How to Buy Games for Your Friends on Steam

Last Updated: Feb 6, 2024 by

Steam is a popular online platform for buying and playing video games. With a wide selection of games and frequent sales, it’s no wonder that many people turn to Steam for their gaming needs. But did you know that you can also buy games for your friends on Steam? In this article, we’ll discuss how to share games with your friends on Steam and the different options available.

Steam Game Sharing

One of the easiest ways to buy games for your friends on Steam is through the Steam game sharing feature. This allows you to share your library of games with up to five other Steam accounts. To set this up, you and your friend will need to have Steam accounts and be friends on the platform. Then, follow these steps:

  1. Open Steam and go to the “Steam” menu at the top left of the screen.
  2. Select “Settings” and then click on the “Family” tab.
  3. Check the box next to “Authorize Library Sharing on this computer.”
  4. Have your friend do the same on their computer.
  5. Once both accounts have been authorized, you can share games by going to your library, right-clicking on the game you want to share, and selecting “Manage” and then “Family Sharing.”
  6. Select the friend you want to share the game with and click “Authorize Library Sharing on this computer.”

Your friend will now be able to access and play the game from their own account. Keep in mind that only one person can play the shared game at a time.

Steam Gift Cards

Another option for buying games for your friends on Steam is through gift cards. These can be purchased online or in-store and can be redeemed for games, software, and other items on Steam. To send a gift card to your friend, follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Steam website and log into your account.
  2. Click on your username in the top right corner and select “Account Details.”
  3. Under “Store & Purchase History,” click on “View purchase history.”
  4. Find the gift card you want to send and click on “Send gift.”
  5. Enter your friend’s email address and a personal message if desired.
  6. Choose the amount you want to send and complete the purchase.

Your friend will receive an email with the gift card code and instructions on how to redeem it on Steam.

Steam Game Gifting

Lastly, you can also directly gift games to your friends on Steam. This allows you to purchase a specific game for your friend and send it directly to their account. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Steam website and log into your account.
  2. Find the game you want to gift and click on “Add to cart.”
  3. In your cart, click on “Purchase as a gift.”
  4. Enter your friend’s email address and a personal message if desired.
  5. Complete the purchase.

Your friend will receive an email with instructions on how to redeem the gifted game on Steam.

With these options, you can easily buy games for your friends on Steam and share your love of gaming with them. Have you tried any of these methods before? Let us know in the comments.

Gulrukh Ch

About the Author: Gulrukh Ch

Gulrukh Chaudhary, an accomplished digital marketer and technology writer with a passion for exploring the frontiers of innovation. Armed with a Master's degree in Information Technology, Gulrukh seamlessly blends her technical prowess with her creative flair, resulting in captivating insights into the world of emerging technologies. Discover more about her on her LinkedIn profile.