How to Share Steam Games with Family and Friends

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 19, 2019 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to share your Steam game library with eligible friends and family members using a computer. You can authorize Library Sharing in your Family settings, and select the eligible friends you want to share your library with. In order to be eligible, your friend must have been logged in to their Steam account on your computer at least once in the past, and have Steam Guard enabled on their account.

Steps

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The Steam app looks like a white crankshaft icon in a blue circle. You can find it on your Start menu on Windows or in the Applications folder on Mac.
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Click the Steam menu on the top-left. This will open a drop-down menu of your options.
- On Windows, this button is in the upper-left corner of the Steam app window.
- On Mac, it's on the menu bar in the upper-left corner of your screen.
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Find and click this option on the Steam menu. It will open your settings in a new pop-up window.
You can find this option between "Account" and "In-Game" on the left-hand side of the Settings/Preferences window.
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Check the

Authorize Library Sharing on this computer option. You can find it below the "Family Library Sharing" heading on this page.
- When this option is checked, a new box will appear at the bottom with a list of all the eligible accounts for sharing.
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Check the

box next to the users you want to share your library. Find the users you want to share your games with under "ELIGIBLE ACCOUNTS," and check the box next to them.
- Your friend must have been signed in to Steam at least once on your computer in order to appear on the Eligible list here.
- Both you and your friend must have Steam Guard enabled on your accounts in order to share.
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Click the OK button. This will save and apply your new settings. The eligible friends you authorized will now be able to download and play games from your library on your authorized computers.
- You can't play the same game from your library at the same time as your shared friend.
- If you're prompted, click RESTART STEAM to reboot the client, and apply your new settings.