How to Redeem Steam Keys

When Redemption Applies

Steam product key redemption is for alphanumeric keys you receive outside the normal Store purchase button — retail boxes, authorized digital retailers, bundle platforms, convention giveaways, or official publisher promotions. Night Shift Hospital does not have public promo codes as of July 2026, but keys may still appear for press, influencers, or future retail partners.

Playtest access usually does not use manual key entry. If Steam grants you playtest permission, the game appears in your library automatically. Do not paste random strings hoping to unlock the playtest; follow playtest access instructions instead.

When launch arrives, most players will buy directly on Steam with no key involved. Keep this guide for the day someone sends you a gift key or you win an official giveaway we list on the codes status page.

Before You Redeem

Verify the key source. Keys from Steam gifts, Humble Bundle, Fanatical, or other authorized partners are fine if you completed a legitimate purchase or promotion. Keys from auction sites, random Discord DMs, or 'free key' websites may be stolen or region-locked fraud — Steam can revoke them and restrict accounts.

Confirm you are redeeming Night Shift Hospital for Steam, not a console or other platform. This wiki covers the PC Steam release from Knitted Cats and Polden Publishing only.

Check region restrictions if the email mentions them. Some retail keys activate only in specific countries. A VPN will not fix invalid region errors and may violate Steam's terms.

Make sure you are logged into the Steam account where you want the game to live permanently. Keys bind to the redeeming account and generally cannot be transferred after activation.

Redeem on Steam Desktop Client

Open the Steam client on Windows, macOS, or Linux and sign in to your account.

Click Games in the top menu, then choose Activate a Product on Steam.

Click Next on the welcome screen, accept the Steam Subscriber Agreement, and continue.

Type or paste your product key exactly as provided — hyphens included if present. Steam normalizes spacing, but typos invalidate the key.

Click Next. If the key is valid, Steam displays Night Shift Hospital and confirms activation. Finish the wizard and the game appears in your Library ready to install.

If Steam reports the key is invalid, already used, or region locked, stop and contact the seller or giveaway organizer — not random online 'support' chats that ask for your password.

Redeem via Steam Website

You can also redeem through a browser while logged into store.steampowered.com.

Open the Games dropdown on your account menu and select Activate a Product on Steam. The flow mirrors the desktop client: agreement, key entry, confirmation.

Browser redemption is useful on Steam Deck or secondary devices where you received the key by email and do not want to swap to desktop immediately.

After web activation, install Night Shift Hospital from your library on whichever device meets the system requirements.

After Activation

Install the game from your Steam library. First launch may download additional playtest or launch-day patches depending on when you redeem.

If you received a key for a beta branch, read any instructions bundled with the email — some keys grant limited-time test access rather than the full retail app.

Join friends by using Steam's invite system for co-op; up to four players supported. Keys do not affect squad size or mistake limits — those are game design rules covered in our co-op guide.

Keep your purchase email or receipt. If Knitted Cats or Polden Publishing offers launch bonuses tied to proof of purchase, you may need it — though Steam library ownership is usually sufficient.

Troubleshooting Common Errors

Invalid key: double-check characters — 0 versus O, 1 versus I — and ensure the key is for Steam, not another platform. Scam keys from fake Night Shift Hospital code sites often fail here.

Already redeemed: the key was used on another account. Only the original redeemer or the authorized seller can resolve this with proof of purchase.

Region restriction: the key is valid but not in your country. Contact the seller; Steam support typically cannot convert regions for third-party keys.

Product not available: the game may not be released yet. Night Shift Hospital keys before launch might activate as pre-order entries — check Steam library status and our release page for timing.

Never share screenshots of unused keys publicly — bots scrape them within seconds. Redeem immediately in private.

Future Promo Codes vs Keys

If Knitted Cats or Polden Publishing runs Steam promo code campaigns after launch — for example a launch-week discount code — redemption may happen at checkout rather than through Activate a Product. We will specify the method on the codes status page.

Discount promo codes apply during purchase; product keys add the game to your account without charging again. Confusing the two sends players to the wrong menu.

When expired promotions end, codes move to the expired codes archive so you know not to waste time retyping them.

Until official strings exist, ignore social media comments claiming secret Night Shift Hospital codes. Return here for verified instructions tied to real announcements.

Quick Reference

Redemption paths for Night Shift Hospital on Steam as of July 2026.