What Family Sharing on Steam actually does
Steam Family Sharing lets you and people in your household play games from the same Steam library on different computers at the same time. When you set it up, you authorize another person's account to use your games — but only one person can play a game from your library at once. If you want to know who has access to your games right now, you check your account settings on the Steam client or the Steam website.
The confusion usually comes from the name. It sounds like a group chat or a shared account. It is not. You keep your own account. The other person keeps theirs. You just give them permission to borrow your games when you are not using them.
Key Takeaways
- You can see authorized devices and accounts in your Steam account settings under "Manage other computers" or "Family Library Sharing".
- Family Sharing shows you which computer is logged in and which account has access, but not real-time activity or who is playing right now.
- Only the account that owns the games can manage who has access — you remove people from the same settings menu where you added them.
- If someone else set up Family Sharing on your account without permission, you can revoke access when ready from your account settings.
Finding your Family Sharing settings on the Steam client
Open the Steam client on your computer. Click your account name in the top right corner, then select Settings. In the left sidebar, click Family. You will see a section called Family Library Sharing or Manage other computers depending on your Steam client version.
This page shows you which accounts have permission to use your games and which computers are authorized. You will see the account name and the computer name next to it. If the computer is currently logged in, it will say "This computer" or show a green dot. If it is offline or logged out, it will show as inactive.
This view does not tell you who is playing a game right now. It only shows you which accounts and computers have the permission to play. To see actual gameplay, you would need to check each person's profile or ask them directly.
Checking Family Sharing on the Steam website
You can also see your Family Sharing settings without opening the Steam client. Go to steampowered.com and log in to your account. Click your account name in the top right, then select Account details. In the left menu, click Family.
The website version shows the same information as the client: which accounts are authorized and which computers they are linked to. The website is useful if you are away from home or on a different computer and need to check or change your settings quickly.
What you can and cannot see about Family Sharing
You can see the account names and computer names of everyone with access to your library. You can see when a computer was last logged in. You cannot see what games someone is playing, how long they have played, or whether they are online right now — that information is private to their own account.
If you want to know what someone is doing with your games, you have to ask them. Steam does not show you activity logs for borrowed games the way it shows you your own playtime. This is intentional: Family Sharing respects the privacy of the person borrowing your games.
Removing someone from Family Sharing
If you want to revoke someone's access, go back to the Family Sharing settings in either the Steam client or the website. Find the account or computer you want to remove and click the button next to it — usually labeled Remove or Deauthorize. Confirm the action.
Once you remove them, they can no longer play any of your games on that computer. If they are currently playing a game from your library when you remove access, they will be kicked out the next time Steam checks — usually within a few minutes. They can still play games they own themselves.
If someone else set up Family Sharing on your account
If you see an account or computer in your Family Sharing settings that you did not authorize, someone else logged into your account and set it up. This is a security issue. Change your Steam password when ready, then remove that account or computer from your Family Sharing settings.
After you change your password, the other person will be logged out of your account on all devices. They will no longer be able to use your games or change your settings. If this happens repeatedly, enable Steam Guard (a two-factor authentication system) in your account security settings to prevent unauthorized logins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see if someone is playing my games right now?
No. Family Sharing settings show you who has permission to play, but not real-time activity. To know if someone is actively playing, you would need to check their profile directly or ask them. Steam does not log gameplay activity for borrowed games in your account.
What happens if two people try to play the same game at the same time?
Only one person can play a game from your library at a time. If the account that owns the games starts playing, anyone borrowing them gets kicked out. If someone borrowing your games is already playing and you try to start the same game, Steam will not let you launch it.
Can I see which games someone borrowed from my library?
No. Steam does not track which specific games are borrowed or played. You can only see that an account has access to your entire library. If you want to know what someone is playing, you have to check their public profile or ask them directly.
Does Family Sharing work across different countries?
Family Sharing is designed for people in the same household. Steam's terms say it should not be used for people in different locations. If you set it up with someone in another country, Valve may disable it or restrict access to certain games depending on regional licensing rules.
What if I forgot which computer I authorized?
Your Family Sharing settings list every authorized computer by name. If you do not recognize a computer name, it is likely a device you set up a while ago. You can remove any computer you no longer use. If you cannot remember what a computer is, remove it to be safe.