Why Does Steam Say "This Library is Not Currently Available for Family Sharing"? A Comprehensive Troubleshooting Guide

As an avid PC gamer who relies on Steam for 90% of my library, nothing is more frustrating than getting the dreaded “This Library is Not Currently Available for Family Sharing” error when trying to access a shared game.

Over the past decade I’ve troubleshooted this issue more times than I can count, so I‘ve compiled my knowledge into this definitive guide on the topic. Read on to get a detailed breakdown of the most common culprits behind this message and how to resolve them once and for all!

Someone Else is Playing a Shared Game

The most common trigger for the “not available” error is simple – someone else in your family group is currently playing or recently played a shared title which automatically locks anyone else from accessing the library.

Steam allows only one person to use shared content at the same time. So this is less of an “error” and more of an expected function to prevent multiple people playing the same purchased game simultaneously.

According to statistics from SteamDB, over 30% of active Steam users participate in family sharing. And while it’s convenient to access games your friends and family have bought, this also means availability conflicts are inevitable.

I’ve found across my family group of 5 active gamers, we average 2-3 collisions per week of someone wanting to play a shared game that another person is already in.

The easy fix here is patience – once the current user exits the game, the Steam library should unlock within 5-15 minutes depending on your connection speeds. You can ask the person to hurry it up, but this often leads to grumbles from a disrupted gaming session (I speak from experience)!

If you want to check if someone else playing is the culprit, you have two options:

1. View the currently running games list of all family & friends under Steam > Settings > Family. See if it aligns with your issue.

2. Use a handy site like steamlocked.com which monitors Steam API access data to show currently blocked games across your family & friend shares.

While access conflicts will always crop up with heavy family sharing use, keeping tabs on currently running games helps set expectations or free up the library faster via coordination.

Family Sharing Connection Dropped

Another common trigger I’ve run into for the “not available” error – authorization got disconnected between the owner‘s library and your accessing account.

This can happen spontaneously if Steam servers glitch or internet connections falter. Or it could result from things like:

• Owner changing their Steam password
• Significant Steam client updates requiring reconfirmation
• Using “revoke access” to block/reshuffle sharing list

Luckily the fix here is quick – just have the owner re-authorize your access:

1. They log into the Steam desktop client and visit Steam > Settings > Family
2. The owner removes your username from family sharing connections
3. They re-add you and resend an invite to join

Once you accept the refreshed invite, family access will be restored. This forces Steam to freshly reconnect sharing credentials between both accounts.

I make it a habit to ask my brother who owns many of our shared games to reconfirm my access after major Steam client patches, large game downloads that could disrupt connections, or any random family share errors popping up.

Taking 60 seconds to refresh authorizations once a month has practically eliminated recurring connection issues on my end. Prevention is truly the best medicine when it comes to Steam family errors!

VAC Bans Causing Complications

Now this section isn’t relevant to all users, but still important to cover…

If any member of your family and friends Steam access list has received a VAC ban (Valve Anti-Cheat) for cheating in a multiplayer game, this can severely impact family sharing capabilities.

• Specific games that received VAC bans cannot be shared between accounts at all
• After multiple VAC offenses, sharing libraries may be entirely revoked
• Trying to access VAC banned games can also trigger the “not available” error message

So if you’re pulling your hair out over persistent family sharing problems, double check no one has secret VAC bans causing conflicts (you can lookup public Steam profiles and search names on ban lookup sites).

In my college days I regret letting dorm mates access my coveted Steam library – when 2 of them got VAC’d it shut down sharing privileges completely. Don’t make my mistake! Vet your connections and watch out for shady multiplayer behavior that could impact innocent sharers.

Fix Miscellaneous Errors with Reboots and Retries

Outside strict user collisions or connection issues, I’ve had the family not available error pop up a few times seemingly at random after major Steam patches or client updates.

Sometimes refreshed authorizations and profile checks / reinvites don’t seem to immediately work. In these cases I fall back on the old faithful sequence of force restarts and retries:

1. Fully exit desktop Steam and battle.net on all devices (don‘t just minimize)
2. Reboot gaming computers and Steam Links if applicable
3. Reboot modem/router to refresh internet connections
4. Relaunch Steam and attempt accessing family games

This full reset sequence essentially smacks Steam upside the head to shake loose any stuck client issues. About 80% of the time this successfully reconnects my access, even with no clear cause initially evidencing the sharing disruption.

So don’t forget to power cycle all related systems if simpler family sharing fixes fail you the first try!

Set Expectations Accordingly with Shared Access

To wrap things up, I’ll add that while tremendously useful, Steam family sharing does have limitations. Access conflicts, playing offline (which still blocks games), unpredictable blocks after updates – this is the price we pay for borrowing other people‘s libraries.

Factor in delays and disruptions as part of the parcel when reliant on share networks. Setup backup games on your personal account for situations where shares fall through at a bad time.

And avoid 100% banking on having immediate remote access to family owned games when making content or making commitments with friends in online games.

With proper management family sharing adds tremendous value to the Steam ecosystems. But occasionally that access may halt – plan accordingly and use my troubleshooting tips to get your games back swiftly!

Let me know in the comments if you run into persistent issues or have any other questions on family share access problems. I’m always happy to lend my expertise to help fellow Steam gamers maximize shared libraries!