How To Share Games On Steam

How to Share Steam Games

To get started sharing games on Steam:

Games That Require Downloadable Content (DLC)

When another user plays one of your games that requires access to your DLC, Steam grants them access only if the player does not own the base game. Players cannot purchase DLC for any game they do not own. Players can acquire in-game purchases, trades, and earnings while playing. However, these in-game purchases remain the property of the account that purchased or acquired the items. Earned items cannot be shared between accounts.

Requesting Access to Play: One Library at a Time

If you want to play a game in someone else’s library, choose the game and select Play to request access. Steam sends an email to the game’s owner containing a link they must follow. After you activate sharing, your library can only be played by one user at a time. This number includes you, as the owner. You always have priority over anyone who borrows the game from your library. If one of your games is in use when you are ready to play, the other player receives a warning message to either quit or purchase the game. 

Family Sharing Limits

Each player earns their own Steam achievements, and each player’s game progress is saved in the Steam cloud. The following Steam games are not accessible with Family Sharing:

Games that require a subscription to play or need an additional third-party key or account.Games that require special downloadable content (DLC) and free-to-play games.

Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) is an automated system designed to detect cheats installed on computers. If your account has a VAC ban, you can’t share VAC protected games.