Steam sends notifications when friends come online, but not specifically when they start playing a game
Steam's default notification system alerts you when a friend logs in or goes offline, but it does not distinguish between someone who is simply online and someone who is actively playing a game. If you want to know when a specific friend launches a particular game, you will need to adjust your settings or use third-party tools. The built-in options are limited, and what Steam shows you depends on your privacy settings and what your friends have chosen to share.
By default, Steam notifies you when friends come online or go offline. You see these notifications in the bottom right corner of your screen, and they also appear in your Friends list. However, Steam does not send a separate alert just because someone started playing a game — only that they are now online. If a friend was already online and then launched a game, you would not receive a notification about the game launch itself.
Key Takeaways
- Steam notifies you when friends log in or out, but not when they start playing a specific game.
- You can see what game a friend is playing by looking at their profile or your Friends list, but only if they have not hidden their game activity.
- Turning off "Invisible" mode in your status settings lets friends see when you are online and what you are playing.
- Third-party tools and browser extensions can monitor when specific friends launch games, but Steam itself does not offer this feature.
Where to see what your friends are playing right now
Open your Friends list in Steam and look at the status next to each friend's name. If a friend is online and playing a game, their status shows the game title. If they are online but not in a game, it shows "Online" or "Away". This information is visible to you as long as your friend has not set their profile to private or hidden their game activity.
You can also visit a friend's profile directly by clicking their name. Their profile shows their current status, recent games, and playtime. If a friend has set their profile to private, you will see less information — sometimes only their username and avatar. The amount of detail available depends on both your friend's privacy settings and their relationship setting with you (whether you are a close friend, regular friend, or blocked).
How to control what your friends see about your own activity
Open Steam and click your username in the top right corner, then select "Profile". Click "Edit Profile" and scroll to the "Privacy Settings" section. Here you can choose who sees your online status, your game activity, and your friend list. The options are "Public" (anyone can see), "Friends Only" (only your Steam friends can see), or "Private" (no one can see).
If you set your status to "Invisible", your friends will not see that you are online or what you are playing, even though you can still see them. This is useful if you want to play without being bothered, but your friends will think you are offline. If you want to be online but hide only your game activity, set "Game details" to "Private" while leaving your online status visible.
Why Steam does not send game-specific notifications
Steam's notification system is designed around login events — when someone connects to Steam — rather than individual game launches. This keeps notifications from becoming overwhelming. If Steam sent an alert every time a friend started any game, you would receive dozens of notifications per day, especially if you have many friends or friends who play frequently.
The trade-off is that you have to actively check your Friends list to see what someone is playing. Steam assumes that if you want to know whether a friend is available, you will look at the Friends list yourself rather than rely on constant alerts. This design choice prioritizes reducing notification noise over real-time game activity tracking.
Third-party tools that monitor friend activity
Several browser extensions and standalone applications can track when specific friends launch games and send you alerts. Tools like Steam Deck Notifier, Enhanced Steam, and various Discord bots can monitor Steam profiles and notify you through Discord or email when a friend comes online or starts playing. These tools work by checking Steam profiles at regular intervals rather than receiving direct notifications from Steam.
Keep in mind that third-party tools are not official Steam products and may stop working if Steam changes how it displays public profile information. They also require you to grant them access to view your friends' profiles, so check the permissions before installing anything. Some tools are free, while others charge a subscription fee for advanced features like custom alerts or multiple friend monitoring.
How to manually check if a friend is playing without notifications
The simplest approach is to check your Friends list regularly. Click the Friends icon in the Steam client (usually in the top left), and you will see all your friends sorted by online status. Hover over a friend's name to see their current activity, or click their name to open their full profile. You can also sort your Friends list by "In-Game" to see only friends who are currently playing.
If you want to be notified when a specific friend logs in, you can right-click their name in your Friends list and select "Notify me when this friend comes online". This will send you a notification the next time they log in to Steam, regardless of whether they play a game. This is the closest built-in option to game-specific notifications, though it only alerts you to login events.
Privacy and notification settings to adjust
Go to Steam Settings (click "Steam" in the top left, then "Settings") and select "Notifications". Here you can toggle on or off notifications for friends coming online, friends going offline, and chat messages. You can also choose whether notifications appear as pop-ups, in the notification center, or both. If you find notifications distracting, you can disable them entirely and rely on checking your Friends list manually.
Some notifications are tied to your relationship with the friend. If you have marked someone as a "Close Friend" in Steam, you may receive different notification behavior than for regular friends, depending on your settings. You can manage these relationships by right-clicking a friend's name and selecting "Close Friend" or "Regular Friend".
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a notification when a specific friend starts playing a specific game?
Steam does not offer this feature natively. Third-party tools and Discord bots can monitor when friends launch games and send alerts, but you will need to set them up separately. Some tools let you track multiple friends and games at once, while others focus on a single friend or game.
Why can't I see what game my friend is playing?
Your friend may have set their profile to private or hidden their game activity in their privacy settings. If their status shows "Online" but no game title, they either are not playing a game or have chosen not to share that information. You cannot override their privacy settings, and they will not receive a notification that you tried to view their activity.
Do my friends get notified when I start playing a game?
No. Your friends can see that you are playing if they look at your profile or Friends list, but they do not receive an automatic notification. They only get notified when you log in to Steam, not when you launch a specific game. You can control whether they see your activity at all by adjusting your privacy settings.
Can I turn off notifications when friends come online?
Yes. Open Steam Settings, go to Notifications, and toggle off "Friend comes online" and "Friend goes offline". You can also disable all notifications and check your Friends list manually whenever you want to see who is online.
What is the difference between "Away" and "Online" status?
"Online" means your friend is actively using Steam. "Away" means they logged in but have not interacted with Steam for a set period (usually 15 minutes or more). Both statuses mean they are connected to Steam, but "Away" suggests they may not respond immediately to messages or invitations.