How To Transfer Games On Steam To Another Account

Unfortunately, Steam does not offer a direct way to transfer games on Steam to another account. Game licenses are tied to the purchasing account.

Ever found yourself wanting to share a game on Steam with a friend, or maybe move your library to a new profile? The question of how to transfer games on Steam to another account is a common one, and the answer isn’t as simple as you might hope. This often leads to some confusion and frustration among gamers.

While direct transfer isn’t a feature, there are some alternative methods that players sometimes explore. These options, though, often require some creative thinking and may not always be ideal. Let’s delve into what you can actually do and what you can’t.

How to Transfer Games on Steam to Another Account

Okay, so you’re wondering how to move your awesome games from one Steam account to another? Maybe you have an old account you don’t use anymore, or perhaps you want to share games with a family member. It’s a common question, and the short answer is: Steam doesn’t directly let you transfer games between accounts like moving files on your computer. It might sound like bad news, but don’t worry! There are a few workarounds and things you can do to share your game library without actually transferring ownership. This article will walk you through everything you need to know. We’ll explain the rules, look at the methods that work, and talk about what definitely won’t work. Let’s get started!

Understanding Steam’s Game Ownership

First things first, it’s important to understand how Steam handles game ownership. When you buy a game on Steam, you’re actually buying a license to play that game on your account. This license is tied directly to your account, like a digital key. Steam keeps track of who owns what, and that’s why simply copying game files from one computer to another won’t let someone else play that game on a different account. It’s tied to your Steam user ID, your specific account. This also means that the Steam library is not like a physical game disc; you cannot simply hand over a digital copy to someone else. Understanding this basic concept makes understanding what’s possible easier.

What You Can’t Do: Direct Game Transfers

Before we dive into what you can do, let’s clear up some misconceptions. You can’t directly transfer games from one Steam account to another. Steam does not have a “transfer game” button. There’s no magical option to move a game, and here’s why:

License Restrictions: As we explained, the game license is for you and you alone (on the registered account). The purpose is to stop people buying games once and sharing them with loads of people, which would mean game developers wouldn’t get paid fairly for their work.
Preventing Piracy: This system is designed to fight against piracy and keep the gaming ecosystem healthy. Transferring games would open the floodgates to illegal sharing of content, which is something Steam and the game industry takes very seriously.
Account Security: Imagine if transferring games was easy. Someone could just log in to your account and transfer all your games to their account. It would be a security nightmare! Steam protects your games by keeping ownership tied to your specific account.

So, if you see videos or articles claiming to show you how to “transfer” games through some back door methods, be very cautious. It’s usually a scam, and they might be trying to steal your account information. Now that we’ve clarified what can’t be done let’s explore the actual ways you can share and enjoy games with others.

Steam Family Sharing: A Great Option for Sharing, Not Transferring

While you can’t transfer games between accounts, Steam Family Sharing allows you to share your games with other Steam accounts that are on the same computer or network. This is the best way to share games without violating Steam’s terms of service. Let’s break it down.

How Does Family Sharing Work?

Family Sharing lets you authorize up to five other Steam accounts to play games from your library. The process is quite simple, but there are some important things to remember:

Authorization: You need to authorize specific accounts to use your library. This can be done through Steam settings.
Shared Library Usage: Only one person can play your library at a time. If you’re playing a game, other people can’t play any games from your library at the same time.
Limited to Local Network: The accounts you share with usually need to be on the same network as you.
Game Restrictions: Some games or content may not be available for family sharing, due to the publisher or developer settings.

Setting Up Steam Family Sharing Step by Step

Here’s how you enable Family Sharing:

Log into Steam: First, log in to your Steam account on the computer where the games are installed.
Go to Settings: Click on “Steam” in the upper left corner, then choose “Settings” from the menu.
Select “Family”: Click on “Family” on the left side of the Settings window.
Authorize Sharing: Check the box that says “Authorize Library Sharing on this Computer.”
Select Accounts: You’ll see a list of accounts that have logged in to this computer before. Check the boxes next to the accounts you want to share games with.
Click OK: Click “OK” to save the changes.

Now, when the other person logs into their account on the same computer they will have access to your games in their game library. They can install and play most of the games as if they owned them, just remember only one person can use the shared library at a time.

Limitations of Family Sharing

It’s important to know what you can’t do with Family Sharing. These limitations can change sometimes, but here’s the general gist:

Simultaneous Play: As mentioned, only one person can play games from your shared library at a time. If you start a game, anyone else using your library will be kicked out.
Region Restrictions: If a game has regional locks, this will apply for Family Sharing too. This means that a game that is only allowed to be played in a particular region will not be playable if the family user is not in that region.
Not All Games Eligible: Some games cannot be shared through Family Sharing, due to restrictions by the game publisher. This can include certain types of games like online-only games or games that require additional licenses or keys.
Account Bans: If someone you share with gets caught cheating in a game, you could also get banned. Be sure you trust the accounts you share your games with!
Cloud Saves: If multiple people are playing the same game on different accounts, their saves will be kept separate.

Family Sharing works best when a family shares a computer or gaming setup, but it doesn’t allow for complete game transfers. It is more like borrowing games than transferring them.

Gifting Games on Steam

Another way to get a game to another account is to gift it to them via Steam. This is not a transfer, it’s a way of allowing another account to purchase the game you were originally planning to play. This can be good if you really want someone else to own the game on their account, or if the Family Sharing route doesn’t work out for you. There are a couple of ways to gift a game and it’s a relatively straightforward process.

Gifting from the Steam Store

You can buy a game as a gift when purchasing it directly from the Steam store. Here’s how to do it:

Find the Game: Go to the Steam Store and find the game you want to gift.
Add to Cart: Add the game to your shopping cart.
Select “Purchase as a Gift”: On the purchase page, select the “Purchase as a gift” option.
Choose a Friend: You’ll then be prompted to choose a friend from your Steam friends list or enter their email if they are not already on your list.
Personalize Your Gift (Optional): Add a personalized message for them!
Complete Purchase: Complete your purchase as normal. The gift recipient will receive a notification.

The person you gift the game to will get an email letting them know they have a gift waiting for them on Steam. Once they redeem the gift, the game will appear in their library.

Gifting via Trade

Some games may be tradable through Steam, meaning that if you purchased a game as part of a bundle or through a third party, you may have it as a tradable gift in your Steam Inventory. This option is getting rarer as Steam has largely disallowed gifting of bundles, and is generally no longer used. However, it is still something to keep an eye out for. Here is the process to check for and gift a game via trade:

Go to your inventory: Open Steam and click on “Inventory” in your profile menu.
Find your gift: Locate the item that looks like a wrapped gift. If you don’t have one, there are no tradable gifts for you to give out.
Click on “Send Gift”: Select “Send Gift” and pick the user you want to gift the game to.
Confirm and send: Confirm the action, and the game will be gifted to your friend.

The game will then be moved into the user’s library, rather than being in your Steam Inventory. Note that Steam does have some restrictions on trading and gifting, depending on how new your account is. Also note this option may not be available for all games.

Important Considerations for Gifting

When gifting games, remember these things:

No Transfers: The key thing to remember is gifting is not a transfer, you are buying another version of the game for your friend. If you want to gift the game you have, this is not possible, you will need to re-purchase it for them.
Regional Differences: Check if the game is playable in the receiver’s region. Some games have regional restrictions which may stop the gift recipient from playing the game.
Game Availability: Be sure the game is available for purchase. Sometimes games are removed from the Steam Store, or some game versions may not be available for gifting.

What About Steam Trading?

Steam has a trading system which lets you trade in-game items, trading cards, and backgrounds with other users. But, you cannot trade a complete game. You can only trade items which are specific to a game, not the game itself. These items are usually things like cosmetic items or digital cards, not the game license itself. The trading system is separate from the game library system. So, while trading is fun, it isn’t a method for transferring games.

Using Physical Copies of Games

This is another point to consider, depending on how you bought the game. Some games still have physical copies, especially older ones, or ones for older systems. But, Steam physical copies do not work in the way they used to work. If you bought the game on a physical copy and had to use a code to register the game onto your account, this game will still be tied to your account on Steam. This means you cannot give the physical copy to someone else and expect them to be able to register it to their Steam account. Instead, the physical copy just acts as a pretty box. You cannot use the disk, and even if you try, Steam will just download the game from the internet. This means if you no longer have the game and would like to play, you will have to buy the digital version of the game through the Steam Store.

Third-Party Key Resellers

Occasionally, users will want to try to get around Steam’s system by selling old Steam games on third-party websites. This is strongly advised against. There is a higher chance that the key is either fraudulent or was obtained in an illegal manner. If Steam realizes that you have used this method, your account may be suspended and games revoked. Also, there is no guarantee that a third party seller will honour your purchase and you will have little recourse if you are scammed, or the key is not valid. It is strongly advised to use official Steam methods such as purchasing games on the Steam Store or gifting through official Steam methods as described above.

Common Scams to Avoid

Be cautious when you encounter methods for transferring games that sound too good to be true. Here are some red flags:

Unverified websites or sellers: Be suspicious of sellers offering games at extremely low prices. They could be selling fraudulent keys or hacked accounts. Always use official sources like Steam.
“Account Transfers”: Never give your Steam account details to anyone, even if they promise to transfer games for you. This is a common tactic for scammers who want to steal your account and your games.
Modified Steam Clients: Avoid using unofficial programs that claim to transfer games. They may contain viruses or malware that could damage your computer or steal your data.

Remember, Steam has built-in methods for managing your library, and there’s no need to take shortcuts that could risk your account or your computer.

In summary, while directly transferring games between Steam accounts isn’t possible due to licensing and security measures, there are still a few ways to share and gift games with friends and family. Using Family Sharing allows others on your network to play your games, while gifting allows you to buy another copy of the game for someone else. Knowing how Steam handles ownership and being wary of scams will ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.

How to Share Games on Steam 2024 – Steam Family

Final Thoughts

Transferring games directly between Steam accounts is not possible. You cannot directly gift games already in your library. However, you can purchase games as gifts for another user. This means you buy it directly through Steam for their account.

The only real way to achieve how to transfer games on steam to another account involves purchasing games specifically as gifts. This is the way Valve designed the system. Consider this when sharing your games with friends or family.