Steam Family Sharing lets household members play your games on their own accounts, but only one person can play at a time
Steam Family Sharing is a feature built into Valve's Steam platform that lets you authorize your game library on another person's computer. When you do, they can launch and play any game you own from their own Steam account — without needing your password or owning the games themselves. The catch: only one person can play your games at the same time across all authorized computers, and the person playing must be logged into their own account.
This works because Steam separates the person who owns the games (you) from the person playing them (anyone else on your authorized device). You keep your library; they get access to it on their machine. If you want multiple people playing your games simultaneously, Family Sharing is not the right tool — you would need to buy additional copies or look at other options like Steam Remote Play, which lets someone stream your game to their device while you control it.
Key Takeaways
- Only one person can play games from your library at any given time, even if multiple people are logged in on different computers.
- You authorize your library on another person's computer through Steam settings, then they log in with their own account to play.
- The person playing must be on a computer you have authorized; they cannot play your games on a computer where you have not set up Family Sharing.
- If the primary account holder (you) starts playing a game, anyone else playing your games will be kicked out within 15 minutes.
- Steam tracks who is playing what and when, so you can see activity and remove access at any time by changing your authorization settings.
How to authorize your library on another person's computer
Start on the computer where the other person will be playing. Log in with your Steam account (the one that owns the games). Open Steam, go to Settings (the gear icon in the top left), then select Family, and turn on Family Library Sharing. Check the box next to the account name of the person who will be playing.
Once you have authorized that account, log out and have the other person log in with their own Steam account on the same computer. They will now see your entire game library in their library tab and can read and play any game from it. You can authorize up to five accounts on a single computer, but remember: only one person can play your games at a time, no matter how many accounts you have authorized.
What happens when two people try to play at once
If someone is already playing one of your games and another authorized person tries to start a different game from your library, Steam will give them a warning: the person currently playing has 15 minutes to stop, or the game will shut down automatically. This is Steam's way of enforcing the one-at-a-time rule.
If you (the account owner) start playing a game, anyone else playing your games gets the same 15-minute warning. This is why Family Sharing works best when people coordinate — a household where everyone plays at different times, or where one person is the main player and others occasionally borrow a game.
Removing someone's access or changing authorization
You can remove access without changing your password. Go back to Settings > Family, and uncheck the account you want to remove. That person will no longer see your games in their library, and any game they are currently playing will stop the next time they try to launch it.
You can also change which computer is authorized. If you move to a new computer, log in with your account on the new machine, go to Settings > Family, and authorize it there. You can deauthorize old computers the same way. Steam lets you authorize one computer as your "primary" device — on that device, anyone logged in can play your games, even if you are not the one who authorized it. On non-primary devices, only the authorized account can play.
Why Family Sharing is not the same as game sharing on console
On PlayStation or Xbox, you can buy a game once and both the account owner and a second person can play it simultaneously if they are on different consoles. Steam does not work that way. The one-at-a-time limit exists because Valve's licensing agreements with game publishers usually allow one person to play at a time per license.
Some games have stricter rules than others. A small number of games do not support Family Sharing at all — the game publisher can opt out. Before you set up sharing, check whether the specific games you want to share actually support it. You can see this in the game's store page under "Family Library Sharing" in the system requirements section.
What you need to know about security and trust
When you authorize someone on your computer, you are giving them access to your entire game library, not just one game. You cannot pick and choose which games they can play. This means you should only set up Family Sharing with people you trust — household members, close friends, or family.
The other person does not need your password. Once you authorize the account, they log in with their own credentials. However, if someone has physical access to your computer, they could potentially change your authorization settings or access your account. Keep your Steam password strong and do not share it, even with people you have authorized for Family Sharing.
Troubleshooting common Family Sharing problems
If someone cannot see your games in their library, check that you actually authorized their account in Settings > Family. Sometimes the list does not update when ready — try logging out and back in. Also confirm that you are both on the same computer or that you authorized that specific computer.
If games keep getting interrupted by the 15-minute warning, it usually means someone else is trying to play at the same time. Check Steam's activity log to see who is playing what. If you want to play and someone else is using your library, you will have to wait for them to finish, or they will get the warning and have to stop.
If a game says it is not available for Family Sharing, that is a publisher restriction, not a problem with your setup. Some games, especially online multiplayer titles or games with anti-cheat systems, do not support sharing. You cannot work around this — you would need to buy a second copy of that specific game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Family Sharing on my own computer to play games on two different accounts?
Yes. If you authorize your account on your own computer and then log in with a second account on the same machine, that second account can play your games. However, only one account can play at a time, so you cannot run two games simultaneously even on the same computer.
What if I move to a new computer — do I have to set up Family Sharing again?
Yes. You need to log in with your account on the new computer, go to Settings > Family, and authorize it. You can then deauthorize the old computer. If you want to keep both computers authorized, you can, but remember the one-at-a-time rule still applies across all authorized devices.
Can someone play my games if they are not on a computer I authorized?
No. Family Sharing only works on computers where you have explicitly authorized your account. If they try to play on a different computer, they will not see your games in their library. You would have to authorize that computer first.
Does the other person need to be online to play my games?
They need to be online to launch the game, but many games can be played offline once they are running. However, Steam itself checks authorization when you start a game, so an internet connection is required at launch.
What happens if I stop paying for my Steam account or it gets banned?
If your account is suspended or banned, anyone using Family Sharing loses access to your games when ready. This is why Family Sharing works best with trusted household members rather than strangers — your account status directly affects their access.