How to Share Games on Steam with Family Sharing

Steam offers Family Library Sharing so trusted friends or family can access your games, and in this guide we’re going to show you how to easily share gamse on Steam with others.

How to Share Games on Steam?

1. Enable Steam Guard Security

Before you share your library, make sure your account is protected.

1. Open the Steam client.
2. Click Steam > Settings > Account.
3. Enable Steam Guard Security by email or the mobile app.
   

2. Authorize a Computer

You need to authorize the computer that will access your shared games.

1. Log in to your Steam account on the target computer.
2. Go to Steam > Settings > Family.
3. Under Family Library Sharing, check “Authorize Library Sharing on this computer.”
   
4. Select the account or accounts you want to authorize.

3. Access Shared Games

Once authorization is complete, the other account can see and use your library.

1. The authorized user logs into their own Steam account on that computer.
2. Shared games appear in their Library, marked as borrowed.
3. They can download and play if the lender is not currently playing.

If you also want to control your online presence, check out how to appear offline on Steam so you can stay private while sharing your library.

Key Rules and Limitations

Keep these important conditions in mind when using Family Sharing.

• You can authorize up to 10 computers and 5 accounts.
• Only one person can play from the shared library at a time.
• Some games with third party keys, subscriptions, or region locks cannot be shared.

If you need to manage your account, see how to change your Steam region or how to unhide Steam games so they stay visible in your library.

FAQs

Conclusion

Steam Family Library Sharing helps you maximize your game collection across trusted accounts. Enable Steam Guard, authorize the right computers, and remember that only one person can play at a time.

Users who maintain their own dedicated servers can check this guide on how to use SteamCMD to manage server downloads and updates more efficiently.