Fixing ‘No Eligible Accounts’ Steam Family Sharing: A Comprehensive Guide

Steam Family Sharing is a fantastic feature that allows you to share your library of games with family and friends. It’s a great way to save money and let others experience your favorite titles. However, like any technology, it’s not without its occasional hiccups. One common frustration users encounter is the dreaded “No Eligible Accounts” error when trying to authorize a new computer for sharing. This error message can be confusing, and troubleshooting it can sometimes feel like pulling teeth. But don’t worry, this comprehensive guide will walk you through the causes of this issue and provide detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to fix it.

Understanding the “No Eligible Accounts” Error

The “No Eligible Accounts” error message means that Steam is unable to find any accounts that are eligible to share games with the current account being used on a specific computer. This can stem from various reasons related to account settings, computer authorization, and sometimes even Steam glitches. Understanding the underlying causes is key to resolving the issue effectively. Here are some of the most common reasons:

• Account Not Registered for Family Sharing: The most obvious reason is that neither the account on the shared computer nor any account on the primary computer has been correctly set up for Family Sharing. You must explicitly enable Family Sharing on the primary account’s settings and authorize the specific computers you intend to share with.
• Incorrect Account Logins: A surprisingly common cause is simply logging into the wrong Steam account. Ensure you’re using the correct account that is meant to share and the correct account that is trying to access the shared library.
• Computer Deauthorization or Authorization Limit Reached: Steam limits the number of computers you can authorize for Family Sharing. If you’ve reached the limit, you’ll need to deauthorize some older computers before adding a new one. Also, if a computer was previously authorized and later deauthorized, it might cause problems.
• Incorrect User Access on Computer: Sometimes, the Windows user account you’re currently logged into might cause conflict with Steam’s user data. This is especially relevant if there are multiple users on the same computer.
• Steam Glitches or Server Issues: Occasionally, the error isn’t directly related to your setup but is caused by temporary glitches on the Steam platform or ongoing server maintenance.
• Account Region Conflicts: Steam accounts from different regions may have limitations with Family Sharing due to game licensing and restrictions in certain areas.
• Vac Bans: If either the account sharing the games or the account receiving them has a VAC ban, Family Sharing will not function.
• Family View Restrictions: If you have Family View enabled and its settings are set to restrict access to the games being shared, it might cause issues.
• Offline Mode Conflicts: Sometimes, issues can arise if either the sharing account or the receiving account is in offline mode.

Step-by-Step Solutions to Fix “No Eligible Accounts”

Now that we’ve identified potential causes, let’s tackle the solutions. Follow these steps carefully, and you should be back to sharing your games in no time. We will first go through general steps before delving into more specific solutions.

General Troubleshooting Steps

Before getting into the more technical solutions, try these basic checks first:

1. Verify Account Logins: Double-check that you’re logged into the correct Steam accounts on both the primary and secondary computers. Log out and back in to ensure there are no lingering sessions. Also verify that the correct credentials are being used, in the case of multiple accounts that may have similar usernames.
2. Restart Steam: Sometimes, simply restarting the Steam client can resolve temporary glitches. Close Steam completely (including the system tray icon if necessary) and reopen it.
3. Restart Your Computer: A full reboot of both the primary and secondary computers can also clear up any minor conflicts.
4. Check Steam’s Server Status: Head to the Steam Status page on the internet (search for ‘Steam server status’ in your search engine). If there are widespread server issues, you might need to wait for Valve to resolve them.

Step 1: Enabling and Configuring Family Sharing

The most fundamental step is to correctly enable Family Sharing on your primary account. Follow these steps on the primary account’s computer (the one with the games you want to share):

1. Open Steam and Go to Settings: Launch the Steam client and click on “Steam” in the top-left corner, then select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.
2. Navigate to the Family Tab: In the Settings window, click on the “Family” tab on the left-hand side.
3. Enable Family Sharing: You should see an option labeled “Authorize Library Sharing on this computer.” Make sure this checkbox is ticked.
4. Select Eligible Accounts: Below that, you’ll see a section called “Eligible Accounts.” It will list all the Steam accounts that have logged into this computer. Select the account that you wish to share your library with. If the account is not listed, log into that account on the same computer and it will appear.
5. Authorize the Computer: Once you’ve enabled Family Sharing and selected the secondary account, click “OK” to save the changes. The selected accounts should now be able to share your library when they are logged on their own computer.

Now, let’s go through the process on the secondary computer (the one trying to access the shared games):

1. Log into the Secondary Account: Ensure you’re logged into the Steam account that you authorized for sharing in the previous steps.
2. Access the Library: Go to your Steam library, and you should see games that belong to the primary account in the list. They will often appear greyed out or with an arrow indicating that they are shared.
3. Request Access: Click on a shared game, and instead of the standard ‘Install’ button, you should see a ‘Request Access’ button. Click this. This sends a request to the primary account.
4. Accept the Request (Primary Account): The primary account owner needs to approve the request. On the primary account computer, you should get a pop-up notification about the access request. Click accept.
5. Start Playing: Now, the secondary account should be able to download and play the shared games.

Step 2: Managing Authorized Computers

If you’ve reached your authorization limit or suspect a problematic authorization, you’ll need to manage your authorized computers. This is all done from the primary account:

1. Open Steam Settings on Primary Account: Launch Steam on the primary computer and go to “Steam” > “Settings”.
2. Go to the Family Tab: Select the “Family” tab.
3. Manage Authorized Devices: You should see a section showing all the computers authorized for your account. If there are many computers, scroll through to find the one you need to manage.
4. Deauthorize Old or Problematic Computers: If you need to make space for a new authorization, you will need to deauthorize a computer from this list. Hover over the computer you wish to deauthorize and click the “Remove” button. Please note that once a device is deauthorized, it will no longer have access to your shared games.
5. Re-authorize if Necessary: After deauthorizing, you can now try authorizing a new computer, by having the new account log in on the primary PC.

Step 3: Addressing Potential User Conflicts

Windows user accounts sometimes conflict with Steam data, especially in shared computer setups. To address this, try the following:

1. Log into Windows Under the Correct Account: If multiple Windows user accounts are present on the computer, be absolutely sure that you’re logged into the user account you intend to use for Steam.
2. Restart Steam from the Correct Account: Even if logged into the correct Windows user account, it’s still worth closing Steam and opening it again to ensure the correct user account data is active.
3. Test with a New Windows User: If the problem persists, create a temporary new Windows user account, log into that account, and then launch Steam from that account to see if that resolves the issue. If it does, there might be a conflict in the original windows user account data that needs to be addressed.

Step 4: Addressing Family View Restrictions

If you use Family View, double-check its settings to ensure it’s not interfering with Family Sharing. Follow these steps on the primary account:

1. Open Steam and Go to Family View: Go to “Steam” > “Family View” (if enabled).
2. Manage Settings: Select “Manage Family View” if family view is enabled, or “Enable Family View” if it is not. If you see an option to disable family view, do that for the time being.
3. Check Content Restrictions: In the Family View settings, ensure that the shared games aren’t restricted by age limits or specific games being blocked.
4. Disable Family View (Temporarily): Try disabling Family View altogether to see if that solves the problem. If the issue disappears with Family View disabled, you’ll need to fine-tune its settings to allow Family Sharing.

Step 5: Troubleshooting Offline Mode Conflicts

Steam in offline mode can sometimes interfere with family sharing. Try these steps to address the issue

1. Ensure Online Access: On both the primary and secondary computer, make sure that Steam is not in Offline Mode. You can check this by going to the “Steam” menu, and if it says “Go Online” you are currently in offline mode, click it to connect online.
2. Attempt Sharing in Online Mode: All Family Sharing should occur while both the primary and secondary accounts are connected to the Steam Network. Ensure you are online during the authorization process.

Step 6: Regional Limitations

While Steam family sharing is often available between different countries, sometimes restrictions and limitations apply. Here are some things to note:

1. Check Region Settings: Review your Steam accounts region setting. Steam does not like when users change regions, and using accounts with mismatched regions could cause issues.
2. Use a VPN: If you suspect a region restriction is in place, try using a VPN server located in the primary accounts region.
3. Check for Licensing Restrictions: Some game licenses have specific regional restrictions, and those may interfere with family sharing.

Step 7: VAC Bans

If either the primary or secondary account has received a VAC (Valve Anti-Cheat) ban, family sharing will be disabled. There is no workaround for this, and the only fix is to address the VAC ban and remove it. If you are not able to remove the VAC ban, family sharing will not work between accounts that have been banned.

Advanced Troubleshooting and Final Steps

If the above steps don’t resolve the issue, try these more advanced techniques:

• Clear Steam Download Cache: Go to “Steam” > “Settings” > “Downloads” and click on “Clear Download Cache.” This can resolve conflicts with stored data.
• Run Steam as Administrator: Right-click on the Steam shortcut and select “Run as administrator.” This may help resolve permissions issues.
• Reinstall Steam: As a last resort, uninstall Steam completely and reinstall it. This often solves underlying issues with corrupted files or configuration errors.
• Check Firewall or Antivirus: Make sure that your firewall or antivirus isn’t blocking Steam’s network activity. Sometimes, they will flag Steam connections as dangerous even though they are safe.

When to Contact Steam Support

If none of the above solutions work, it might be time to reach out to Steam Support. Before you do, gather as much information as possible, such as:

• Your Steam account names
• A detailed description of the issue
• Steps you’ve already taken to troubleshoot
• Any error messages you’re seeing

Contacting Steam Support can be done through their website by creating a help request. Be patient, as it might take some time for them to respond.

Conclusion

The “No Eligible Accounts” error in Steam Family Sharing can be frustrating, but it’s usually solvable with the right approach. By methodically going through the steps outlined in this guide, you should be able to diagnose and fix the problem. Remember to double-check your account logins, manage authorized computers, and be mindful of potential conflicts. With a little patience and perseverance, you’ll be back to sharing your favorite games with friends and family in no time. Good luck, and happy gaming!