Include Main Steam Profile In Family Sharing Limitations

[Mahdniss]

I purchased a Steam Deck, specifically the limited white edition, because I needed a compact device to handle AFK games while I actively game on my PC. It’s an incredible device that complements my setup—both aesthetically and functionally—but I’ve run into a significant limitation.

Currently, Steam allows only one device per account to play games at a time unless Family Sharing is utilized. Unfortunately, this excludes the library owner, creating a frustrating limitation for users who own multiple devices and want to play separate games concurrently.

I propose that Steam modify its Family Sharing system to include the main account owner, allowing games to run simultaneously on separate devices owned by the same user.

This improvement would address a common use case for users who own multiple Steam-enabled devices, like a PC and a Steam Deck. It’s particularly important for people who play AFK or resource-light games on one device while playing intensive games on another. This functionality already exists when running two games on the same PC—extending it to multi-device users would significantly improve the user experience.

[Nx Machina]

Family sharing, having a Steam Deck and a PC has not changed how the system is intended to work. It is one device, one person, one account logged in.

[Mahdniss]

I get that the system is designed around "one device, one person, one account logged in," but the issue here is that Steam already allows a workaround for this.

For example, I can create a second Steam profile on my device, use Family Sharing, and play my games that way. This works fine for pretty much everything except online games tied to my main profile. So, the functionality already exists, it’s just locked behind an arbitrary wall that forces me to jump through hoops.

All I’m asking for is to streamline what’s already possible. Why should I need a second profile to use my own games on my own devices? I’m not asking to break any rules or change the intent—just to make it less of a hassle for scenarios like this.

What do you think? Wouldn’t it make sense to simplify this?

I've edited my post to make it a bit more clear.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Taken from a post by Valve...

Originally posted by philipla:

Steam Families does not address this feature request.

https://steamcommunity.com/groups/steamfamilies/discussions/0/7204143093508064153/

[Nx Machina]

And that second profile is another single account which is borrowing games from your main account, therefore still one device, one person, one account logged in.

So the question is why is there is the restriction?

Imagine having ten PC's all logged into your account and nine friends playing a different game, while you play another, and you charge each friend £5 per session.

Do you honestly believe Valve did not consider variations on potential abuse, after all you have no way of proving to Valve it is only you using the PC and Steam Deck. You only have one pair of hands.

It is the same as having a PS4 and a PSVita, you can only physically use one device at a time.

[Ben Lubar]

Set all but one of your devices to Steam offline mode and you can run your games on as many devices as you want.

[76561198407601200]

Originally posted by Mahdniss:

For example, I can create a second Steam profile on my device, use Family Sharing, and play my games that way. This works fine for pretty much everything except online games tied to my main profile. So, the functionality already exists, it’s just locked behind an arbitrary wall that forces me to jump through hoops.

As intended, having a steam deck or otherwise doesn't circumvent that limitation.

[superblake_]

Originally posted by Nx Machina:

Family sharing, having a Steam Deck and a PC has not changed how the system is intended to work.

It is one device, one person, one account logged in.

Then explain how you can be logged into Steam on the Steam app and on the pc Steam client with the same account and have them both open and neither of them giving you a error when they are both open.

[BJWyler]

Originally posted by superblake_:

Originally posted by Nx Machina:

Family sharing, having a Steam Deck and a PC has not changed how the system is intended to work.

It is one device, one person, one account logged in.

Then explain how you can be logged into Steam on the Steam app and on the pc Steam client with the same account and have them both open and neither of them giving you a error when they are both open.

Because you can't play games through the mobile app. 😲

[superblake_]

Originally posted by BJWyler:

Originally posted by superblake_:

Then explain how you can be logged into Steam on the Steam app and on the pc Steam client with the same account and have them both open and neither of them giving you a error when they are both open.

Because you can't play games through the mobile app. 😲

That has nothing to do with it that has to with steam they even say this in the support page here. https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/71EA-CDCE-FB5C-82B3 Infact it even says that you can use your account on multiple devices. Also the person I was replying to even said that you can only use one device and one account which is not fully correct. Infact the faq for steam families states otherwise here. https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/054C-3167-DD7F-49D4 Also yes you can play games one of the steam mobile apps. Also the steam families faq even states that you can indeed play games while another person is playing games.

[Sasori Kigaru]

Originally posted by superblake_:

Originally posted by BJWyler:

Because you can't play games through the mobile app. 😲

That has nothing to do with it that has to with steam they even say this in the support page here. https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/71EA-CDCE-FB5C-82B3 Infact it even says that you can use your account on multiple devices. Also the person I was replying to even said that you can only use one device and one account which is not fully correct. Infact the faq for steam families states otherwise here. https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/054C-3167-DD7F-49D4 Also yes you can play games one of the steam mobile apps. Also the steam families faq even states that you can indeed play games while another person is playing games.

You can login to the same account on multiple devices at the same time so long as you aren't trying to play games on those devices at the same time.

I know this specifically because my main PC setup runs steam even while I'm away, and remains logged in when I login to my laptop. Only time either gets kicked out is if I try to play games on both of them.

Steam already tells as such via the first link you provided.

Originally posted by Steam:

Can multiple users play simultaneously on one Steam account?
Steam does not support multiple players using one Steam account simultaneously - games associated with a Steam account are licensed for the sole use of the account holder.

If multiple users attempt to log in and play simultaneously with one Steam account, the user who logged in first will eventually receive an "Invalid Steam UserID Ticket" error message and be forced to log back in to continue playing (if the first user logs back in, the second user will receive this error message).

That aside, Steam Families are all separate accounts, they are not a single account which is why they all remain logged in while sharing libraries. Only thing one can't do is play the same game in the shared libraries.

Lastly, you cannot play games on the Steam Mobile App. There is no option to do so. You can view your library, you can remotely install games but you cannot play them.

The App that DOES allow you to play games on mobile devices is called Steam Link which I will link to here. Again though, that is NOT the Steam Mobile App. These are different apps entirely.
Steam Link App

Edit: Had to use the URL code for the link since for some reason the link itself doesn't load properly otherwise. At least this way it can still be clicked and lead directly to the page on steam.

[Mahdniss]

There seems to be a lot of citing of what steam already has in various faqs, etc. Do you think that is appropriate for a feature request? New features spark editing of existing documentation.

Originally posted by Sasori Kigaru:

The App that DOES allow you to play games on mobile devices is called Steam Link which I will link to here. Again though, that is NOT the Steam Mobile App. These are different apps entirely.
Steam Link App

Regarding steam link, I assume that is what the steam client does when playing a game from another machine on the network. This streams content from that machine which may seem appropriate in theory. In practice, it means your steam deck will mirror what your main pc is doing which means I am streaming my active game on top of the passive one, still preventing me from playing that passive game. The use case for this is when you need the power of our main pc, but are not in the same room as it. It is not the same, sorry.

[Sasori Kigaru]

Originally posted by Mahdniss:

There seems to be a lot of citing of what steam already has in various faqs, etc. Do you think that is appropriate for a feature request? New features spark editing of existing documentation.

Originally posted by Sasori Kigaru:

The App that DOES allow you to play games on mobile devices is called Steam Link which I will link to here. Again though, that is NOT the Steam Mobile App. These are different apps entirely.
Steam Link App

Regarding steam link, I assume that is what the steam client does when playing a game from another machine on the network. This streams content from that machine which may seem appropriate in theory. In practice, it means your steam deck will mirror what your main pc is doing which means I am streaming my active game on top of the passive one, still preventing me from playing that passive game. The use case for this is when you need the power of our main pc, but are not in the same room as it. It is not the same, sorry.

The link I provided explains what Steam Link is for. To quote a part of it though..

Originally posted by Steam:

ABOUT THIS SOFTWARE
Play your Steam games on your phone, tablet, TV, VR headset or another PC using Steam Link, streaming from your home computer. With control schemes optimized for hundreds of top titles, you can now access and play games from your PC while on the couch, or on the go.

I was not posting Steam Link as a solution to your issue. I was responding to another user, showing them that the APP that does allow streaming games on mobile devices is Steam Link and not the Steam Mobile App.

[Mahdniss]

My apologies, I see that now.

[superblake_]

Originally posted by Sasori Kigaru:

Originally posted by superblake_:

That has nothing to do with it that has to with steam they even say this in the support page here. https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/71EA-CDCE-FB5C-82B3 Infact it even says that you can use your account on multiple devices. Also the person I was replying to even said that you can only use one device and one account which is not fully correct. Infact the faq for steam families states otherwise here. https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/054C-3167-DD7F-49D4 Also yes you can play games one of the steam mobile apps. Also the steam families faq even states that you can indeed play games while another person is playing games.

You can login to the same account on multiple devices at the same time so long as you aren't trying to play games on those devices at the same time.

I know this specifically because my main PC setup runs steam even while I'm away, and remains logged in when I login to my laptop. Only time either gets kicked out is if I try to play games on both of them.

Steam already tells as such via the first link you provided.

Originally posted by Steam:

Can multiple users play simultaneously on one Steam account?
Steam does not support multiple players using one Steam account simultaneously - games associated with a Steam account are licensed for the sole use of the account holder.

If multiple users attempt to log in and play simultaneously with one Steam account, the user who logged in first will eventually receive an "Invalid Steam UserID Ticket" error message and be forced to log back in to continue playing (if the first user logs back in, the second user will receive this error message).

That aside, Steam Families are all separate accounts, they are not a single account which is why they all remain logged in while sharing libraries. Only thing one can't do is play the same game in the shared libraries.

Lastly, you cannot play games on the Steam Mobile App. There is no option to do so. You can view your library, you can remotely install games but you cannot play them.

The App that DOES allow you to play games on mobile devices is called Steam Link which I will link to here. Again though, that is NOT the Steam Mobile App. These are different apps entirely.
Steam Link App

Edit: Had to use the URL code for the link since for some reason the link itself doesn't load properly otherwise. At least this way it can still be clicked and lead directly to the page on steam.

Sorry about long reply. Also I was talking about one of the steam mobile apps which includes steam link. Infact the steam mobile app that is most like the pc client is not even the full steam app that is on pc. If it was you would not need to install other apps related to Steam to do what steam does. Also another thing I was not just talking about steam apps themselves I was also talking about other apps. That let your play your steam games on mobile that require. You to sign into Steam there is a lot of apps that let you play your steam games on mobile. Also you already admitted I was right about something I said. Another thing I was not wrong in my reply you are replying to you misunderstood what I said. I was talking about multiple things not just one in a part of my reply. I also made it obvious by how I worded things. Infact basically what you are trying to do is deprove something I said and something you said. Basically you said what you said is false. When you said what I said was false. You quite literally are trying to deprove something steam's faq says. Also you even proved what I said to Nx Machina. If you can only have one steam account then there would be only one Steam account on steam. Which means there would only be allowed one person on Steam it's self and that is not the case and that is quite literally obvious the only reason I only mentioned a error because of the faq. Infact every single person person on Steam deproves what Nx Machina said in this thread. Also another thing you can stream your games from your pc to your steam deck. Which proves even more that what Nx Machina said is wrong. Infact another thing that proves what Nx Machina said is wrong. Is that if you can only have one device for steam then you would never be able to login to your steam account on any other device which is not the case. Do understand what I said.