Set Steam Families parental controls without sharing an adult password

Steam Families replaced older Family Sharing and Family View with a shared library and parental tools. A child account can have game, Store, Community and chat restrictions plus playtime limits, while an adult can approve a purchase request. The child still needs their own account. Giving a child the adult's password bypasses the point of these controls and can expose payment methods, messages and account recovery.

Before you start​

Decide which adult accounts should administer the family; Steam says adults can manage invitations and restrictions. Agree on which games are appropriate, when playtime is allowed and how purchase approvals will work. Review the family membership rules before inviting anyone because leaving or changing families can have waiting periods.

Do it step by step​

1. From the Steam client or Account Details on the Store, open Family Management. Create or select the family and invite the intended account using its exact identity, not a lookalike display name. Choose Adult or Child carefully before sending the invitation.
2. For the child entry, open Manage and enable parental controls. Select the allowed games or categories, and separately configure access to the Store, Community features and chat. A library share alone does not set these boundaries.
3. Set playtime limits that match the household arrangement. Test from the child's account, not only the adult settings screen: confirm a disallowed game is blocked and an allowed game launches.
4. If purchases should require approval, use the child purchase-request flow. An adult reviews the actual cart and pays through Steam; do not give the child an adult login or ask them to send a payment code by message.
5. Review which family members are adults. Remove or correct an accidental adult invitation promptly through the official family controls, because adults have broad management powers. Check that shared games and saves appear under the right account.
6. Revisit the settings after a new device or game is added. Talk with the child about scams and unsolicited friend requests; a restriction is useful but cannot replace an explanation of why a stranger wants their account or items.

Check the result​

The child account sees only the intended games and features, playtime settings work in a real sign-in, and a test purchase requires the expected adult review.

If something goes wrong​

If a game does not appear, check whether its publisher permits family sharing and whether the family invitation was accepted. If a restriction seems absent, verify that you tested the child's account, not the adult's. Use Steam Support for unexpected family-membership cooldowns rather than creating disposable accounts.

Know the limit​

Steam Families controls access within Steam; they do not filter every web page or prevent a child from using another account or device. Some shared games are unavailable for technical or publisher reasons. Membership and purchase-request policies can change, so use the live Family Management screen as the final rule. Steam Families user guide Steam account security