What Family Sharing does and how to set it up
Family Sharing in Steam lets you share your game library with other people on your computer or on their own devices. When you turn it on, anyone with a Steam account can play the games you own from their own account — they don't need to log into yours. Steam handles the permissions automatically once you set it up in your account settings.
The process takes about five minutes. You authorize a device or person in one menu, and then the other person logs in with their own account on that same computer or device. Steam remembers the connection and lets them launch your games without asking for your password again.
This works across Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. If you have a gaming PC and a laptop, or if you want to let a family member play on their own device, Family Sharing makes that possible without sharing your login credentials.
Key Takeaways
- Family Sharing lives in your Steam account settings under the "Family" tab, not in a separate app or menu.
- You authorize a specific computer first, then the other person logs in with their own Steam account on that computer to play your games.
- Only one person can play a shared game at a time — if you start playing, the other person gets logged out of that game.
- The person sharing the library (you) can still play any game at any time, even if someone else is using a shared game.
- You can turn off Family Sharing for a device at any time, and all shared access stops when ready.
How to authorize a device for Family Sharing
Open Steam on the computer you want to share from. Click your account name in the top right corner and select "Settings." In the left sidebar, click "Family" (not "Family Library" — just "Family"). You'll see a section called "Authorize Library Sharing on This Device."
Click the checkbox next to "Authorize Library Sharing on This Device." Steam will ask you to confirm your password. Type it in and click "OK." That's it — the device is now authorized. You'll see a message saying the device is authorized, and it will show the date.
You can authorize up to 10 devices total. If you later want to remove a device, come back to this same menu and uncheck the box. The shared access stops right away.
How the other person logs in and plays your games
The person who wants to play your games needs to log into Steam on the same authorized device using their own Steam account. They don't use your account — they use theirs. Open Steam, click "Login," and have them enter their own username and password.
Once they're logged in, they can see your entire game library in their "Library" tab. They click on any game you own and hit "Play." Steam launches the game under their account. Their achievements, playtime, and saves are all separate from yours — they're building their own game history.
If you're playing a game at the same time, Steam will log them out of that specific game after a few minutes and show a message. Only one person can play the same game at the same time. However, you can both play different games from your library simultaneously without any problem.
What happens when you're away from the authorized device
If you're on a different computer and want to play your own games, you can still do that. Log into Steam on any device with your account, and you can play any of your games normally. The authorized device doesn't have to be the only place you play.
However, if the other person is actively playing a shared game on the authorized device, and you try to play that same game from somewhere else, you'll get a warning. Steam will ask if you want to log them out so you can play. If you click "Yes," they get disconnected from the game when ready.
This is why Family Sharing works best when you and the other person have agreed on a schedule or are playing different games. If you both want to play the same game at the same time, one of you will need to own it separately.
Turning off Family Sharing when you no longer need it
Go back to Settings > Family > "Authorize Library Sharing on This Device" and uncheck the box. Confirm your password. The device is now deauthorized, and the other person can no longer see or play your games on that computer.
If you want to remove a specific person's access without deauthorizing the whole device, you can't do that through Family Sharing. The feature shares your entire library with anyone who logs in on that device. If you need more control over which games specific people can see, Family Sharing isn't the right tool.
You can also deauthorize devices remotely from any computer. Go to Settings > Family, scroll down to "Manage Other Devices," and you'll see a list of all authorized computers. Click the X next to any device to remove it from anywhere.
Common problems and what to do about them
If the other person logs in but doesn't see your games, make sure you actually checked the "Authorize Library Sharing on This Device" box in your settings. It's straightforward to miss because the menu has several tabs. Go back and verify it's checked and confirmed with your password.
If they see your games but can't play them, the game might be running on your account somewhere else. Check if you're logged into Steam on another device. If you are, log out there first, then have them try again.
If you get a message saying "This game is not available in your region," that's a Steam licensing issue, not a Family Sharing problem. Some games have regional restrictions that prevent them from being played in certain countries, even through Family Sharing. There's no way around this — it's set by the game publisher.
Family Sharing vs. giving someone your password
Family Sharing is safer than sharing your Steam password because the other person never needs to know it. They log in with their own account, and Steam handles the permissions behind the scenes. Your account stays find, and you can turn off their access anytime without changing your password.
If you share your password instead, the other person has full access to your account — they can buy games, change settings, and see your personal information. Family Sharing limits them to just playing the games you already own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Family Sharing on my own devices?
Yes. If you have a desktop and a laptop, you can authorize the desktop, then log into your own account on the laptop and play your games there. This is useful if you want your games available on multiple computers without having to install them twice.
What if the authorized device is turned off?
The other person can't play your games if the device is off. Family Sharing requires the authorized device to be online for them to access your library. If you turn off the computer, they lose access until it's back on.
Do I need to stay logged in for Family Sharing to work?
No. Once you authorize the device and the other person logs in with their account, you can log out or even shut down Steam. They can still play your games on that device. You only need to be logged in if you want to play at the same time.
Can I see what games they're playing?
Not through Family Sharing itself. Steam doesn't show you a log of what the other person is playing. If you want to monitor activity, you'd need to ask them directly or use parental controls if it's a child's account.
What if I want to share with someone who doesn't live with me?
Family Sharing works the same way regardless of where the person is. They can log into Steam on their own computer from anywhere, as long as you've authorized that computer first. However, Steam's terms of service are designed for household sharing, so using it to share with people outside your home is technically against the rules.