Steam Family Sharing: Safe Game Sharing Guide

Steam Family Sharing lets you safely share your game library with up to five family members, but only one person can play from the shared library at a time. This guide explains how to set it up, manage access, and avoid common pitfalls while keeping your account secure.

What Is Steam Family Sharing?

Steam Family Sharing (now part of the broader “Steam Families” feature) allows you to authorize up to five accounts and ten devices to access your game library. The person you share with installs and plays your games on their own account, earning their own achievements and saving their own progress. You remain the owner, and you can revoke access at any time.

This feature is designed for households with multiple PCs and family members who want to play each other’s games without buying duplicates. It is not intended for friends outside your household, and Valve’s terms prohibit sharing with strangers.

How to Set Up Steam Family Sharing

Setting up sharing takes about five minutes. Follow these steps on the computer where the games are installed:

1. Log into Steam on the host PC with the account that owns the games.
2. Click Steam in the top-left corner, then select Settings (or Preferences on macOS).
3. Go to Family (in newer Steam versions) or Family Library Sharing (in older versions).
4. Check the box to authorize sharing on this computer.
5. Select the accounts you want to share with from the list of accounts that have logged into this PC. If the account isn’t listed, have that person log in once on this computer, then restart Steam.
6. Click OK to save.

The other person now sees your library under “Family Library” in their own Steam client. They can download and play any game you own, provided the game supports Family Sharing (most single-player titles do; some multiplayer or DRM-heavy games do not).

How to Choose Who to Share With

Only share with people you trust physically and digitally. The person you authorize can see your entire library, including games you might not want to advertise. More importantly, if they are playing a game from your library and you want to play a different game, you can kick them off by starting a game yourself—but they might lose unsaved progress.

Steam does not let you restrict which games a person can access. You either share the whole library or nothing. If you want to share only specific titles, you would need to create a separate Steam account with only those games, which is not practical for most users. So, before authorizing anyone, consider whether you are comfortable with them seeing and playing everything you own.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

Several issues come up frequently with Family Sharing. Here are the most common and their solutions:

• “Library is in use” error: This happens when the owner or another authorized user is playing a game from the shared library. The other person will be prompted to either buy the game or ask the current player to stop. The owner always has priority—if you start a game, the other person gets a few minutes to save and exit.
• Games not appearing: Make sure the game supports Family Sharing. Some titles with third-party DRM (like certain Ubisoft or EA games) are excluded. Also, check that the game is installed on the host PC and that the borrower has restarted Steam.
• Sharing not working after a Steam update: Occasionally, updates reset sharing settings. Re-check the Family settings and re-authorize the accounts if needed.
• Borrower’s save files not appearing: Each person’s saves are stored separately under their own account, so they start fresh. Cloud saves work per account, so progress is not mixed.
• Cannot share DLC: DLC is shared only if the borrower also owns the base game. If they don’t own the base game, they can play your base game but not your DLC.

Safety and Security Considerations

Family Sharing is safe as long as you follow basic account hygiene. Here are the key points:

• Never share your password. The borrower uses their own account, so they never need your login credentials. If someone asks for your password to “set up sharing,” that is a red flag.
• Use Steam Guard. Enable Steam Guard (two-factor authentication) on your account. This prevents unauthorized access even if your password is compromised.
• Revoke access when needed. You can remove a device or account at any time from the Family settings. This is useful if a family member moves out or a device is sold.
• Beware of VAC bans. If the borrower cheats in a VAC-protected game that you own, your account could be banned from that game. This is rare but possible, so only share with people who play fairly.
• Offline mode quirks. Borrowers can play offline, but the owner must be online to authorize the initial setup. If the owner goes offline, the borrower may lose access until the owner reconnects.

Steam Families vs. Steam Family Sharing

Valve has been rolling out a newer system called Steam Families, which combines Family Sharing with parental controls and a shared “Family Library.” The key differences are:

• Steam Families allows up to five members to create a family group. Each member can play from the combined library, but still only one person per game at a time. It also adds child accounts with purchase and playtime limits.
• Classic Family Sharing is the older system, which is being gradually replaced. If you see both options, the new one is recommended because it is more integrated and easier to manage.
• Game ownership remains with the original purchaser in both systems. You do not lose your games if you leave a family group.

If you are setting up sharing for the first time, use the new Steam Families interface. If you already use classic sharing, you may be prompted to migrate. The core rules—one player per copy, owner priority, and library-wide sharing—remain the same.

Alternatives to Family Sharing

If Family Sharing does not fit your needs, consider these alternatives:

• Buy a second copy: For games you both want to play simultaneously, a second copy is the only way. Family Sharing does not allow two people to play the same game at the same time, even if one is the owner.
• Gifting: Steam allows you to buy a game as a gift and send it to someone. This is straightforward but costs the full price.
• Remote Play Together: This feature lets you invite a friend to play a local co-op game online, even if they don’t own the game. It is not the same as sharing your library, but it is useful for multiplayer sessions.
• Free weekends and demos: Many games offer free trial periods. This is a good way to test a game before buying, though it does not replace sharing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can two people play the same game at the same time with Family Sharing?

No. Only one person can play a specific game from a shared library at a time. If the owner starts playing a game that a borrower is using, the borrower gets a warning and a few minutes to save and exit. This rule applies even if the owner and borrower are different people.

Does Family Sharing work across different countries?

Generally, yes, but there are region restrictions. If the games have region locks (e.g., a game bought in Russia cannot be played in the US), sharing may fail. Also, if your accounts are in different countries, you may not be able to join the same Steam Family group due to regional pricing and legal restrictions.

Can I share games with someone who lives in another house?

Technically, yes, but it is against Steam’s intent. Family Sharing is meant for household members. If you share with a friend, they must log into your PC once to authorize the device. After that, they can play from their own location, but Valve may restrict this if they detect abuse.

What happens to my progress if I leave a Steam Family?

Your progress is tied to your own account, not the family group. You keep all your saves, achievements, and games you own. The only thing you lose is access to games owned by other family members.

Can I share games with someone who has a VAC ban?

Yes, but it is risky. If the banned person plays a VAC-protected game from your library and cheats, your account could also be banned from that game. Steam’s policy is that the account that owns the game is responsible for its use. So, avoid sharing with anyone who has a history of cheating.

Does Family Sharing work on Steam Deck?

Yes. The Steam Deck supports Family Sharing. You can authorize the device and play shared games, but the same one-player-at-a-time rule applies. Also, some games may not run well on the Deck, but that is unrelated to sharing.

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