Steam Family Sharing lets you and up to five other people play your games on the same computer or different computers, but only one person can play a shared game at the same time

Steam Family Sharing is a built-in feature that lets you share your game library with family members or trusted friends. When you set it up, people you authorize can download and play your games on their own accounts, as long as they're using a computer where you've enabled sharing. The person whose account owns the games can play anytime, but only one person total can play a shared game at once — so if your friend is playing a game you own, you'll have to wait your turn.

The feature works across different computers. You can share your library with someone on another PC in your house, or even across the internet if they're somewhere else. Steam handles the permissions automatically once you set it up, so you don't have to do anything each time someone wants to play.

Key Takeaways

  • You authorize a specific computer and a specific person's account to access your games, and that person can play on their own Steam account.
  • Only one person can play a shared game at the same time, whether it's you or someone else — the game will lock for others while it's in use.
  • The person sharing the library must be at least 13 years old, and Steam limits sharing to five other accounts per library owner.
  • You set up sharing through Settings > Family, and you'll need to know the account name and password of the person you're sharing with.
  • Some games have restrictions that prevent sharing, usually because of licensing agreements with the publisher.

How to set up Steam Family Sharing on your computer

Open Steam on the computer where your games are installed. Click your username in the top right corner, then select Settings. In the left sidebar, click Family. You'll see a section called "Authorize Library Sharing on Other Devices" — click the checkbox next to it to turn it on.

Once you've enabled sharing, Steam will ask you to authorize a specific computer and account. You'll need to sign in with the account of the person you want to share with on that computer. If they're sitting next to you, they can sign in themselves. If they're remote, you'll sign in with their username and password, then sign back out so they can use their own account. After that, anyone signed into that computer can access your library.

Repeat this process for each person and computer you want to share with. You can authorize up to five different accounts across as many computers as you want, but each account can only be authorized on one computer at a time.

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

If you own a game and someone else is already playing it, you'll see a message when you try to launch it: "This game is currently in use by another user." You'll have the option to ask them to stop, but they have to agree to quit — Steam won't force them out. If they don't respond or don't want to stop, you'll have to wait.

The same rule applies in reverse. If you're playing and someone else tries to start the same game, they'll get the same message. This is why sharing works best when people coordinate or play different games. Some households set up a schedule or just agree to take turns on popular titles.

Games that can't be shared and why

Some games won't show up in a shared library, or they'll show up but won't launch for the other person. This usually happens because the publisher or developer has restricted sharing in the game's license agreement. Games with strong anti-cheat systems, games that require a separate account login (like World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV), and some single-player games with always-online requirements often fall into this category.

You can check whether a game supports sharing before you try. Go to the game's store page, scroll down to the "Legal" section, and look for language about family sharing or library sharing. If it says the game can't be shared, it won't work through Family Sharing no matter what you do.

Removing someone from your shared library

Go back to Settings > Family and look for the "Authorize Library Sharing on Other Devices" section. You'll see a list of authorized accounts and computers. Click the X next to the account or computer you want to remove. That person will lose access to your games immediately, though any games they're currently playing will finish out their session.

If you want to stop sharing with someone but keep them authorized on a computer (for example, if a family member moves out but you want to keep their account set up), you can deauthorize just their account while leaving the computer authorized for someone else. Use the same Settings > Family menu to manage this.

Age requirements and account restrictions

You must be at least 13 years old to use Steam Family Sharing. If you're under 18, your account may have parental controls that restrict which games you can access, and those restrictions will apply even when you're playing through a shared library. The person sharing their library with you doesn't control your parental settings — only the account holder or their parent can change those.

Steam also won't let you share with the same person on multiple computers at once. If you authorize someone's account on Computer A and then try to authorize it on Computer B, Steam will deauthorize it on Computer A automatically. This is a security measure to prevent account sharing outside your household.

Troubleshooting common sharing problems

If someone can't see your games in their library, make sure you've actually authorized their account on their computer. Go to Settings > Family and verify their account appears in the list. If it does but games still aren't showing up, restart Steam on both computers.

If a game launches but immediately closes, or if you get an error message, the game might have sharing restrictions. Check the game's store page for the legal notice about family sharing. You can also try restarting Steam or verifying the game files through the game's properties menu (right-click the game, select Properties, then Local Files, then "Verify integrity of game files").

If you're trying to share with someone on a different network and it's not working, make sure both computers are signed into Steam and connected to the internet. Family Sharing works across the internet, but both computers need an active connection. If the person you're sharing with is having trouble signing in, make sure their password is correct and that they don't have two-factor authentication blocking the login.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share games with someone who doesn't live with me?

Yes, Steam Family Sharing works across the internet. However, Valve's terms of service say the feature is meant for family members in the same household. If you share with someone far away, use the feature responsibly and understand that Valve could restrict your account if they determine you're misusing it.

What if I buy a game after I've already set up sharing?

New games you purchase will automatically appear in the shared library. You don't have to do anything — the person you're sharing with will see it the next time they restart Steam or refresh their library.

Can I play a game on my phone or tablet through Family Sharing?

No, Steam Family Sharing only works on computers running the Steam client. Mobile games you own through Steam won't transfer to phones or tablets. Some games have separate mobile versions, but those are different purchases.

Will the person I'm sharing with see my personal files or chat history?

No, they only see your game library. They can't access your profile, friends list, chat messages, or any files on the computer outside of Steam. Each person signs in with their own account and sees only their own data.

What happens if I change my Steam password after setting up sharing?

Changing your password won't affect sharing that's already set up. The authorization stays active until you manually remove it from Settings > Family. However, if someone else signed in with your account to set up sharing, you should change your password afterward for security.