Steam Family Sharing allows you to share your game library with friends and family, letting them enjoy your games without needing to purchase them individually. This guide will walk you through How To Game Share On Steam, covering everything from setup to limitations.
Understanding how Steam game sharing works is crucial before you begin. When you share your library, authorized users gain access to your games, but with a few key restrictions. Only one person can access a shared library at a time. If the library owner decides to play a game, the user borrowing the library will receive a notification, giving them a few minutes to either purchase the game, quit, or the game will automatically close. This ensures the primary account holder always has priority access to their games.
Setting up Steam Family Sharing is a straightforward process. First, the account you wish to share from needs to enable Steam Family Sharing in the settings. This is done within the Steam client under the “Family” tab in the settings menu. You will need to authorize specific computers to be able to access your shared library. This requires physically logging into your Steam account on the computer you wish to authorize.
A common question is about offline play. Games shared through Steam Family Sharing cannot be played in offline mode by the borrowing user initially. This is a measure to prevent abuse and ensure the system functions as intended. However, a workaround exists if you plan ahead. The primary account holder can launch a game and then switch Steam to offline mode. If timed correctly, the user sharing the library might be able to continue playing offline as well, especially useful if sharing between just two people.
Remember that setting up sharing might involve a bit of account management, especially if you use Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator for enhanced security, which is highly recommended. During the initial setup on a new computer, you might need to enter a Steam Guard code. Some users find it easier to temporarily change to a simpler password to streamline the initial authorization process when setting up sharing with someone in person. After successfully authorizing the devices for sharing, and confirming everything is working correctly, both users can revert back to their original, more secure passwords.
In conclusion, Steam Family Sharing is a great way to share your game collection, but it’s important to understand its limitations and how to set it up correctly. By following these steps, you can easily enable game sharing and enjoy your library with friends and family.
