Steam Family Sharing lets you share your game library with people on your account, but they play on their own computer and Steam account

Steam Family Sharing is a feature that lets you authorize another computer to access your game library. When you set it up, anyone who uses that computer can launch and play your games from their own Steam account — they don't need to log in as you. The person playing sees your games in their library and can install them just like their own purchases.

The catch is that only one person can play at a time. If you're playing a game from your library, nobody else on the shared computer can launch any of your games simultaneously. This is Steam's way of preventing the same copy from running on multiple machines at once.

Family Sharing works across Windows, macOS, and Linux. It's free to set up and doesn't require a subscription or any special account type.

Key Takeaways

  • You authorize a specific computer in your Steam settings, and anyone using that computer can play your games from their own account.
  • Only one person can play your games at a time, even if multiple people are logged into the shared computer.
  • The person playing your games needs their own Steam account, but they don't need to own the games themselves.
  • You can set up Family Sharing on up to 10 computers, but only one can be your "library computer" where others can play while you're offline.

How to authorize a computer for Family Sharing

Open Steam on the computer you want to share with. Go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right), then select Family from the left menu. Toggle on Enable Steam Family Sharing on this computer.

Steam will ask you to confirm your account password. Once you do, the feature is active on that machine. Anyone who logs into Steam on that computer can now see your games in their library and install them.

You don't need to stay logged in as yourself. Once Family Sharing is enabled, you can log out, and other people can log in with their own accounts and still access your games.

What happens when two people try to play at the same time

If you're playing one of your games and someone else on the shared computer tries to launch a different game from your library, Steam will show them a message saying the game is in use. They'll have the option to wait for you to finish, or they can play one of their own games instead.

If the other person is playing your game and you try to launch something from your library, you'll see the same message. You can ask them to stop, or you can wait. There's no way to force someone off — it's based on whoever started playing first.

Setting up a library computer versus an authorized computer

Steam distinguishes between two roles: your library computer and authorized computers. Your library computer is the one where other people can play your games even when you're not logged in. You can have only one library computer at a time.

An authorized computer is any other machine you've turned on Family Sharing for. On an authorized computer, people can only play your games if you're logged into Steam somewhere on your account — even if you're not playing anything yourself.

To set your library computer, go to Settings > Family and look for the option that says This is my library computer. Check that box. If you later want to change which computer is your library computer, uncheck it on the old one and check it on the new one.

Removing someone from Family Sharing

If you want to stop sharing with a specific person, go to Settings > Family and look for the list of accounts that have access. You can remove individual accounts from the list. That person will no longer see your games on that computer.

If you want to disable Family Sharing entirely on a computer, toggle off Enable Steam Family Sharing on this computer in the same menu. This removes access for everyone on that machine.

Removing someone doesn't affect their own game library or their Steam account — it only takes away their ability to see and play your games on that specific computer.

Games that don't work with Family Sharing

Some games have restrictions that prevent them from being shared. These are usually games with strong anti-cheat systems or games that require a separate account login (like MMOs). When you look at a game's store page, you can check whether it supports Family Sharing — it will say so in the details section.

If a game doesn't support Family Sharing, the person on the shared computer won't see it in their library at all, even though you own it. They can still play it if they log into your account directly, but that defeats the purpose of Family Sharing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Family Sharing to share games with friends who don't live with me?

Technically yes, but Steam's terms of service say Family Sharing is meant for household members. If you share with someone outside your household, you're responsible for any violations. Steam can disable Family Sharing on your account if they detect abuse, though enforcement is inconsistent.

What if someone changes the password on the shared computer?

Family Sharing is tied to the computer itself, not to a specific user account on that computer. If someone changes the Windows or Mac password, Family Sharing still works — the other person can still log into Steam and access your games. The computer password and Steam account are separate.

Can I play my games on two computers at the same time using Family Sharing?

No. You can authorize multiple computers, but you can only play your games on one machine at a time, period. If you're logged into Steam on Computer A and playing a game, you can't launch that same game on Computer B, even if Computer B has Family Sharing enabled.

Do I need to buy anything or pay a fee to use Family Sharing?

No. Family Sharing is a free feature included with every Steam account. There are no subscriptions, no additional costs, and no limits on how many people you can share with on a single authorized computer.

What happens to Family Sharing if I change my Steam password?

Family Sharing continues to work. Changing your password doesn't affect the computers you've already authorized. However, if someone logs out of Steam on a shared computer, they'll need to log back in with their own account to access your games again.