How to Share a Steam Game with Someone: A Comprehensive Guide

Sharing your games with friends and family is a fantastic way to spread the joy of gaming. Steam offers a built-in feature called Steam Family Sharing that allows you to do just that. This guide will provide you with a step-by-step explanation of how to share your Steam games and answer some frequently asked questions.

The primary way to share a Steam game with someone is by enabling Steam Family Sharing. This feature allows up to five other accounts on the same computer or authorized devices to access your game library. To share your games, you must authorize the other person’s computer through your Steam account. They can then download and play games from your library, but only when you’re not actively playing them. When you start playing a game, they will have a few minutes to either save their progress and exit the game, or purchase the game for themselves to continue playing uninterrupted.

Setting Up Steam Family Sharing: A Step-by-Step Guide

Before you can share your games, you need to enable Steam Family Sharing. Here’s how:

1. Log in to your Steam account on the computer you want to share your library from. This is crucial; the sharing happens from a specific device.
2. Enable Steam Guard: Steam Guard is a security feature required for Family Sharing. To enable it, go to Steam > Settings > Account, and under “Steam Guard security,” ensure that “Get Steam Guard codes by email” or “Get Steam Guard codes from the Steam app on my phone” is selected.
3. Authorize the computer: Go to Steam > Settings > Family.
4. Click on “Authorize Library Sharing on this computer.” This enables Family Sharing for this specific device.
5. Select the accounts you want to share with: A list of Steam accounts that have logged into the computer will appear. Check the boxes next to the accounts you want to grant access to your library.
6. Click “OK.” The selected accounts now have access to your shared games.

Accessing Shared Games

Once you’ve authorized an account and computer for Steam Family Sharing, the user on that account can access your games. Here’s how they do it:

1. Log in to their Steam account on the authorized computer.
2. Your games will appear in their library: Your games will be listed in their Steam library, alongside their own purchased games. Games available through Family Sharing will have a different visual indicator.
3. Install and play the games: They can install and play any games in your library that are available for Family Sharing.
4. A popup will appear when the owner of the library starts playing a game: Steam only allows one person to play a game from a shared library at a time.

Limitations of Steam Family Sharing

While Steam Family Sharing is a great feature, it’s important to be aware of its limitations:

• One player at a time: Only one person can play games from a shared library at a time. If the library owner starts playing a game, the other person will be given a few minutes to save and quit.
• Not all games are shareable: Some games are not eligible for Steam Family Sharing due to technical limitations, publisher restrictions, or VAC bans.
• Sharing across regions: Sharing might not work if you and the person you are sharing with are in different regions due to region-locked content.
• VAC bans: If a user playing your shared games cheats or violates the Steam Subscriber Agreement, your entire account could be VAC banned, preventing you from playing VAC-secured games. Be careful who you share your library with!
• Limited number of authorizations: You can only authorize up to five accounts to share your library.
• Shared saves: In some cases, game saves may be shared between accounts, leading to potential conflicts. This depends on how the game is designed.

Alternatives to Steam Family Sharing

While Steam Family Sharing is the primary method, consider these alternatives if it doesn’t fit your needs:

• Buying a gift copy: Purchase a separate copy of the game as a gift for the person you want to share with. This is the most straightforward and reliable method.
• Game keys: If you find a game key for sale, you can give it to the person you want to play with. They can then redeem the key on their Steam account and add the game to their library.
• Playing together on one account: While not recommended due to Steam’s Terms of Service, you could technically share your account credentials. However, this carries significant security risks and could lead to account suspension or permanent ban.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter problems with Steam Family Sharing, here are some common troubleshooting steps:

• Verify that Steam Guard is enabled.
• Ensure the computer is authorized for Family Sharing.
• Restart Steam.
• Make sure the game is eligible for Family Sharing.
• Check your internet connection.
• Contact Steam Support if the problem persists.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions about Steam Family Sharing:

1. What is Steam Family Sharing?

Steam Family Sharing allows you to share your Steam game library with up to five other accounts on authorized computers. It enables them to download and play your games when you’re not actively playing them.

2. How many people can access my shared library at once?

Only one person can play games from a shared library at a time. If the library owner starts playing, the other person will have a few minutes to save and quit.

3. Can I share all my games through Family Sharing?

No, not all games are eligible for Steam Family Sharing. Some games are excluded due to technical limitations, publisher restrictions, or VAC bans.

4. How do I authorize a computer for Family Sharing?

Go to Steam > Settings > Family, and click on “Authorize Library Sharing on this computer.” Then, select the accounts you want to share with.

5. Can I share my library with someone in another country?

Sharing across regions may not work due to region-locked content and other restrictions. It’s generally best to share with people in the same region.

6. What happens if someone playing my shared games cheats?

If a user playing your shared games cheats or violates the Steam Subscriber Agreement, your entire account could be VAC banned, preventing you from playing VAC-secured games.

7. How many accounts can I authorize for Family Sharing?

You can authorize up to five accounts to share your library.

8. How do I remove an authorized account from Family Sharing?

Go to Steam > Settings > Family, and uncheck the box next to the account you want to remove.

9. Can I play a game at the same time as someone using my shared library?

No. Only one person can play games from a shared library at a time.

10. Will the other person see my personal information when using my shared library?

No. They will only have access to your games. Your personal information, such as payment details and profile information, will remain private.

11. How do I know if a game is eligible for Family Sharing?

Unfortunately, there’s no foolproof way to know for sure until you try to share it. However, most single-player games are eligible.

12. Can I restrict certain games from being shared?

No, you cannot selectively share games. Family Sharing applies to your entire library, excluding those ineligible for the feature.

13. What happens if I change my Steam password?

Changing your Steam password will revoke all Family Sharing authorizations. You will need to re-authorize the computers and accounts after changing your password.

14. Can I share DLC (Downloadable Content) with Family Sharing?

Yes, DLC is generally shared along with the base game, provided the user doesn’t already own the DLC themselves.

15. How do I stop sharing my library entirely?

Go to Steam > Settings > Family, and uncheck the box next to “Authorize Library Sharing on this computer.” This will disable Family Sharing on that device. To stop sharing with all authorized accounts, repeat this process on each authorized computer.

By understanding these points, you can easily share games with friends and family while avoiding potential pitfalls. Remember to be mindful of who you share your library with and adhere to Steam’s terms of service. Happy gaming!