Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Yes. Steam Families lets up to six close family members in a household share eligible games while using separate Steam accounts, saves, and achievements. Members can play different shared games at the same time; to play the same game simultaneously, the family needs one copy per player. Some games are excluded, and changing families is subject to one-year limits.
What Steam Families does
Valve introduced Steam Families as a combined set of family-sharing and family-control features, replacing Steam Family Sharing and Steam Family View. It became generally available to all Steam users on September 11, 2024. Valve’s announcement explains the feature and its general availability.
Valve describes Steam Families as intended for a household of up to six close family members. Members may have adult or child roles. When someone joins, eligible games in members’ libraries become available to the others, but the licenses remain with their owners. Each player uses their own account and keeps their own saves and achievements. See Steam’s Steam Families FAQ for current details.
Can two people play the same Steam game at once?
Yes, if the family has enough copies of that particular game. Family members can play different games from one another’s libraries at the same time, even while a library owner is online. For simultaneous play of one title, the number of copies must match the number of people playing. Valve’s example: one copy of Portal 2 allows one family member to play at a time; a second copy allows another member to play simultaneously.
#1 Best Overall
- International (UK) Version
- 7.4” diagonal, HDR OLED, 1280 x 800 x RGB, up to 90Hz Refresh rate, High performance touch, <0.1 ms Response time, 1,000 nits peak brightness (HDR), 600 nits (SDR)
- SteamOS 3.0 (Arch-based)
- 512GB NVMe SSD, 16GB LPDDR5 on-board RAM (5500 MT/s quad 32-bit channels), microSD UHS-I supports SD, SDXC and SDHC
- 6 nm AMD APU, CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32
Which games can be shared?
Sharing is determined game by game. Developers decide whether their games support Family Sharing and may opt out; Valve says existing Family Sharing eligibility carries forward unless a developer opts out. Some games are technically ineligible, including titles that require a third-party key, account, or subscription. Because eligibility can change, check the individual game’s Steam Store page before relying on family access.
Shared games can be played offline if the specific game supports Family Sharing. Steam also warns that if a family member is banned for cheating while playing another member’s copy, the game’s owner is banned in that game too; other family members are not affected. Valve’s FAQ covers these exceptions.
Rank #2
- 【Upgraded】We sells product with professionally upgraded to 2TB SSD. Original Seal is opened for upgrade ONLY.
- 【Stunning 7.4" HDR OLED & 90Hz Motion】 Experience striking contrast and brilliant clarity with the all-new 7.4-inch HDR OLED display. Designed from the ground up for gaming, it features a 90Hz refresh rate for smooth motion and pure blacks. This handheld is capable of delivering an immersive visual experience, ensuring your Steam library looks better than ever with vibrant colors and amazing motion rendition.
- 【30-50% More Battery & Efficient Performance】 Play your favorites longer with up to 50% more battery life. By fitting a larger battery and a power-efficient OLED panel, this device provides extended gameplay sessions. It’s the perfect travel companion for long flights or commutes. The updated AMD APU ensures high-speed performance for AAA titles while maintaining incredible energy efficiency.
- 【3X Faster Downloads with Wi-Fi 6E】 Never wait for a game again. Equipped with Wi-Fi 6E, this Steam Deck OLED offers increased bandwidth and lower latency, delivering downloads up to 3 times faster than previous models. This ensures stable online play and rapid updates, making it the most reliable wireless gaming handheld for modern high-speed home networks.
- 【Responsive Touch & Enhanced Connectivity】 Enjoy a vastly improved touchscreen with higher fidelity and faster haptics. We’ve added a dedicated Bluetooth antenna to improve connections for multiple controllers. Whether using the built-in trackpads or the included external controller, this allows for precision play in everything from FPS to complex strategy games.
Does everyone need to live in the same place?
Valve describes the feature as intended for a household of close family members, but its published guidance does not establish a universal IP-address or precise geographic test for membership. Do not assume that sharing an address is a stated technical requirement—or that there are no location restrictions. For a specific account or family situation, consult Steam Support’s family FAQ.
How parental controls and child purchase requests work
Adult members can manage family invitations and apply restrictions to child accounts. Controls include choosing which games a child can access, restricting the Steam Store, Community, or Friends Chat, setting hourly or daily playtime limits, reviewing playtime reports, and approving or denying requests for extra time or feature access.
A child can also ask an adult in the family to pay for a shopping cart. If the adult approves, the games are added to the child’s account.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Leaving a Steam Family or joining another
Adults can leave a Steam Family at any time, but they must wait one year from joining their previous family before creating or joining another. When a member leaves, the vacated slot has a one-year cooldown before a new member can occupy it. Adults can remove members; a child cannot leave independently and must be removed by an adult member or Steam Support. See Valve’s FAQ for the applicable membership rules.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 1TB NVMe SSD
- 1280 x 800 HDR OLED display with premium anti-glare etched glass, 7.4" Diagonal display size up to 90Hz refresh rate
- Wi-Fi 6E
- 50Whr battery; 3-12 hours of gameplay (content-dependent)
- Carrying case with removable liner
Rank #4
- Valve is entering the gaming console marketplace with the new Steam Deck, a console geared towards PC gamers. The Steam Deck can be docked to a monitor, and used as a PC, or docked to a TV.
- Players can play a huge variety of games at any time with the comfort of a console and the freedom of a PC. Not anti-glare screen.
- Like the name suggests, the Steam Deck will include upgraded 1TB storage, and will include a carrying case. A micro SD slot will also enable expanded storage.
- Valve partnered with AMD to create a specialized APU optimized for handheld gaming, and Valve says the chip will deliver performance to run AAA gaming titles.
- The Steam Deck is outfitted with a 7-inch touchscreen, and two trackpads under the control sticks that allow gamers to operate games never designed outside of mouse and keyboard capabilities.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Recommended Free Tools
