Steam Family Sharing lets household members play each other's games on the same computer, but only one person at a time

Family Sharing is a Steam feature that lets you share your game library with other people who use your computer. When you turn it on, anyone with an account on that computer can launch and play the games you own — they do not need to buy those games themselves. The catch: only one person can play at a time, and the library owner always has priority.

This is different from simply letting someone borrow your Steam password. Family Sharing is built into Steam's settings, works across multiple user accounts on one machine, and Valve monitors it to prevent abuse. It is designed for households where multiple people share a single PC or Mac, not for playing together online or for sharing libraries across different computers.

Key Takeaways

  • Family Sharing works only on one computer at a time — you designate a single device as your "library computer," and only people with accounts on that computer can access your games.
  • Only one person can play from your library at once; if you start playing, anyone else using your games gets kicked out after a grace period.
  • The account that owns the games must authorize the computer in Steam settings, and you can change which computer is your library computer whenever you want.
  • Games played through Family Sharing count toward your achievements, playtime, and game statistics just as if you owned the game yourself.
  • Some games with strong anti-cheat systems or online restrictions may not work through Family Sharing, and publishers can opt out entirely.

How to set up Family Sharing on your computer

Start by opening Steam on the computer you want to share from. Go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right), then select Family from the left menu. You will see an option to Authorize Library Sharing on this device. Click it, and Steam will ask you to confirm — this marks the computer as your library computer.

Once authorized, anyone with a user account on that Windows or Mac machine can open Steam, log into their own account, and see your games in their library. They do not need your password. If you want to stop sharing, go back to the same menu and click Deauthorize. You can only have one library computer active at a time, so if you authorize a new device, the old one automatically stops sharing.

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

If you own the games and someone else is playing them through Family Sharing, you can still launch a game — but the other person will get a warning that the library owner is starting to play. They have a few minutes to save and exit, or Steam will close the game for them. This is Steam's way of making sure the library owner always has access.

The reverse is not true: if you are playing, someone else cannot start a game from your library at all. They will see a message saying the library is in use. This is why Family Sharing works best in households where people play at different times rather than simultaneously.

Games that do not work with Family Sharing

Some games have restrictions that prevent them from working through Family Sharing. Games with strong anti-cheat systems — like Valorant, Counter-Strike 2, and PUBG — often block it because publishers worry about account sharing in competitive play. Other games simply require you to own the game on your own account to play online.

You will not know which games are restricted until you try to launch one through a shared account. If a game does not work, Steam will tell you why — usually that it requires the owning account to be logged in, or that it is not available for sharing. Some publishers have opted out of Family Sharing entirely, so their games will never be shareable no matter what.

Achievements, playtime, and statistics with shared games

When someone plays a game through Family Sharing, their achievements, playtime hours, and game statistics all go to their own account — not to the account that owns the game. This means if your friend plays Elden Ring through your library and unlocks an achievement, it shows up on their profile, not yours.

Playtime also tracks separately. If you play a game for 10 hours and your friend plays it for 20 hours through your library, your profile shows 10 hours and theirs shows 20. This separation is one reason Family Sharing is fair to both the owner and the person using the shared library — everyone gets credit for their own progress.

Limitations and things to know before you set it up

Family Sharing only works on one computer. If you authorize your library on your desktop, your laptop cannot access those games unless you move the authorization to the laptop instead. You cannot share your library across multiple devices at once.

You also cannot use Family Sharing to play games on a different computer than the one you authorized. If your library computer is in the living room and you want to play in your bedroom, you would need to either move the authorization or use Remote Play (a different Steam feature) to stream the game from the library computer.

Steam accounts with parental controls set up may have restrictions on which games they can access through Family Sharing. If a game is blocked by parental settings, the person using the shared library will not be able to launch it, even if the owner can.

When Family Sharing stops working or causes problems

If someone is having trouble accessing your games, the most common cause is that the computer is not actually authorized. Go back to Settings > Family and make sure Authorize Library Sharing on this device shows as active. If it does not, click it again.

If games are crashing or behaving strangely when played through Family Sharing, try restarting Steam on both accounts, or restart the computer entirely. Sometimes Steam's cache gets out of sync. If a specific game refuses to launch, check whether it has anti-cheat or online restrictions — those games often do not work through Family Sharing at all, and there is no workaround.

If you see a message that the library is in use when you are trying to play, someone else is actively playing a game from your library. You will need to wait for them to stop, or they will need to exit the game to free up the library.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Family Sharing on my laptop and desktop at the same time?

No. You can only authorize one computer as your library computer. If you want to switch, you have to deauthorize the old one and authorize the new one. Both computers can have Steam installed, but only the authorized one will share your games.

What if someone I share with buys a game — do I get it too?

No. Family Sharing only goes one direction — from the library owner to the people using the shared account. If someone else buys a game on their own account, it stays on their account and is not added to your library.

Is Family Sharing against Steam's rules?

No. Valve built Family Sharing as an official feature and it is allowed. However, it is meant for household members sharing one computer, not for sharing libraries with friends across the internet or on different machines. Valve monitors for abuse and can restrict accounts that misuse the feature.

Do I need to stay logged in for someone else to play my games?

No. Once the computer is authorized, anyone with an account on that machine can play your games even if you are logged out or not home. The authorization is tied to the computer, not to you being present.

Can I see what games other people are playing through my library?

Yes. If you open Steam on the authorized computer, you can see which accounts are currently playing games from your library. You can also see their playtime and achievements for those games on their public profiles, if they have made that information public.