How to Game Share on Steam

How to Game Share on Steam

Game sharing on Steam is a feature that allows you to share your game library with friends and family. This can be a great way to save money on games, as you can share the cost of purchasing games with others. It can also be a great way to try out new games before you buy them, or to play games that you don't have time to finish yourself.

To game share on Steam, you'll need to first create a family group. Once you've created a family group, you can invite friends and family to join. Once they've joined your family group, they'll be able to access your shared game library.

Here are the steps on how to game share on Steam:

How to Game Share on Steam

Game sharing on Steam is a great way to save money and try out new games. Here are 7 important points to keep in mind:

  • Create a family group.
  • Invite friends and family to join.
  • Authorize shared computers.
  • Set playtime limits.
  • Manage family settings.
  • Troubleshoot any issues.
  • Follow Steam's rules.

By following these tips, you can enjoy the benefits of game sharing on Steam without any problems.

Create a family group.

In order to game share on Steam, you'll first need to create a family group. A family group is a group of up to 50 people who can share games and other content with each other.

To create a family group:

1. Log into your Steam account and click on your username in the top-right corner of the window. 2. Select "Family" from the drop-down menu. 3. Click on the "Create a Family Group" button. 4. Enter a name for your family group and click on the "Create" button.

Once you've created a family group, you can invite friends and family to join.

1. Click on the "Invite Members" button in the family group window. 2. Enter the Steam usernames of the people you want to invite and click on the "Send Invites" button. 3. Your friends and family will receive an invitation to join your family group. Once they accept the invitation, they'll be able to access your shared game library.

You can also authorize shared computers to access your shared game library.

1. Click on the "Authorize Shared Computers" button in the family group window. 2. Enter the computer names of the computers you want to authorize and click on the "Authorize" button. 3. Once you've authorized a computer, anyone who logs into that computer will be able to access your shared game library.

You can set playtime limits for family members.

1. Click on the "Set Playtime Limits" button in the family group window. 2. Select the family member you want to set playtime limits for and click on the "Edit" button. 3. Enter the playtime limits you want to set and click on the "Save" button.

By following these steps, you can create a family group and start sharing games with your friends and family.

Invite friends and family to join.

Once you've created a family group, you can invite friends and family to join. This is a simple process that only takes a few minutes.

To invite friends and family to join your family group:

1. Log into your Steam account and click on your username in the top-right corner of the window. 2. Select "Family" from the drop-down menu. 3. Click on the "Invite Members" button in the family group window. 4. Enter the Steam usernames of the people you want to invite and click on the "Send Invites" button.

Your friends and family will receive an invitation to join your family group. Once they accept the invitation, they'll be able to access your shared game library.

You can also invite friends and family to join your family group by sending them a link. To do this, click on the "Invite Members" button in the family group window and then click on the "Copy Link" button. You can then send the link to your friends and family via email, social media, or any other method.

Once you've invited friends and family to join your family group, they'll be able to access your shared game library. They'll be able to play any of the games that you've purchased, as well as any games that you've been gifted. They'll also be able to access your DLC and other content.

Authorize shared computers.

In addition to inviting friends and family to join your family group, you can also authorize shared computers to access your shared game library. This is useful if you have multiple computers in your home, or if you want to allow friends or family to play your games on their own computers.

To authorize a shared computer:

1. Log into your Steam account on the computer that you want to authorize. 2. Click on your username in the top-right corner of the window and select "Family" from the drop-down menu. 3. Click on the "Authorize Shared Computers" button in the family group window. 4. Enter the computer name of the computer that you want to authorize and click on the "Authorize" button.

Once you've authorized a computer, anyone who logs into that computer will be able to access your shared game library.

This includes friends and family members, as well as anyone else who has access to the computer.

You can deauthorize a shared computer at any time.

To do this, simply click on the "Deauthorize" button next to the computer name in the family group window.

It's important to note that you can only authorize up to 10 shared computers at a time.

If you try to authorize more than 10 computers, you'll receive an error message.

By authorizing shared computers, you can allow friends and family to play your games on their own computers without having to purchase them themselves. This is a great way to share your game library with others and save money.

Set playtime limits.

As a family group organizer, you can set playtime limits for family members. This is a useful way to manage how much time your children or other family members spend playing games. You can set different playtime limits for different family members, and you can even set different limits for different days of the week.

To set playtime limits:

1. Log into your Steam account and click on your username in the top-right corner of the window. 2. Select "Family" from the drop-down menu. 3. Click on the "Set Playtime Limits" button in the family group window. 4. Select the family member you want to set playtime limits for and click on the "Edit" button. 5. Enter the playtime limits you want to set and click on the "Save" button.

You can set the following playtime limits:
  • Daily limit: This sets the maximum number of hours that a family member can play games each day.
  • Weekly limit: This sets the maximum number of hours that a family member can play games each week.
  • Weekend limit: This sets the maximum number of hours that a family member can play games on weekends.
  • Bedtime limit: This sets the time at which a family member must stop playing games each night.
Once you've set playtime limits, family members will be notified when they reach their limit.

They will be able to continue playing games, but they will be prompted to take a break after a certain amount of time.

You can disable playtime limits at any time.

To do this, simply click on the "Disable Playtime Limits" button in the family group window.

By setting playtime limits, you can help your children and other family members manage their time and avoid spending too much time playing games.

Manage family settings.

As a family group organizer, you have the ability to manage a variety of family settings. This includes settings related to game sharing, privacy, and communication.

To manage family settings:

1. Log into your Steam account and click on your username in the top-right corner of the window. 2. Select "Family" from the drop-down menu. 3. Click on the "Manage Family Settings" button in the family group window.

On the Family Settings page, you can manage the following settings:
  • Game sharing: You can enable or disable game sharing for your family group. You can also choose to restrict game sharing to specific family members.
  • Privacy: You can manage your family's privacy settings, including who can see your family group and who can send you friend requests.
  • Communication: You can manage your family's communication settings, including who can send you messages and who can join your chat groups.
Once you've made changes to your family settings, click on the "Save" button to save your changes.

Your changes will be applied immediately.

It's important to note that you can only manage family settings for your own family group.

You cannot manage the family settings of other family groups.

By managing your family settings, you can customize your family group to meet your specific needs. You can control who can share games with your family, who can see your family group, and who can communicate with your family members.

Troubleshoot any issues.

If you're having any issues with game sharing on Steam, there are a few things you can do to troubleshoot the problem.

First, make sure that you've followed all of the steps in this guide. If you're still having problems, try the following:

Restart Steam. This is often the simplest solution to many problems.

Make sure that you're logged into the correct Steam account. You need to be logged into the same Steam account on both the computer that you're sharing games from and the computer that you're sharing games to.

Make sure that the family group member you're sharing games with is online. Family group members need to be online in order to access shared games.

Make sure that the game you're trying to share is shareable. Not all games are eligible for game sharing. You can check if a game is shareable by looking for the "Family Sharing" icon on the game's store page.

Make sure that the computer you're sharing games to is authorized. You can authorize a computer by logging into your Steam account on that computer and clicking on the "Authorize Shared Computers" button in the family group window.

Make sure that your firewall isn't blocking Steam. Steam needs to be able to communicate with the Steam servers in order to enable game sharing. If your firewall is blocking Steam, you'll need to allow Steam through the firewall.

If you're still having problems with game sharing on Steam, you can contact Steam Support for help.

Follow Steam's rules.

When using Steam game sharing, it's important to follow Steam's rules. Steam has a number of rules in place to protect users and to ensure that game sharing is used fairly.

Here are some of the most important Steam rules that you should follow when using game sharing:

  • You can only share games with family members and close friends. You cannot share games with strangers or people you don't know.
  • You can only share games that are eligible for game sharing. Not all games are eligible for game sharing. You can check if a game is shareable by looking for the "Family Sharing" icon on the game's store page.
  • You can only share games with one other account at a time. You cannot share games with multiple accounts simultaneously.
  • You cannot sell or trade shared games. Shared games are not your property, and you cannot sell or trade them to other people.
  • You cannot use game sharing to bypass regional restrictions. You can only share games with people who live in the same region as you.

If you violate any of Steam's rules, your Steam account could be banned. It's important to follow the rules to protect your account and to ensure that game sharing is used fairly.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about game sharing on Steam:

Question 1: What is game sharing?
Answer: Game sharing is a feature that allows you to share your Steam game library with friends and family.

Question 2: How do I set up game sharing?
Answer: To set up game sharing, you need to create a family group and invite your friends or family members to join. Once they have joined your family group, you can authorize their computers to access your shared game library.

Question 3: How many people can I share games with?
Answer: You can only share games with one other account at a time.

Question 4: Can I share all of my games?
Answer: No, you can only share games that are eligible for game sharing. You can check if a game is shareable by looking for the "Family Sharing" icon on the game's store page.

Question 5: Can I sell or trade shared games?
Answer: No, you cannot sell or trade shared games. Shared games are not your property, and you cannot sell or trade them to other people.

Question 6: What happens if I violate Steam's game sharing rules?
Answer: If you violate Steam's game sharing rules, your Steam account could be banned.

Closing Paragraph for FAQ:

If you have any other questions about game sharing on Steam, please contact Steam Support for help.

Here are some additional tips for using game sharing on Steam:

Tips

Here are some tips for using game sharing on Steam:

Tip 1: Use a strong password. This will help to protect your account from being hacked.

Tip 2: Only share games with people you trust. This will help to prevent your games from being stolen or misused.

Tip 3: Be aware of the Steam game sharing rules. Violating these rules could result in your account being banned.

Tip 4: Use game sharing to try out new games before you buy them. This is a great way to save money and find new games to play.

Closing Paragraph for Tips:

By following these tips, you can use game sharing on Steam safely and securely.

Game sharing is a great way to save money and share your favorite games with friends and family. By following the tips in this guide, you can get the most out of game sharing on Steam.

Conclusion

Game sharing on Steam is a great way to save money and share your favorite games with friends and family. By following the steps in this guide, you can get started with game sharing on Steam in no time.

Here are the main points to remember:

  • To game share on Steam, you need to create a family group and invite your friends or family members to join.
  • Once they have joined your family group, you can authorize their computers to access your shared game library.
  • You can only share games that are eligible for game sharing. You can check if a game is shareable by looking for the "Family Sharing" icon on the game's store page.
  • You can only share games with one other account at a time.
  • It's important to follow Steam's game sharing rules. Violating these rules could result in your account being banned.

Closing Message:

Game sharing on Steam is a great way to save money and share your love of gaming with others. By following the tips in this guide, you can get the most out of game sharing on Steam.