How to Prevent Two Steam Accounts on Same PC from Seeing each other's Libraries

[Stormscourge]

How do I keep my Steam Library hidden from other users on the same PC with different Windows login accounts? I created a Windows User account for myself, and I log into Steam with my own account, but I can see my kid's steam games in MY steam Library. I assume he can also see my games in his library.

How do I prevent our libraries from merging together? I want to keep everything separate and hidden between each others' Steam and Windows accounts. Is this possible? Thanks!

[rawWwRrr]

You can't. The physical library on the computer is available to whomever is logged into Steam on that computer. It's so that if both users own the same game, they don't have to maintain two different installs for it. It also helps to facilitate family sharing on the same PC.

Having a different Windows login on the PC helps to keep save and configuration settings separate from one another, but the physical library is sharable.

[Stormscourge]

Ok, thanks.

[ZanyScum]

If you really really want it, you could try to first completely remove Steam from the computer.
Then install it with one account in a directory where only that account has access. Keep all installed games in such folders too.

That could work. Perhaps.

Now, when the 2nd account logs in he either will have to install Steam again and will not see your games or the 2nd installation will fail because Steam is "smart" enough to recognize it is already installed, even when it should not be able to see that.

Worth a try if you really want it.

[Jack Schitt]

I've run in to this in the past where I use my Steam account on a friends machine or he uses his on mine. We just ignore the grayed out games we don't both own that show up in our library however an option for you might be to move and organize your games and your kids games in different folders on the computer and use Steam > Settings > Downloads > Steam Library Folders (button) on each account to direct that account to ONLY that account's game folders.
That might be a way of hiding their games from showing up on your account and your games from showing up in their library. If Steam isn't told where to look for library (game) folders it won't see them.

You can either copy/paste the library folders to different locations through Windows or use the Steam Client options to do it. If you use Steam to do it you'll probably have to do it while the kids are logged in to their account if you don't know their logins.

We used to be able to delete library folders. They've changed the UI of that section of the options now (at least in the beta version I'm using they have changed it, to something horrid of course <smh>) and I don't see the option to disable or remove folders so manually moving them with windows might be what you'd have to do to get them out of there on Steam.

[rawWwRrr]

Originally posted by ZanyScum:

Now, when the 2nd account logs in he either will have to install Steam again and will not see your games or the 2nd installation will fail because Steam is "smart" enough to recognize it is already installed, even when it should not be able to see that.

Steam can only be installed once per machine. It's not installed per the user.

Another option is to run a VM and install Steam for a second user within that. It's been a while since I've played around with VMs but there was always a limitation somewhere that doesn't provide the same performance as you would get off the bare machine. Maybe things have progressed since then.

Originally posted by Jack Schitt:

however an option for you might be to move and organize your games and your kids games in different folders on the computer and use Steam > Settings > Downloads > Steam Library Folders (button) on each account to direct that account to ONLY that account's game folders.

It's possible... a couple of complications will be that each person's library will have to reside on different drives, and I think Steam is still going to assume the first user's library folder is available to the second user, and vice versa when the second user adds there. It's worth a shot to try, anyway.

[ReBoot]

Just set your library to display your games. Easiest solution.

[Jack Schitt]

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Just set your library to display your games. Easiest solution.

Didn't you think about the fact that if the person asking knew how to do that they wouldn't be asking this question?

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by Jack Schitt:

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Just set your library to display your games. Easiest solution.

Didn't you think about the fact that if the person asking knew how to do that they wouldn't be asking this question?

The person asking hasn't considered library filters.

[Jack Schitt]

It would be helpful if you explained it. Maybe they don't know what library filters are, where the icon is for them, and how to use them. I don't. I don't use the horridly ugly full screen UI. Small mode UI doesn't have those features.

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by Jack Schitt:

It would be helpful if you explained it. Maybe they don't know what library filters are, where the icon is for them, and how to use them. I don't. I don't use the horridly ugly full screen UI. Small mode UI doesn't have those features.

Maybe they are intelligent and will LOOK at library filters themselves ("only my games" ain't that hard to find). Maybe they can, shocking, I know, ask a question themselves. I consider my target audience to be intelligent.

[Stormscourge]

Ok, I'm looking at Library Filters and there is no filter to hide games from someone else's account, nor is there an option to hide my games from someone else's account.

"Only my games" does not appear as a filter option.

[Stormscourge]

Also - Steam won't let me create a secondary Game Library Folder on the same Drive to just put my games in it. I tried to make a "Steam2" folder to just put my games in it, and I got an error message that I can't have more than one install directory for a Steam Library on the same drive.

I'd have to install a new hard drive or partition the existing one with a new drive letter, to create a second install folder. However, Steam automatically scans ALL the drives on a computer for Steam games and automatically populates them all into the same Library Tab in the main steam window. So they would still show up even if I created a second install folder.

Looks like I have to either create a dual-boot somehow isolating a drive from the other boot, or just build a new PC.

[Stormscourge]

I also have Family Library Sharing disabled on both Steam accounts, but the games are still showing up on both our libraries.

[Jack Schitt]

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Originally posted by Jack Schitt:

It would be helpful if you explained it. Maybe they don't know what library filters are, where the icon is for them, and how to use them. I don't. I don't use the horridly ugly full screen UI. Small mode UI doesn't have those features.

Maybe they are intelligent and will LOOK at library filters themselves ("only my games" ain't that hard to find). Maybe they can, shocking, I know, ask a question themselves. I consider my target audience to be intelligent.

Originally posted by Stormscourge:

Ok, I'm looking at Library Filters and there is no filter to hide games from someone else's account, nor is there an option to hide my games from someone else's account.

"Only my games" does not appear as a filter option.

ReBoot,

And that is exactly why I asked you to explain it. Looks like you should have looked in the mirror when attempting to insult. There's nothing in the library filters that would resolve this for them. So much for you being intelligent enough for 'your audience' LMFAO!!!!

[Jack Schitt]

I'm using the beta version of the client. Looking in to it because of this question I noticed they've changed the UI for the Library Folders settings. We used to be able to remove libraries and had a lot more control over those settings than we do with how the new UI for it is now.

I've mentioned the missing features, like this one allowing us to disable or remove folders, on the beta discussions. If you haven't please consider joining the beta group:

https://steamcommunity.com/groups/SteamClientBeta
The group can be joined without opting in to the beta. The more people that support suggestions there the more likely Steam is to deliver them. If you would support my thread about it it might help matters getting these features added/included.
Here is the thread:
https://steamcommunity.com/groups/SteamClientBeta/discussions/3/3035976310909294478/