Steam sends notifications when friends play, but only if you turn them on

Steam does not notify you by default when a friend starts playing. You have to enable notifications in your settings first. Once you do, Steam can alert you through your desktop, in the Steam overlay, or by email — depending on which notification types you choose. The system works on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Most players miss these notifications because Steam installs with them turned off. If you want to know when specific friends log in or start a game, you need to visit your notification settings and switch them on. The process takes less than a minute.

Key Takeaways

  • Steam notifications for friends playing are disabled by default and must be turned on in your settings.
  • You can receive notifications on your desktop, in the Steam overlay, or by email depending on what you enable.
  • You can customize notifications per friend or turn them on for all friends at once.
  • Desktop notifications only appear when Steam is running, but email notifications arrive even if you are offline.

How to turn on friend notifications in Steam

Open Steam and click your username in the top right corner. Select Settings from the dropdown menu. On the left side, click Notifications. You will see a section labeled Friends with several options.

Check the box next to Notify me when a friend comes online. This sends a notification whenever any friend logs into Steam. If you want notifications only when friends start playing specific games, check Notify me when a friend starts playing a game I own instead. You can enable both at the same time.

Below those options, you will see checkboxes for where you want to receive notifications: Show in-game (appears in the Steam overlay), Show in client (appears in the Steam window), and Send email notification. Select whichever methods you prefer, then click OK at the bottom to save.

Notifications for specific friends only

If you do not want notifications from everyone, you can customize them per friend. Right-click a friend's name in your Friends list and select View Profile. On their profile page, look for the three-dot menu icon and click it. Select Notification Settings.

From here, you can choose to receive notifications when that specific friend comes online or starts playing. These settings override your general notification preferences, so you can mute notifications from most friends while keeping them on for a few people you play with regularly.

Where notifications appear and when they show up

Desktop notifications appear in the corner of your screen when Steam is running. In-game notifications show up in the Steam overlay (press Shift+Tab while playing). Client notifications appear in the Steam window itself. All three can be active at the same time.

Email notifications are the only type that reaches you when Steam is closed. If you enable email notifications, Steam sends you a message to your registered email address when a friend comes online or starts playing. This is useful if you do not keep Steam running all day but want to know when friends are active.

Why you might not be seeing notifications

The most common reason is that notifications are straightforward turned off in your settings. Check your notification preferences again to confirm they are enabled. If they are on but you still see nothing, make sure Steam is actually running — desktop notifications only work when the process is open.

On Windows, check your system notification settings. If you have disabled notifications for Steam in Windows Settings, Steam notifications will not appear even if they are enabled in Steam itself. Go to Settings > System > Notifications & actions and make sure Steam is allowed to send notifications.

If you are using a Mac, check System Preferences > Notifications and confirm that Steam is in the list and set to allow notifications. On Linux, notification behavior depends on your desktop environment, but the Steam settings should still control whether notifications are sent.

Muting notifications without turning them off completely

If you want to keep notifications on but do not want them interrupting you right now, you can mute them temporarily. In the Steam client, click your username and go to Settings > Notifications. At the top, you will see a toggle for Mute all notifications. Turn this on to silence all alerts without changing your settings.

You can also mute notifications from individual friends without disabling them globally. Right-click a friend's name and select Mute notifications. This stops alerts from that person while keeping notifications from others active. You can unmute them the same way whenever you want.

Notifications and your privacy

When you enable notifications for friends, Steam shows them your online status. If you have your profile set to private, friends can still see when you are online if they have notifications enabled. Your game activity is visible to friends who have the right notification settings, but only if your profile privacy allows it.

You can control what friends see about you in your profile settings. Go to your profile, click the dropdown next to your name, and select Edit Profile. Scroll down to Privacy Settings and choose who can see your online status and game activity. These settings do not affect whether you receive notifications from others — they only control what others can see about you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do my friends know when I turn on notifications for them?

No. Enabling notifications is a personal setting on your account. Your friends cannot see whether you have notifications turned on for them. They only know you are online if they look at your profile or if you message them.

Can I get notifications on my phone when a friend starts playing?

Steam does not have an official mobile app that sends notifications about friends. Email notifications are the closest option — you can enable them in your notification settings and receive alerts on your phone's email app. Some third-party apps claim to send Steam notifications to your phone, but Steam does not officially support this.

What is the difference between "friend comes online" and "friend starts playing a game"?

A friend coming online means they logged into Steam. A friend starting a game means they launched a specific game after being online. If you enable both notifications, you will get one alert when they log in and another when they start playing.

Why am I getting notifications for friends I do not play with?

If you enabled "Notify me when a friend comes online", you will get notifications for all friends. To limit notifications to people you actually play with, disable that option and enable "Notify me when a friend starts playing a game I own" instead. You can also customize notifications for individual friends.

Do notifications work if I have Steam running in the background?

Yes. Desktop and in-client notifications appear whenever Steam is running, even if the window is minimized or you are playing a game. Email notifications work whether Steam is running or not, since they arrive at your email address.