What Family Share Does

Family Share is a Steam feature that lets you share your game library with other people on your home computer and with up to five other accounts on different computers. When you set up Family Share, anyone using a shared computer can launch your games without owning them. On remote computers, one person at a time can play your games while you are offline, but you cannot both play simultaneously.

The feature is free and built into Steam. It does not transfer game ownership or create separate accounts — it straightforward grants access to the games you have purchased. You keep full control of your library and can remove access at any time.

Key Takeaways

  • Family Share works on your home computer where anyone with a user account can play your games, and on up to five other computers where one authorized person can play while you are offline.
  • You set up Family Share by designating one computer as your home library computer in Steam settings, then authorizing specific accounts on other devices.
  • Only one person can play your games at a time across all shared computers — if you are playing, no one else can, and vice versa.
  • You can remove someone's access or change your home computer at any time, and the person loses access to your games when ready.
  • Games with single-player modes work fully through Family Share, but some online multiplayer games may have restrictions or require the original owner to be present.

Setting Up Your Home Library Computer

The first step is to mark one computer as your home library computer. This is the machine where anyone with a local user account can play your games. Open Steam on that computer, go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right), then select Family from the left menu. Click Authorize Library Sharing on this Computer.

Steam will ask you to confirm your account password. Once you do, anyone who logs into a user account on that computer can launch and play your games from their own Steam account. You do not need to stay logged in for them to play — they straightforward select your game from their library and start it.

You can only have one home library computer at a time. If you later want to move your home library to a different machine, go back to Settings > Family on the new computer and authorize it. The old computer will automatically lose home library status.

Sharing Games With Specific People on Other Computers

To let someone play your games on their own computer (not your home computer), you authorize their account in Steam. On your computer, go to Settings > Family > Manage other computers. You will see a list of computers that have requested access. Find the one belonging to the person you want to share with and click Authorize next to their account name.

That person can now launch your games on their computer, but only when you are not playing anything. If you start a game, their access pauses until you stop. This is Steam's way of preventing two people from playing your games at the same time across different machines.

You can authorize up to five accounts on five different computers. If you want to add a sixth person, you must first remove authorization from someone else.

The One-Player-at-a-Time Rule

Steam enforces a strict rule: only one person can play your games at any moment across all shared computers combined. If you are playing a game on your home computer, nobody on any other authorized computer can play your games. If someone on an authorized remote computer is playing, you cannot play until they stop.

This applies even if different people are playing different games from your library. If your friend is playing Elden Ring on their authorized computer, you cannot launch Stardew Valley on yours until they quit.

The person playing on a remote computer can play offline — they do not need an internet connection once the game has started. However, you must be offline (not logged into Steam) for them to play at all. If you log in to Steam on any computer, their session ends.

Games That May Not Work Fully Through Family Share

Most single-player games work without any issues through Family Share. However, some games have restrictions. Online multiplayer games sometimes require the original owner of the account to be present, or they may not work through Family Share at all. Games that use third-party anti-cheat software or DRM (digital rights management) may also have limitations.

Before you authorize someone to play a specific game, check the game's store page on Steam. Scroll down to the Legal section and look for notes about Family Share compatibility. If a game does not support Family Share, Steam will usually say so explicitly.

If someone tries to launch a restricted game through Family Share, Steam will show an error message explaining why. The game straightforward will not start — it will not charge them or create any other problem.

Removing Access and Changing Permissions

You can remove someone's access to your games at any time. Go to Settings > Family > Manage other computers and click Deauthorize next to their account. They lose access when ready, even if they are currently playing a game — their session will end.

If you want to change your home library computer, authorize a different computer in the same menu. The old home computer loses status right away, and anyone using it can no longer play your games (though anyone logged into a local user account on that computer can still play if they have their own library).

You can also pause Family Share temporarily without removing anyone's authorization. In the Family settings, toggle Library Sharing off. Everyone loses access until you turn it back on.

What Happens to Achievements, Saves, and Game Progress

When someone plays your game through Family Share, their progress, achievements, and save files are tied to their own Steam account, not yours. If they earn an achievement in a game, it appears on their profile. If they save progress, that save is stored under their account.

This means multiple people can play the same game from your library and each person keeps their own separate progress. Your saves and achievements remain untouched on your account.

Some games store saves in the cloud (Steam Cloud), which means progress syncs across computers. Other games store saves only on the local computer. Either way, each person's progress stays separate as long as they are logged into their own Steam account when they play.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I play a game while someone else is playing it through Family Share?

No. Only one person can play your games at a time, regardless of which computer they are on or which game they are playing. If someone is playing any game from your library on an authorized computer, you cannot start any game until they stop.

What happens if I travel and want to play my games on a different computer?

If you travel with a laptop, you can still play your own games on it — the one-player rule does not explore to you. However, if you want to set that laptop as your new home library computer, you must do so in Steam settings, which will remove home library status from your previous computer. Anyone using your old home computer will lose access to your games.

Can I share games with someone who lives in a different country?

Yes. Family Share has no geographic restrictions. You can authorize accounts in any country. However, some games have regional restrictions or may not be available for purchase in certain countries, which could prevent someone from playing even through Family Share.

Do I need to buy a second copy of a game for someone else to play it?

No. One purchase covers Family Share access for up to six accounts across your home computer and five authorized remote computers. You do not need multiple copies.

What if someone tries to play a game that does not support Family Share?

Steam will show an error message when they try to launch it, and the game will not start. They will not be charged, and nothing else happens — they straightforward cannot play that particular game through your account.