund Altogether
Refunds are a hassle, even when you qualify for them, so it’s better to avoid needing one in the first place. I’ve picked up a few habits over the last 4 years of playing Apex that have saved me from wasting Apex Coins on items I don’t actually want. First, always test items in the firing range before you buy them, if possible. For skins, you can preview how they look on your character, but for heirlooms and mythic skins, you can usually test the full animations in the firing range before you spend your coins.
Second, don’t impulse buy limited-time store items. The store rotates every week, and most skins come back at least once a year, so you don’t have to buy something the second you see it. Wait 24 hours, think about if you’ll actually use it, then go back and buy it if you still want it. Double check your cart before you finalize any purchase, especially if you’re buying on a console where controller inputs can lag and accidentally select the wrong item. I’ve heard from dozens of players who meant to buy a 1000 Coin pack and accidentally bought the 10,000 Coin pack because their controller slipped.
If you have kids who play on your account, set up purchase PINs so they can’t buy items without your permission. That’s one of the most common reasons for accidental purchases, and while you can usually refund those if you catch them within 7 days, it’s way easier to just block unapproved purchases first. You should also avoid buying Apex Coins from third-party sellers, even if they offer cheaper rates. Those coins are often obtained fraudulently, and if Respawn catches you buying them, they’ll remove the coins from your account and you won’t be able to get a refund from either the seller or Respawn. Stick to official platform stores only for all purchases.
At the end of the day, asking can you refund items in Apex Legends usually comes with a lot of fine print, but it is possible if you follow the rules and submit your request on time. Don’t wait to submit your request if you realize you bought something you don’t want, and never use the item if you think you might return it. If your request gets denied and you know you meet the eligibility rules, don’t be afraid to follow up with more proof to support your case. Most importantly, take your time with in-game purchases to avoid the stress of dealing with refunds entirely. A little extra thought before you click buy will save you a lot of time and frustration down the line.