Are you looking for a convenient and safe way to share your Steam library with friends and family? Look no further! Steam’s Family Library Sharing feature allows you to authorize up to five other accounts to access your entire game library, without compromising your account security. This feature is a great way to introduce your loved ones to new games, let them experience your favorites, or simply let them borrow a game they’ve been eyeing. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll provide step-by-step instructions on how to share your Steam library with ease. So, gather your fellow gamers and get ready to embark on a shared gaming adventure!
To initiate Family Library Sharing, you’ll first need to enable it on your Steam account. Log into your Steam client and navigate to the “Settings” menu. Under the “Family” tab, you’ll find the option to “Authorize Library Sharing.” Once enabled, you can authorize other Steam accounts to access your library. To do this, simply click the “Manage Family Library Sharing” button and enter the username or Steam ID of the account you want to authorize. It’s important to note that authorized accounts must be friends with your account for at least three days before they can access your library.
Once you’ve authorized other accounts, they can access your library by logging into their own Steam clients and navigating to the “Library” tab. Here, they’ll find a new category called “Shared Library,” which contains all the games from your authorized library. Authorized accounts can install and play any game from your library, as long as you’re not currently playing it yourself. This means that you can share your games with multiple people simultaneously, allowing everyone to enjoy their favorites without having to purchase them separately. It’s a great way to save money, expand your gaming experience, and connect with friends and family through the shared joy of gaming.
Establishing Family View for Library Sharing
Family View is a feature that allows you to share your Steam library with up to four other people. In order to set up Family View, you will need to create a Family View PIN. To do this, follow these steps:
- Launch Steam and click on the “Steam” menu in the top-left corner of the window.
- Select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.
- Click on the “Family” tab.
- Click on the “Manage Family View” button.
- Enter a PIN into the “Create a Family View PIN” field.
- Click on the “OK” button.
Once you have created a Family View PIN, you can share your library with other users by following these steps:
- Log out of Steam and log back in using the account of the person that you want to share your library with.
- Click on the “Steam” menu in the top-left corner of the window and select “Settings”.
- Click on the “Family” tab.
- Click on the “Manage Family View” button.
- Enter the Family View PIN that you created into the “Enter Family View PIN” field.
- Click on the “OK” button.
Once you have followed these steps, the other user will be able to access your shared library. You can manage your shared library by clicking on the “Manage Family Library” button in the “Family” tab of the Settings menu.
Extending Access to Individual Games Within Your Library
While you can share your entire Steam library with authorized computers, you can also opt to share access to individual games with other users. This is useful if you want to allow a friend or family member to play a specific game without giving them access to your entire collection.
To share an individual game:
- Open the Steam client and navigate to your library.
- Right-click on the game you want to share and select “Properties.”
- Click on the “Local Files” tab and then click on the “Browse Local Files” button.
- Right-click on the game folder in the file explorer and select “Properties.”
- Click on the “Sharing” tab and select the user you want to share the game with from the “Network Access” drop-down menu.
- Click on the “Share” button and then click on the “OK” button.
The user you shared the game with will now be able to access it from their own Steam account.
Note that the user must have a Steam account in order to access the shared game, and they will need to be online in order to play it.
Sharing Access to Multiple Games
If you want to share access to multiple games with the same user, you can use the following method:
- Open the Steam client and navigate to your library.
- Select the games you want to share by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking on each game.
- Right-click on one of the selected games and select “Properties.”
- Click on the “Local Files” tab and then click on the “Browse Local Files” button.
- Right-click on the game folder in the file explorer and select “Properties.”
- Click on the “Sharing” tab and select the user you want to share the games with from the “Network Access” drop-down menu.
- Click on the “Share” button and then click on the “OK” button.
The user you shared the games with will now be able to access all of the selected games from their own Steam account.
Note that the user must have a Steam account in order to access the shared games, and they will need to be online in order to play them.
| Pros of Sharing Individual Games: | Cons of Sharing Individual Games: |
|---|---|
| – Allows you to share specific games with friends or family members without giving them access to your entire library. | – Can be more time-consuming than sharing your entire library. |
| – Can help you save money if you only want to share a few games. | – Requires the other user to have a Steam account and to be online in order to play the shared games. |
| – Gives you more control over who has access to your games. |
Setting Permissions for Friends and Family
If you wish to share your Steam library with specific individuals, you can grant them authorization by configuring permissions. Below are the detailed steps to accomplish this:
1. Add Friends and Family Members
Begin by adding the individuals you want to share your library with as friends or family members. To do this, open your Steam client and navigate to the “Friends” tab. Click on “Add a Friend” and enter their Steam username or email address. Once they accept your request, they will be added to your Friends list.
2. Authorize Library Sharing
Once you have added the individuals you want to share with, you need to authorize library sharing. Open the Steam client and navigate to “Settings” > “Family.” Under the “Family Library Sharing” section, check the box next to “Authorize Library Sharing on this computer.” You will then be prompted to select the accounts you want to share with from your Friends list.
3. Set Authorization Level
After selecting the accounts, you need to determine the level of authorization you want to grant. You can choose from “Full Access,” which allows the other user unrestricted access to your entire library, or “Limited Access,” which only grants access to specific games or applications.
4. Configure Game and Application Restrictions
If you choose “Limited Access,” you can further restrict access to specific games or applications. To do this, click on the “Game and Application Restrictions” button. A table will appear where you can select the games or applications you want to share or restrict. By default, all games and applications will be checked, indicating that they are shared. To restrict access to a specific item, simply uncheck its checkbox.
| Game/Application | Shared |
|---|---|
| Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | |
| Grand Theft Auto V | |
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt |
Security Considerations When Sharing Your Library
1. Limit Sharing to Trusted Individuals
Avoid sharing your library with strangers or casual acquaintances. Only share with people you trust and know well.
2. Set Password Protection for Your Account
Ensure your Steam account has a strong password to prevent unauthorized access. Consider using a password manager to generate and store unique passwords.
3. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Enable 2FA to add an extra layer of security. This requires you to enter a code sent to your mobile device when logging in, deterring unauthorized access.
4. Restrict Access to Sensitive Information
Games and applications linked to external payment methods or containing personal data should be kept private. Limit sharing of such content to those you absolutely trust.
5. Be Aware of Scams
Beware of phishing scams that attempt to steal your Steam account login credentials. Never click on suspicious links or provide your password to third parties.
6. Monitor Your Account Activity
Regularly review your Steam account activity to detect any suspicious behavior. If you notice unauthorized purchases or login attempts, report them to Steam support immediately.
7. Potential Risks for Shared Account:
| Risk | Impact |
|---|---|
| Permanent Ban | If shared account violates Steam’s terms of service, both accounts may be banned. |
| Financial Loss | Unauthorized purchases made through shared account can result in financial liability. |
| Privacy Concerns | Shared account grants access to personal information, including play history, friends list, and account settings. |
| Reputation Damage | Actions or interactions made through shared account can reflect negatively on both accounts. |
Finding a Compatible Partner
To initiate library sharing, you’ll need a friend or family member who:
- Owns a Steam account
- Has games that you’d like to borrow
- Is comfortable sharing their account information with you
- Your partner is using the correct Steam account
- Your partner has received and clicked the authorization email
- Log in to your Steam account.
- Click on the “Friends” tab.
- Select the friend you want to share your library with.
- Click on the “More” button and select “Authorize Library Sharing”.
- Click on the “Authorize” button.
- Log in to your Steam account.
- Click on the “Friends” tab.
- Select the friend you want to stop sharing your library with.
- Click on the “More” button and select “Revoke Library Sharing”.
- Click on the “Revoke” button.
Granting Access
Log into your Steam account and navigate to “Settings” > “Family.” Click “Add Library Sharing Partner.” Input your partner’s user ID or email and click “Authorize.”
Your Partner’s Authorization
Your partner will receive an email from Steam. They must click “Authorize” to grant you access to their library.
Troubleshooting Authorization
If you encounter issues with authorization, check the following:
Accessing the Shared Library
Once authorized, navigate to your Steam library. Shared games will be marked with an “Other Account” icon. Click on the game icon to install and play.
Understanding Restrictions
You can only share your library with up to 5 people at a time.
Simultaneous Play
You and your partner cannot play the same shared game simultaneously.
Game Purchases
Any games purchased through your shared library will be added to your own account.
Removable Media
Shared games cannot be played on physical media, such as DVDs.
Content Restrictions
Some games may have content restrictions that limit sharing, such as country-specific licenses.
Steam How To Share Library
Game sharing allows you to share your Steam library with friends and family. This means they can play your games without having to buy them themselves. To share your library, follow these steps:
Once you have authorized library sharing, your friend will be able to access your library from their own Steam account. They will be able to play any of your games that are not region-locked. If a game is region-locked, they will not be able to play it unless they are located in the same region as you.
People Also Ask About Steam How To Share Library
How Many People Can I Share My Steam Library With?
You can share your Steam library with up to 10 people.
Can I Share My Steam Library With Anyone?
No, you can only share your Steam library with friends and family who have a valid Steam account.
What Games Can I Share From My Steam Library?
You can share any game in your Steam library that is not region-locked. Region-locked games cannot be played by users who are located outside of the region where the game was purchased.
How Do I Stop Sharing My Steam Library?
To stop sharing your Steam library, follow these steps:
