Steam Family Sharing lets household members play each other's games on the same computer, but only one person can play at a time
Family Sharing is a Steam feature that lets you authorize your account on another person's computer. Once you do, anyone who logs into that computer can launch and play the games you own — but you and they cannot play simultaneously. If you start a game, they are locked out of playing anything until you stop. The feature is free and built into Steam; you do not need to buy anything extra or create a separate account.
The core trade-off is convenience for restriction. You get to share your library without giving away your password or account access. They get to play your games without owning them. But Steam enforces a hard rule: only one person from your household can be in a game at any moment, whether that person is you or someone else on the authorized computer.
Key Takeaways
- You authorize your Steam account on someone else's computer, then they log in with their own account and can play your games from the library.
- Only one person can play at a time across the entire shared library — if you are playing, no one else on that computer can launch a game.
- The person sharing the games (the account owner) can play their own games on any computer, even while someone else plays on the authorized machine.
- Games that require a separate third-party account, like some multiplayer titles, may have additional restrictions or require you to own the game separately.
- You can remove authorization at any time, and Steam will log out anyone playing on that computer.
How to set up Family Sharing on your computer
Start by opening Steam on the computer where you want to share your games. Go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right), then select Family from the left menu. You will see an option that says Authorize Library Sharing on this device. Click it, and Steam will ask you to confirm your account password.
Once you authorize, anyone who logs into that computer with their own Steam account will see your entire game library in their library view. They can download and play any game you own, just as if they owned it themselves. You do not need to do anything else — the setup is complete.
If you want to stop sharing, return to the same Settings > Family menu and click Disable Library Sharing on this device. Steam will immediately log out anyone currently playing and remove access to your games.
What happens when two people try to play at the same time
If someone is already playing a game from your shared library, and you try to launch a different game on your own computer, Steam will show you a message saying the shared library is in use. You will have the option to take over — which will kick the other person out and let you play — or wait until they finish.
This applies even if you are the account owner. If your household member is playing on the authorized computer, you cannot play anything on your own computer until they stop. The restriction is tied to the library, not to who owns the account.
The one exception is if you are playing on a different computer than the one where sharing is authorized. If your account is authorized on your roommate's machine, you can still play your games on your laptop at the same time they play on their computer — but only because you are using different machines, not because of any special rule in Family Sharing.
Which games and features work with Family Sharing
Most games on Steam work with Family Sharing without any extra steps. Single-player games, offline games, and games that do not require a separate account all transfer to the shared library automatically.
Some games have restrictions. Games that require a third-party account — like Destiny 2, which needs a Bungie account, or World of Warcraft, which needs a Battle.net account — may not share properly or may require the person playing to own the game separately. A few games are blocked from sharing entirely by the publisher, though this is uncommon.
Multiplayer games that run through Steam's own matchmaking, like Counter-Strike 2 or Dota 2, work fine with Family Sharing. The person playing on the shared account can join matches and play online normally. However, if the game tracks rank or progression to a third-party service, you may run into issues if multiple people use the same shared account to play — the game might see it as account sharing and restrict features.
DLC (downloadable content) and in-game purchases do not transfer. If you buy a cosmetic pack or expansion for a game, only your account can use it. The person playing on the shared computer can play the base game, but they cannot access DLC you purchased unless they own it separately.
How Family Sharing differs from game sharing on other platforms
Steam's Family Sharing is stricter than console game sharing on PlayStation or Xbox. On those platforms, you can authorize your account on someone else's console, and then multiple people can play different games at the same time — you just cannot both play the same game simultaneously.
Steam enforces a one-game-at-a-time rule across the entire library. This is a deliberate choice by Valve to prevent account sharing abuse, since Steam accounts are tied to a single person and do not have the same household-account structure that consoles do.
If you are used to console game sharing and expect to play different games at the same time on different computers, Family Sharing will not work that way. You would need to buy the games separately or use a different sharing method.
Privacy and security considerations
When you authorize your account on someone else's computer, you are trusting them with access to your entire game library. They cannot change your password or access your account from other computers, but they can see and play everything you own while logged into that specific machine.
Steam does not let you selectively hide games from the shared library. If you authorize sharing, the person gets access to all your games, including any you might not want them to play. If you need to hide specific titles, you would have to disable sharing entirely.
Your account remains secure as long as you do not share your password. Family Sharing only requires that you authorize the computer once — the other person logs in with their own account, not yours. If you ever feel unsafe or want to revoke access immediately, you can disable sharing from any computer where you are logged in.
Troubleshooting common Family Sharing problems
If someone cannot see your games in their library after you authorize sharing, restart Steam on both computers. Sometimes the library takes a few minutes to sync, and a restart speeds it up. Make sure they are logged in with their own account, not yours — they should see your games listed under a separate section in their library.
If a game will not launch, check whether it has third-party account requirements. Some games require you to own them separately or to be logged into a different service. You can also check the game's store page on Steam — it will sometimes list sharing restrictions in the description.
If you are getting kicked out when someone else tries to play, remember that only one person can play at a time. Ask them to wait, or use the prompt to take over their session. There is no way to allow simultaneous play on the same authorized computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share my Steam games with someone who does not live with me?
Technically, yes — you can authorize your account on any computer. However, Steam's terms of service state that Family Sharing is intended for household members only. If Valve detects that you are sharing with people outside your household, they can disable the feature on your account. Use it only with people you live with.
What happens to my games if I remove someone from Family Sharing?
They lose access immediately. Any game they are currently playing will close, and they will not be able to launch anything from your library. The games remain on the computer's hard drive, but they cannot run them without owning the game themselves. You can re-authorize at any time if you change your mind.
Can I use Family Sharing on more than one computer?
You can authorize your account on multiple computers, and different people can use each one. However, the one-game-at-a-time rule still applies to your entire library across all authorized computers. If someone is playing on one authorized machine, you cannot play on another authorized machine or on your own computer.
Do I need to buy a separate copy of a game for each person in my household?
No. One copy covers everyone on the authorized computer, as long as only one person plays at a time. If you want two people to play simultaneously, you would need to buy the game twice — once for each person's account.
Will my achievements and progress transfer to someone else's account?
No. Achievements, playtime, and save files are tied to the account that earned them. If your household member plays a game on your shared account, the progress goes to your account, not theirs. Some games store progress in the cloud, so they might be able to continue where you left off, but the achievement history stays with your account.