Steam Families is a new feature that brings families closer together through gaming. This comprehensive system replaces both Steam Family Sharing and Steam Family View, offering a centralised platform to manage game access and playtime for your loved ones.
Sharing with Steam Families
To begin with, simply create a Steam Family and invite up to five family members. Additionally, you can easily manage your family from your Steam Client, mobile device, or web browser.
Family Sharing
By joining a Steam Family, each member gains access to the shareable games owned by other family members. This means you can play titles from your family’s library, even if they are online playing another game. Enjoy your own saved games, earn unique Steam achievements, and access workshop files without any restrictions.
Parental Controls
Steam Families includes robust parental controls that allow parents to set limits on what and when children can play games on Steam. You can control game access, monitor activity, and set playtime limits, providing a safe and controlled gaming environment for your kids.
Child Purchase Requests
A convenient feature for parents is the ability for child accounts to request in-family adults to pay for their shopping carts. Adults can approve and pay for purchases from their mobile device or email, streamlining the process.
Key Features
- Family Membership: Up to 6 close family members can join a Steam Family.
- Leaving a Family: Adults can leave a family at any time, but there’s a one-year waiting period before creating or joining a new one. Children must be removed by an adult or Steam Support.
- Game Sharing: All games are automatically shared within the family, with parental controls for adults to limit access for children.
- Parental Controls: Set playtime limits, restrict game access, and monitor activity.
- Child Purchase Requests: Streamline the purchase process for children.
Steam Families offers a convenient and secure way for families to share and enjoy games together. With its comprehensive features and parental controls, it’s the perfect solution for families looking to bond over gaming.
