Open a game’s achievements page in Steam, choose the friend-comparison control, and select up to three friends. The comparison is made for that game—not across your entire library—and can show unlocked and rare achievements, completed Achievement Sets, and progress in downloadable-content (DLC) sets. If the control is missing, the game may not support the new Achievement Sets system, your client may not be in the beta, or the game could be private.
What Steam’s friend comparison shows
Valve’s refreshed achievements page is being introduced in the Steam Client beta. In Valve’s October 15, 2026 announcement, the company says players can compare game progress with up to three friends, including rare achievements, completed sets, and progress in DLC sets. The comparison is scoped to one title at a time, so it does not create a single score that ranks every achievement in your Steam library.
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| Comparison area | What you can see |
|---|---|
| Game progress | Your progress and each selected friend’s progress for the chosen game. |
| Individual achievements | Which achievements are unlocked and which remain locked. |
| Rare achievements | Rare unlocks that distinguish a player’s progress from common completions. |
| Achievement Sets | Completion of the base-game set and any supported additional sets. |
| DLC sets | Progress in downloadable-content achievement sets, where the game and your account support them. |
| Filters and progress bars | Visual progress indicators plus filters for achievement sets and locked or unlocked status. |
Because this is beta software, labels and the exact placement of controls can change. Valve is adding support as developers adopt the Achievement Sets tools, so two games can expose different comparison options even when both have Steam achievements.
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- Open the game. In the Steam desktop client, select the title in your Library. You can also reach the game from your Games List on the Steam Community website.
- Open the achievements page. Use the game’s achievements link or the achievement summary associated with its Steam Community page. Confirm that the page is for the same app you want to compare; a soundtrack, demo, or separate edition can have a different app record.
- Find the friend-comparison control. On supported games in the current client beta, the achievements page includes an option to compare game progress with friends. If you only see the older list, continue to the availability checks below.
- Select friends. Choose as many as three Steam friends. The limit applies to one comparison view; it is not a cap on how many people you can compare over multiple sessions.
- Choose a useful view. Review the overall progress bars, then filter by an Achievement Set or by locked and unlocked status. Open rare achievements when you want to see which player has the less-common unlock.
- Check DLC separately. Expand the relevant DLC set and compare only players who have access to that content. A missing DLC set does not necessarily mean a friend has made less effort; they may not own or be entitled to the add-on.
The result is a side-by-side view for the selected game. Steam does not turn it into a universal “who has more achievements” number covering every game you own.
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Using the Steam Community website
If you prefer a browser, open your Games List on the Steam Community website, select the game, and open its achievements page. The comparison workflow is the same: choose the friend-comparison control and add up to three friends. Browser and client layouts may not match while the beta rolls out, so use the page’s visible achievements navigation rather than relying on an older screenshot or remembered label.
How to make a fair comparison
A raw unlocked count is meaningful only when the underlying opportunity is comparable. Before deciding who is ahead, line up the following factors:
- The exact game app: Compare the same title and edition, not a demo, soundtrack, test branch, or separate regional app.
- Base-game access: Start with achievements that both players can earn in the base game.
- DLC ownership: Record which add-ons each player owns or can access. DLC achievements are not included in a player’s overall game progress until that player has access to the DLC.
- Achievement Sets: Compare completion of the same set rather than combining a completed base set with a partially available DLC set.
- Rare unlocks: Use the rare-achievement view to identify difficult or unusual accomplishments instead of treating every unlock as equivalent.
- Archived or time-limited achievements: Note whether an achievement was available to both players. Archived achievements remain visible to people who unlocked them, while someone who missed the availability window does not have that achievement block set or game completion.
This approach avoids declaring a winner based solely on a total inflated by content one player could not earn.
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Why your total can differ from a friend’s
Different DLC access
Steam calculates a more accurate total from the achievements each player can actually earn. If you own an expansion and your friend does not, the eligible achievement pool is different. The friend’s lower total can therefore be correct for their available content. Check the DLC set itself rather than comparing the two raw numbers.
Archived achievements
Some achievements can be retired or archived after a time-limited event. Players who unlocked one before it was archived continue to see it. Players who missed it do not have the archived achievement count against set or game completion, so the two profiles can display different visible histories without either profile being broken.
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Different Achievement Set support
The new system appears only in a growing group of supported games. A title that has not adopted Achievement Sets may still show the traditional achievements list and may not calculate the same set-level totals as a supported title.
Different app records or editions
Steam can maintain separate app records for related products. Verify that both players opened the same game’s achievements page before comparing totals. Looking at a sequel, demo, or a separate edition can produce a perfectly valid but irrelevant difference.
What to do when the comparison button is missing
Check beta availability
The refreshed comparison page is in the Steam Client beta during the current rollout. If your client is on the stable branch, the new control may not appear. Steam’s beta enrollment setting is in the client settings under the account or interface area, but the exact wording can change as Steam updates. After changing branches, restart the client and reopen the game’s achievements page.
Check whether the game supports Achievement Sets
Valve says developers are adopting the tools game by game. Unsupported titles can retain the older achievements list and omit the set filters, completion bars, or friend-comparison control. There is no user-side switch that can create those features for a game that has not implemented them.
Confirm you opened the game’s achievement page
The comparison is attached to the game’s achievements page, not the general friends list. Return to the Library or Games List, select the title, and open its achievement page again. If the page belongs to a different app record, navigate back and choose the exact game you intend to compare.
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- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
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Review privacy settings
A private game does not appear in friends’ Activity feeds, and its achievements are not shown in profile showcases such as Rarest Achievements. If a friend cannot see your progress, open the game’s privacy setting and review your broader Steam profile privacy settings. Both the game-level setting and profile visibility can affect what another person sees.
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Because the feature is under active development, a control can move or a supported-game list can expand without matching older guides. Look for an achievements comparison or friend-progress option on the current page instead of relying on a specific icon or screen position.
How privacy affects what friends see
Privacy controls determine whether your activity and achievement history can be surfaced to other people. Marking a game private removes it from friends’ Activity feeds and keeps its achievements out of profile showcases such as Rarest Achievements. A friend may therefore be unable to view your progress even when you have unlocked achievements normally.
To troubleshoot visibility, inspect the privacy setting for the individual game first, then inspect the overall Steam profile privacy settings. If either layer prevents sharing, the comparison view can be incomplete or unavailable to the other person.
Achievement Showcases and completion displays
Achievement Showcase
Steam profiles can display selected achievements in the Achievement Showcase. This is a profile presentation feature, not a replacement for the game’s full achievements page, so it may show only the achievements you chose to feature.
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Completionist Showcase
Under the new Achievement Sets system, a game with a completed Achievement Set can also be added to the Completionist Showcase. A game must support the relevant profile customization features to participate. Steam’s profile documentation notes that games without those features do not count toward the applicable collector totals, so two profiles can have different showcase counts even when their players have similar achievement activity.
Steam’s developer limits and what they mean for players
| Limit | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Achievements per app | 5,000 | Apps that meet Steam’s normal configuration requirements. |
| Achievements for an app not yet vetted | 100 | Apps that have not yet been vetted under Steamworks’ rules. |
| Achievement Sets per app | 40 | The complete set allowance, including the base-game set. |
These are Steamworks configuration limits for developers, not a personal cap on how many achievements you can unlock. A game can use fewer achievements or sets, and support for sets still depends on the developer’s implementation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Comparing DLC achievements without misleading yourself
- Identify the DLC set. In the comparison page, select the set associated with the expansion or downloadable content.
- Verify access for every player. A player who does not own or otherwise have access to the DLC should not be judged against its achievement pool.
- Compare completion within the set. Use the set’s progress bar and locked/unlocked filter instead of adding DLC achievements to the base-game total manually.
- Separate archived content. If an event achievement is archived, note its availability history before interpreting a difference.
Steam’s eligibility-based totals are designed to account for these differences, but the fairest social comparison still states which content each person had available.
Reading rare achievements and progress bars
Rare achievements answer a different question from total completion. A player may have fewer total unlocks but possess a rare achievement that only a small share of players earned. Open the rare-achievement portion of the comparison to find those distinctions, then use the set progress bars to see how close each player is to completing a defined group.
Filters for locked and unlocked achievements help you turn the comparison into a practical checklist. For example, filtering to locked achievements in the base-game set can show exactly which milestones remain, while selecting a DLC set prevents expansion achievements from obscuring the base-game plan.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Optional broader tracking with a third-party tool
SteamDB documents an achievement-focused browser extension that groups achievement data and adds browsing features. It is an optional route for people who want historical or broader tracking than Steam’s game-specific comparison page provides. It is separate from Valve’s beta feature, so confirm the extension’s current permissions, browser support, and privacy terms before installing it. Steam’s own comparison page remains the appropriate source for the current in-client view.
A practical comparison checklist
- Open the same game app for every player.
- Use the current Steam Client beta if you need the refreshed comparison page.
- Select no more than three friends in one comparison.
- Check base-game and DLC sets separately.
- Confirm who owns or can access each DLC.
- Use rare-achievement and locked/unlocked filters for context.
- Account for archived or time-limited achievements.
- Review game and profile privacy when a friend cannot see progress.
- Remember that unsupported games may show only the older achievements list.
- Treat developer limits as app configuration limits, not your personal unlock limit.
Answers to common questions
Can Steam show who has more achievements in a game?
Yes. On supported games in the current client beta, select up to three friends on the game’s achievements page and compare their game-specific progress. The fairest result also considers DLC access and archived achievements.
Is there a comparison for my whole Steam library?
No. Valve’s comparison is tied to one game’s achievements page. It does not produce a single cross-library achievement score.
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Yes, when the game supports Achievement Sets and the DLC set is available to your account. Open the DLC set and compare players who have access to the same content.
Why does my friend see a different total?
Eligible content can differ because of DLC ownership, archived or time-limited achievements, game app selection, or whether the title supports the new set system.
Why cannot my friend see my achievements?
A private game is hidden from friends’ Activity feeds and from profile showcases such as Rarest Achievements. Check the game’s privacy setting and your overall Steam profile privacy settings.
How many friends can I compare at once?
The current comparison supports up to three Steam friends in a single game view.
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