This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards.
The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work.
This article has been viewed 21,444 times.
Learn more...
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
-
1Open Steam on your computer. 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.
-
2Click 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.
Advertisement -
3Click Settings (Windows) or Preferences (Mac). Find and click this option on the Steam menu. It will open your settings in a new pop-up window.
-
4Click the Family tab on the left menu. You can find this option between "Account" and "In-Game" on the left-hand side of the Settings/Preferences window.
-
5
-
6Check 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.
-
7Click 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.
About This Article
1. Open Steam.
2. Click the Steam menu on the top-left.
3. Click Settings (Windows) or Preferences (Mac).
4. Click Family on the left.
5. Check the Authorize Library Sharing on this computer box.
6. Check the box next to the friends you want to share with.
7. Click OK.
8. Click RESTART STEAM, if prompted.
