Steam Families lets up to six people share eligible games through one family group. Each member keeps their own saves and achievements, but a shared copy can be used by only one person at a time: two people who want to play the same game simultaneously need two family-owned copies. Valve made Steam Families available to all users on September 11, 2024, replacing the older Steam Family Sharing and Steam Family View features.
How Steam Families works
Joining a Steam Family makes other members’ eligible games available in the family library. Members still own the games they purchased. When you play a game shared by another member, you play on your own account, with your own saves and achievements. Steam says family members can play different titles from family libraries at the same time.
The feature can be managed in the Steam client, on a mobile device, or in a browser. Valve’s September 11, 2024 announcement said, “Steam Families is now available for all users.” Steam’s launch announcement
Can two people play the same game at once?
Yes, if the family has enough copies. Each copy supports one simultaneous player, so one shared copy cannot support two concurrent sessions of that title. For example, with one copy of Game A, one member can play Game A while another plays a different available title. If both want to play Game A at the same time, the family needs a second copy. Steam’s explanation of shared libraries and simultaneous play
#1 Best Overall
- 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
How many people can join a Steam Family?
A Steam Family can have up to six members: the creator plus as many as five invitees. Steam’s May 2024 FAQ describes the feature as intended for a household of up to six close family members; the September 2024 announcement confirmed its general availability. Steam Families FAQ
Which Steam games can be shared?
Not every Steam game is shareable. Developers decide whether their games participate and can opt out. A game may also be excluded if its technical requirements rely on third-party keys, accounts, or subscriptions. Participation can change, so check the game’s current sharing status on its Steam Store page before assuming it will be available to your family. Steam Families FAQ on game eligibility
Rank #2
- 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
What parental controls do Steam Families include?
Each member is assigned an adult or child role. Adults can manage invitations and restrictions; children cannot manage the family. Adult controls for child accounts include:
- Allowing or restricting access to selected games.
- Restricting the Steam Store, Community, or Friends Chat.
- Setting hourly or daily playtime limits and reviewing playtime reports.
- Responding to requests for additional playtime or access to features.
- Recovering a child’s account.
Valve says these controls are available wherever the family is managed, including mobile access. Steam’s launch announcement
Leaving a family and one-year cooldowns
Adults can leave a family, but Steam’s FAQ sets a one-year wait after joining a previous family before an adult can create or join another. A vacated family slot also has a one-year cooldown before a new member can take it. Children cannot leave on their own; an adult in the family or Steam Support must remove them. These restrictions make Steam Families less suitable for frequent group changes. Steam Families FAQ on membership limits
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 512 GB NVMe SSD: Fast storage for quicker game load times and space for larger game libraries.
- OLED Display: 1200x800 resolution with deep contrasts and vibrant colors for a captivating visual experience.
- Custom AMD APU: Power-efficient Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 GPU for desktop-level gaming performance.
- Expandable Storage: Add more space with a microSD card slot, ensuring you can bring even more games with you.
- Versatile Controls: With built-in thumbsticks, trackpads, and touchscreen controls, you have full control over your gaming experience.
Rank #4
- 【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.
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