Steam

How to set up Family Management on Steam

Family Management is a parental controls tool available within the Steam client. You can add up to 6 members (including yourself) to a Family as either an adult or child.

1. Step 1 – Make sure both you and your child have Steam accounts with accurate birthdays. Then open up the Steam client with your account.

2. Step 2 – Click Steam in the top left corner and then Settings.

3. Step 3 – Click Family and then Create or Join a Steam Family.

4. Step 4 – Click CREATE A FAMILY and then enter a name to represent your family.

Note: If you have not made any purchases on Steam, you might see a message about having a limited account, which disallows you from creating a Family. If this happens, a quick fix is to add some money to your account

Adding a child to your Steam Family

To customise the games your child can play, manage their screen time and restrict inappropriate content, you must add your child to your Family on Steam.

1. Step 1 – Make sure your child is on your Friends list. Once you’ve created your Family, click Invite a Member.

2. Step 2 – Click Search friend list and then search for your child’s Steam account name. Then select Invite as Child > Invite.

3. Step 3 – You or your child will need to check their Steam account and email to confirm the request.

You’ll then be able to customise parental controls.

How to add your child as a Friend

You must have your child added as a Friend on your Steam account to add them to your Family on Steam.

1. Step 1 – Using your child’s account, open their Steam client. Click Friends in the top menu > Add a Friend…

2. Step 2 – Make note of the number under Your Friend Code (or copy it). Then go to Add a Friend... on your Steam client and account.

3. Step 3 – Enter your child’s Friend Code in the space below your own code. Confirm that the correct username comes up, then click Send Invite.

Have your child accept the invite on their account. You’re now connected as Friends.

How to turn on Steam's parental controls

Once you've added your child to your Steam Family, you can start customising their parental controls.

1. Step 1 – Within your Steam account and client, click Steam > Settings in the top menu.

2. Step 2 – Click Family and then Manage your Steam Family.

3. Step 3 – Click the arrows next to your child’s information. Next, click the toggle next to Enable parental controls for this user so that it’s blue.

Your parental controls are now on.

Where to block inappropriate games

Once you have parental controls set up for your child’s Steam account, you can choose which games they can play.

1. Step 1 – Once you’ve turned on parental controls on the Family Management page, you’ll see a list of games that your child has on their Steam account. Click the ones you’re happy for them to play.

Note: Some games on this list are suggested rather than those actually on your child’s account.

2. Step 2 – In the search bar, find the names of other games you’re happy for them to play. Click on them to add them to the Allowed games.

Adding Allowed games does not download the games. It just gives your child access to download them.

How to manage screen time on Steam

If you’ve enabled parental controls, you can set playtime limits to help manage your child’s screen time.

1. Step 1 – On the Family Management screen, click your child’s profile and scroll to Set playtime limits. Click the toggle to blue to turn playtime limits on.

2. Step 2 – Click on any day of the week to edit limits. First, next to Time Limit, select how much time you’d like to limit their gameplay on Steam each day.

3. Step 3 – Next, modify the times that you allow them to play games on Steam.

Any block that is highlighted blue represents time they can play. Any grey block shows when playtime is not allowed.

4. Step 4 – Scroll back up and click PLAYTIME in the Family Management menu. Select your child in the dropdown menu to review how much time they spend playing games throughout the week.

Where to restrict inappropriate content

You can customise what kind of content your child can and cannot come across in the Steam Store and Steam Community.

1. Step 1 – In the Family Management menu, click your child and scroll just below the Allowed Games parental controls. Here, you can customise which permissions you wish to give your child.

2. Step 2 – Scroll down below the screen time settings. Here, you can manage which content you’re okay with your child seeing. Untick all boxes to keep your child from seeing violent, sexual or otherwise mature content.

How to add money on Steam

Steam's parental controls let you limit access to your child's account. However, if you would like to give your child an allowance instead, you can add it directly to their account.

1. Step 1 – Click the user’s account name in the top right corner and select View my wallet.

If you do not see this option on your child's account, review the parental controls you've set.

2. Step 2 – Select the amount you wish to add and follow the instructions to enter your payment details.

3. Step 3 – From the same drop down menu in Step 1, select Account details.

4. Step 4 – If adding money on your child’s account, double check that your card is not saved to the account. It should say "Add a payment method to this account" if no card is saved.