How to Change Your Age Rating on Steam
To change your age rating on Steam, you need to access the Family View settings, which can be found by logging into your account, selecting the Family View icon, entering your Family View PIN, and then navigating to the Steam Settings menu, where you can manage your Family View options. This process allows you to modify the age restrictions on your Steam account, enabling you to access or restrict certain games and content based on their ESRB ratings.
Understanding Age Ratings on Steam
Changing your age rating on Steam is essential to access certain games, especially those with mature content. However, Steam does not store your date of birth but may ask for it to verify your age for accessing age-restricted games.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Do I Modify My Family View Options?
To modify your Family View options, first log into the account, select the Family View icon, enter your Family View PIN to exit Family View, open the Steam Settings menu, go to the “Family” tab, and in the “Family View” section, click “Manage” to start the Family View wizard again.
2. Can I Bypass the Steam Age Check?
Bypassing the Steam age check involves completely exiting Steam, starting Steam with the -dev parameter, going to the Store tab, right-clicking and selecting “Open Developer Tools“, selecting the Console tab, and running a specific code to manipulate the cookie that stores age information.
3. How Do I Change My Date of Birth on Steam?
Changing your date of birth on Steam usually requires quitting/logging out of Steam and then logging back in, as Steam uses a cookie to store date information, and this process may reset the cookie.
4. Why Does Steam Ask for My Age All the Time?
Steam asks for your age to ensure compliance with age restrictions for games with adult content, such as violence, nudity, and other mature themes.
5. Do You Have to Be Over 13 to Use Steam?
According to Steam’s user agreement, users need to be 13 or older to make an account, but younger children can use the Steam account of older siblings or friends.
6. Do You Have to Be 18 to Buy Games on Steam?
You need to be at least 13-years-old to create an account, and while there’s no age limit to buy games, some games have age restrictions based on their ESRB ratings.
7. Does Steam Check Age?
Yes, Steam checks age by asking for your birth date before viewing age-restricted products, but you can enter a false date.
8. What Happens When It’s Your Birthday on Steam?
Nothing special happens on Steam on your birthday or account anniversary.
9. How Do I Find My Date of Birth on Steam?
Steam does not store your date of birth; it only asks for it to access age-restricted content.
10. How Do I Get Rid of 18+ Games on Steam?
To hide adult content on Steam, click on your profile picture, select “Preferences“, and under “Mature Content Filtering“, uncheck the boxes for content you do not want to see.
11. How Do I Turn Off Steam Verification?
To disable Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator, open the Steam Mobile App, navigate to the Steam Guard page, tap the gear icon, and select “Remove Authenticator“.
12. Can a 14-Year-Old Have a Steam Account?
Yes, a 14-year-old can have a Steam account since the minimum age requirement is 13, but parents can create a Family View account for younger children.
13. How Do I Unrestrict My Steam Account for Free?
You can unrestrict your Steam account for free by activating a retail game, playing free demos, adding non-Steam games, spending funds from items sold on the market, or playing free-to-play games.
14. Where Is the Age Rating on Steam?
All ratings are located on the bottom right of the store page, and Steam shows full ESRB ratings for games with these ratings.
15. Is Steam Okay for a 9-Year-Old?
Steam may not be suitable for a 9-year-old due to the potential exposure to inappropriate content, and parents should monitor their child’s use and restrict access to mature games if necessary.
By understanding how to change your age rating on Steam and being aware of the platform’s age restrictions and family view settings, you can enjoy a safer and more controlled gaming experience. Whether you’re a parent looking to manage your child’s access to mature content or a gamer wanting to access age-restricted games, managing your Steam account settings is crucial.