To share Steam games, create a Steam Family, invite close household family members, and assign each person an Adult or Child role. Eligible games then appear in members’ libraries automatically. Sharing does not transfer ownership, and the number of copies in the family determines how many people can play the same game at once.
Set up a Steam Family
- Open Steam’s Account Details page from the Store, then select Family Management. You can also manage Steam Families in the Steam client or mobile app. See Steam Family Management.
- Select Create a Family, enter a family name, and create it. You can change the name later.
- Select Invite a Member, find the person’s Steam account, and assign an Adult or Child role. They receive an invitation alert. Adults can manage invitations and restrictions; children cannot manage the family and are subject to parental controls.
- Once members join, eligible games appear in the Steam Library. To make them easier to find, open the game-list dropdown and choose Group By Library.
Steam Families replaced the older Steam Family Sharing and Family View features. Valve describes it as a single place to manage which games family members can access and when they can play. The feature is intended for up to six close family members in one household; Steam may adjust its requirements and can use account activity to assess whether members belong to the same household. Valve’s September 11, 2024 announcement and the Steam Families User Guide & FAQ explain the feature and current rules.
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What family game sharing does—and does not—do
Joining a family makes other members’ eligible games available in your library automatically. The original purchaser keeps ownership, and any new game purchase belongs to the account that bought it. Each person plays from their own Steam account, so achievements are tied to the player’s account; save behavior depends on the game.
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Family members can play different games from the shared library at the same time. A particular game, however, can only be played simultaneously by as many family members as there are family-owned copies. For example, two copies allow two people to play that game at once. If a copy is already in use, Steam may offer another available family copy. DLC differences can affect compatibility: a copy with different DLC may not work with a save created using another version.
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Shared games can be played offline when the individual game supports Family Sharing. Offline availability is not guaranteed for every title.
Why a Steam game or DLC may not be shareable
There is no universal guarantee that a Steam purchase can be shared. Publishers control eligibility, and technical or account restrictions can exclude a game. Steam’s support guidance lists these common reasons:
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- The game requires an additional third-party key, account, or subscription.
- The title is free-to-play, or the content is DLC purchased for a free-to-play game.
- The game or DLC is restricted by region, does not support another member’s operating system, or has been marked unavailable by its publisher.
- The owner has marked the game private.
- The publisher has not enabled sharing for the game or its DLC.
Check the specific game and content in Steam rather than assuming an entire library is eligible. If a game is listed but locked, Steam should identify who is playing it. If no other family copy is available, wait for it to become free or buy another copy.
Set parental controls for a child account
An adult can control a child member’s access from Account Settings > Family Management > Manage. Expand the child account, enable parental controls, and set the available game access, Steam feature access, and playtime limits. Adults can also review reports and respond to requests for more playtime or access to features.
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Children can ask an adult in the family to pay for a cart. The adult can approve and pay by mobile device or email; approved games are added to the child’s account.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check these rules before changing family membership
Leaving or replacing a member can have a long wait attached, so confirm the family setup before making a change. Steam’s current support guidance says:
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- An adult can leave at any time, but generally must wait one year from joining the previous family before creating or joining another.
- A vacated family slot has a one-year cooldown before another member can occupy it.
- A child cannot leave independently; an adult or Steam Support must remove them.
- If someone left their last family accidentally, Steam says they can rejoin it without waiting if it has fewer than six members.
Steam reports the remaining cooldown when a restriction applies. See the Steam Families User Guide & FAQ for membership details.
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Invite only trusted household members, and never share your Steam password. Steam warns that if a family member cheats or commits fraud while playing another member’s shared game, the game’s owner can also face a ban. Its support guidance also warns of possible revoked family privileges and VAC bans. Steam Support’s family-sharing guidance covers these consequences.
Quick check: can two family members play the same game?
Yes, if the family has enough eligible copies for everyone who wants to play at the same time. Before starting, check that:
Quick Recap
- The game is eligible for Family Sharing.
- The family has at least as many copies as simultaneous players.
- DLC differences will not interfere with the game or an existing save.
- The title and content work with each player’s region and operating system.
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