Steam Family Sharing lets up to five other people play the games you own on their own computers, without buying separate copies
Steam Family Sharing is Valve's built-in system for sharing your game library with household members or trusted friends. When you set it up, anyone you authorize can read and play almost any game you own on their own device — they just need a Steam account and access to a computer or Steam Deck connected to your home network or their own.
The catch is straightforward: only one person can play a game from your library at a time. If you're playing a game, nobody else can play that same game until you stop. Other games in your library stay available to them. It's free to set up and takes about ten minutes.
Key Takeaways
- Steam Family Sharing works on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, plus Steam Deck, and lets up to five other accounts access your entire game library.
- Only one person can play any single game at once, but multiple people can play different games from your library simultaneously.
- You authorize specific Steam accounts rather than specific people, so you need the account name or email address of everyone you want to share with.
- The person using a shared game must either be on your home network or have their own Steam account logged in on a computer you've designated as your "home computer."
- You can remove someone's access when ready by changing your sharing settings, and they'll be locked out of any shared games within minutes.
What you need before you start
You need a Steam account with games in your library, and the Steam account names or email addresses of the people you want to share with. Each person also needs their own Steam account — you cannot share with someone who doesn't have one.
Everyone involved should be on the same home network (the same Wi-Fi or wired connection), or you need to designate one computer as your "home computer" where shared games will be available offline. If you're sharing with someone in a different location, they'll need to log into Steam on a computer you've set as your home computer, or they'll only be able to play when you're online.
How to authorize people to share your library
Open Steam on your computer and go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right). Select Family from the left menu. You'll see a section called Steam Family Library Sharing with a toggle switch. Turn it on.
Steam will show you a list of accounts on your computer. Check the box next to each account you want to authorize. These are the Steam accounts that will be able to access your games. If someone's account isn't listed, they need to log into Steam on your computer at least once first — then log back out and their account will appear in this list.
Once you've checked the boxes, the settings save automatically. The people you authorized can now see your games in their own Steam library under the "Family Library" section, as long as they're on your home network or logged in on your designated home computer.
Designating a home computer for offline access
If you want someone to play your games when you're not online, or when they're not on your home network, you need to mark one computer as your "home computer." This is usually the computer where you do most of your gaming, or a computer in a shared space.
Go to Settings > Family again and look for This Computer. You'll see an option that says This is my home computer. Check that box. Steam will ask you to confirm — click Yes, this is my home computer.
Now anyone you've authorized can log into their own Steam account on that computer and read your games, even if you're not home. They can play offline as long as they've launched the game at least once while connected to the internet. If you mark a different computer as your home computer later, the old one stops sharing automatically.
What happens when two people try to play the same game
If you're playing a game and someone else tries to launch the same game from your shared library, Steam will give them a choice: they can wait for you to stop playing, or they can ask you to stop (which sends you a notification). You'll see a message asking if you want to stop playing so they can start.
If you don't respond within a few minutes, Steam will pause your game and let them play instead. You can resume later, but you'll lose your place if the game doesn't auto-save. Different games handle this differently — some save your progress automatically, others don't.
This is why Family Sharing works best when people play different games or take turns. If two people in your household want to play the same game at the same time, one of them needs to own their own copy.
Privacy and security things to know
When you authorize someone to share your library, they can see all your games and play any of them. They cannot see your personal files, chat history, or account details — they're only accessing the games themselves. Your password stays private; they log in with their own account.
If you're sharing with someone outside your household, be aware that you're trusting them with access to your entire library. You can remove anyone's access at any time by unchecking their box in the Family settings. They'll be locked out within a few minutes, and any game they're currently playing will stop.
Steam also tracks which account owns which games. If you ever stop sharing with someone, they lose access to your games, but any games they own themselves stay on their account. If you sell your computer or give it to someone else, remember to uncheck their box in Family Sharing and mark a different computer as your home computer.
Troubleshooting common problems
If someone can't see your games in their library, check that Family Sharing is turned on in your Settings and that their account is checked in the authorized list. If they're not on your home network, make sure you've marked a home computer and they've logged into Steam on that computer at least once.
If a game won't launch, it might be because you're playing it, or because the game doesn't support Family Sharing. A small number of games — usually multiplayer games with strict licensing — don't allow sharing. Steam will tell you if a game can't be shared when you try to launch it.
If someone is locked out of a game they could play before, check that you haven't accidentally unchecked their box in the Family settings, or that you haven't marked a different computer as your home computer. Also confirm that the game itself still exists in your library — if you refunded it, they lose access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share my Steam library with someone who lives far away?
Yes, but with limits. They need to log into Steam on a computer you've marked as your home computer, and they can only play offline games or games that don't require you to be online. If you're both online at the same time, they can play any game in your library. If you want them to play while you're offline, the game needs to support offline mode.
What if I want to share with more than five people?
Steam limits Family Sharing to five authorized accounts per person. If you need to share with more people, you'd have to remove someone and add someone else. There's no way around this limit.
Do I need to give someone my Steam password to share my library?
No. They log in with their own Steam account. You only authorize their account in your Family settings. Never share your password — it's not necessary for Family Sharing and it puts your account at risk.
What happens to shared games if I delete my Steam account?
If you delete your account, your games are gone and anyone sharing your library loses access to them. Your account is permanent once created, so this is unlikely to happen by accident, but it's worth knowing.
Can someone play a shared game on their phone or tablet?
Not through Family Sharing. Steam games are designed for computers and Steam Deck. Some games are available on mobile through other platforms, but Family Sharing only works on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Steam Deck.