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How to Use Two Steam Accounts on One Computer

Steam supports using different accounts on the same computer, one at a time. Here’s how to switch accounts, verify sign-ins, and protect a shared PC.
Length2 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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You can use two Steam accounts on one computer, but only one account can be signed in at a time. Sign out of the first account, sign in to the second, and approve any Steam Guard check. Steam Mobile can authenticate more than one account.

Switch between Steam accounts

  1. Finish activity on the current account. Save or close anything that depends on the active Steam session.
  2. Open the account menu and sign out. This ends the current session; Steam supports access to different accounts on the same computer only one at a time. See Steam Support’s Steam Account Use guidance.
  3. Sign in to the other account with that account’s own credentials.
  4. Complete any security check. Steam may ask for authorization when it does not recognize the device. Approve the prompt by email or Steam Guard. Steam’s instructions say its Mobile app can authenticate multiple Steam accounts and supports QR sign-in, notification approval, or entering a Steam Guard code: Steam Guard mobile authenticator setup and Steam Guard.

What carries over between accounts?

Each account has its own game ownership and account-specific settings. When both accounts own the same game, Steam can share the game’s core files on the computer, while custom content and configuration files remain account-specific, according to Steam Account Use. Signing in to a second account does not combine libraries or progress.

Protect accounts on a shared computer

Steam lets users choose whether the client remembers credentials on a trusted PC, but a remembered session can leave an account accessible to the next person using the computer. On a multi-user computer, log out or fully exit Steam when finished. Steam’s recommendations are at Account Security Recommendations. Do not share login credentials; each person should use their own Steam account.

Using two accounts is not simultaneous play

The one-account-at-a-time rule applies to Steam sessions on the computer. It is different from having two people play simultaneously through a single Steam account: Steam says simultaneous users of one account may be forced to log back in, and games are licensed for the account holder’s use.

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If the goal is to play games owned by another person in your household, Steam Families is a separate game-sharing feature. It applies to eligible games and has its own eligibility and availability conditions; simultaneous play is possible when the family owns multiple copies of a game. It does not make two accounts active in one Steam client session. See Steam Families User Guide & FAQ.

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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.

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