Adding someone to Steam Family means letting them play your games on their own account
Steam Family is a feature that lets you share your game library with people in your household. When you add someone, they can read and play most of your games on their own Steam account, without needing your password. The person you add gets their own separate account and progress — they are not logging in as you.
The setup takes about five minutes and happens entirely within Steam settings. You choose who gets access, which games they can play, and you can remove them at any time. Steam limits how many people can use the shared library at once, and some games have restrictions on sharing.
Key Takeaways
- Steam Family requires you to set up a shared computer where the other person will play, or use Steam Remote Play to let them play on their own device.
- You add people through Steam settings under Family Library Sharing, not by sending an invite or creating a group.
- Only one person can play a shared game at a time — if you are playing a game, the other person cannot play that same game simultaneously.
- Some games do not allow sharing, and you can see which ones before you add someone.
- You can remove someone from your family library when ready, and they lose access to your games when ready.
The two ways to share: shared computer or remote play
Steam Family works in two different setups. The first is a shared computer — you set up one computer in your house where both you and the other person log in to Steam. That person uses their own account on that computer, and they can read your games there. This is the simplest method if you have a spare PC or laptop.
The second method is Steam Remote Play, which lets the other person play your games on their own device — their laptop, their phone, or their desktop — without downloading them. They connect to your computer over the internet, and your computer streams the game to them. This works if you both have decent internet speed and want to play in different rooms or different houses.
Most people use the shared computer method because it is more straightforward. Remote Play is useful if the other person lives elsewhere or you want to play in separate rooms without tying up your main computer.
How to set up Steam Family Library Sharing
Open Steam on the computer where your games are installed. Go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right), then select Family from the left menu. You will see an option that says Authorize Library Sharing on Other Devices — turn this on.
Next, Steam will ask you to choose which account can use your library on other computers. Select the account of the person you want to share with. If they do not have a Steam account yet, they need to create one first — it takes two minutes and requires only an email address and a password.
Once you authorize their account, they can log into Steam on any computer and read your games. They will see your entire library in their library list, marked as shared. They play under their own account, so their progress and achievements are separate from yours.
What games can and cannot be shared
Most games can be shared through Steam Family, but some publishers have blocked sharing on their titles. Before you add someone, you can see which games in your library have sharing restrictions. In your Steam library, look for a small icon next to game titles — a crossed-out circle means that game cannot be shared.
Games that often have sharing restrictions include online multiplayer games where the publisher wants to prevent account sharing across many people, and some subscription-based games. Single-player games almost always allow sharing. If a game is restricted, only you can play it — the other person will not see it in their library at all.
You can check your entire library's sharing status by going to Settings > Family and looking at the Shared Library section. Steam shows you a list of which games are shareable and which are not.
The one-at-a-time rule for playing shared games
Only one person can play the same game at the same time. If you are playing a game from your library, the other person cannot launch that exact game until you stop playing it. They will see a message saying the game is in use and they have to wait.
This limitation exists because Steam licenses are tied to one account, and publishers do not allow multiple people to use the same license simultaneously. If you both want to play the same game at the same time, you each need your own copy.
Different games do not block each other — you can play one game while the other person plays a different game from your library. The restriction only applies when you are both trying to play the identical title.
Removing someone from your Steam Family
You can remove someone from your family library at any time. Go back to Settings > Family > Authorize Library Sharing on Other Devices, and uncheck their account. The change takes effect when ready — they lose access to your games right away, and any game they were playing will close.
Removing someone does not delete their Steam account or their own games. It only cuts off their access to your shared library. If you add them again later, they can read your games again.
What happens if you both own the same game
If you both own a copy of the same game, you can play it at the same time without the one-at-a-time restriction. Each of you is using your own license. You can see which games you both own by checking your library and looking for games that appear in both accounts.
This is useful if you want to play multiplayer games together — you can each buy a copy, and then you can also share your other games with the one-at-a-time rule in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to give them my Steam password?
No. You authorize their account through Settings, and they log in with their own password on the shared computer. You never give them your password, and they cannot access your account or personal information.
Can I share my games with someone who does not live with me?
Steam's terms say Family Library Sharing is for people in your household. Technically, you can add anyone, but Steam may disable sharing if it detects unusual activity. Using it with someone far away carries the risk that Valve could restrict your account.
What if the shared computer is turned off?
If you are using a shared computer, the other person can only play when that computer is on and connected to the internet. If you are using Steam Remote Play, your computer must be on and running Steam for them to connect and play.
Can I limit which games they can play?
Steam does not have a feature to hide specific games from a shared account. If you authorize someone, they can see and play all your shareable games. You can only block entire accounts from sharing, not individual titles.
What if they buy a game while using my shared library?
Games they purchase are added to their own account, not yours. You will not be charged, and they own that game permanently. Only games in your library are shared — anything they buy belongs to them.