how to enable local transfer steam

Art Scpae

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13-10-2024

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How to Enable Local Transfers on Steam: Sharing Games with Friends

Steam's Family Sharing feature allows you to share your game library with other users on your computer. This is incredibly useful for playing games with friends or family members who don't own the games themselves. However, many users find that the feature is not working as expected.

Here's the breakdown of how to enable local transfers and ensure smooth game sharing:

Understanding Family Sharing

Family Sharing is a built-in Steam feature that allows the primary account holder to authorize up to five other accounts to access their game library. However, it's important to note that:

• Only one person can play a game at a time: While multiple accounts can access the library, only one person can play a game at a time.
• The game library is shared, not ownership: Shared games are not transferred to the other accounts permanently. If the primary account holder deauthorizes the account or removes the game from their library, the shared access will be revoked.

Enabling Local Transfers

Local transfers allow you to bypass the limitations of Family Sharing and enable a different user on the same computer to play a game while you are logged out. This is useful for situations where you want to share your library but aren't always actively playing games.

Here's how to enable local transfers (credit to user "xXx_Shadow_xXx" on Github):

1. Open Steam: Log in to your primary account.
2. Navigate to Settings: Click on "Steam" in the top menu bar and then select "Settings."
3. Go to Family: In the settings window, click on "Family."
4. Enable "Authorize Library Sharing on this computer": This option allows other users to access your game library when you're logged out.
5. Select "Local Transfer": Choose the "Local Transfer" option under "Family Library Sharing."

Important Notes:

• Local transfers only work on the same computer: The other user must be on the same computer as the primary account holder.
• The primary account holder must be logged out: To access the shared library, the primary account holder must be logged out of Steam.
• The shared library is only accessible for the authorized user: Only the authorized user can access the primary account's game library. Other users on the computer won't be able to play the shared games.

Additional Information:

• Security: Local transfers can pose a security risk. Ensure that the computer is protected with a strong password and consider disabling local transfers when not in use.
• Alternative Solutions: If local transfers don't work for you, consider using a virtual machine to create a separate environment for the secondary user.
• Troubleshooting: If you encounter problems, check your Steam settings, ensure the primary account is logged out, and verify that the secondary user is authorized to access the library.

Conclusion:

Enabling local transfers on Steam can make sharing your game library with friends and family easier. However, remember that it requires careful consideration of security and limitations. With the information provided here, you can successfully configure local transfers and enjoy the benefits of game sharing without encountering any issues.