If you are the one who is sharing the Steam library with your dear ones, you might have often encountered with the Steam Shared Library Locked error. This blog article will let you be familiar with the reasons behind this error and offer the methods which may help to fully fix this issue for you.
What is Steam Shared Library?
Principally, Steam Library allows you can let somebody use your games on Steam; the other user in case may be from your Friends and Family. This feature enables you to retain the original Steam Cloud and saves, while letting the user whom you lends the game too has their Steam Cloud to record all achievements and progress in separate.
However, of quite a few instances users have been reportedly about the Steam Shared Library Locked error occurring whilst they try to access a certain game on their computer. Let’s find out the reasons why it happens.
Causes behind the Shared Library Locked Error on Steam?
If you are getting this error there might be the following reasons behind it.
- Denied Internet Access: Shared Library locked error often occurs if internet access is blocked for Steam application on your computer. Thus is suggested to add exclusion for the Steam application, subject to both private and public networks in your Firewall allowing the desired access.
- Other Users Playing the Game: Another reason behind getting this error is the fact that other user is playing the shared game while you are trying to launch the game. Here, it is suggested that you may ask them to end the game or wait until they finish the one.
Having understood the reasons behind the error, it is the time to know about methods to get rid of the problem and fix it.
How to Resolve the Steam Shared Library Locked Error
Solution 1: Denying Steam access to the Internet
- Open the Run command using “Windows” + “R”
- Enter the text “Firewall.cpl” to open the Windows Firewall.
- Find and select Advanced Settings providedon the left side of the window. Click on Yes when asked for any permission. You will now see the Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security dialogue box appearing on your screen.
- Go to Outbound Rules givenon the left of the Window.
- From the Outbound Rules dropdown menu, find the “New Rule” option and click it.
- Now the New Outbound Rule Wizard dialogue box will appear on the screen. Click on “Program” and press Enter or click on Next.
- Select “this program path” and then browse your “Steam” folder to find the steam.exe file. (The default location be set as – C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam)
- After that select “Block the connection” and then click on the “Next” option. (Ensure that all the options like domain, private, and public are all checked)
- You can name the rule anything you like and click on Next.
Launch the game and see if the problem of getting Steam shared library locked or kicked out of your Steam Library is fixed. If not, you can try other methods given below.
Fix#2: Ensure that no other shared user is playing the same game
You have to ensure that no other shared user is playing the same game when you are trying to play it. As per Steam rules only one person is allowed to play at a time and when two or more users try to play the game, they will get the Steam shared Library locked error.
For that reason, you won’t be able to access the shared library until the person close the game on the other computer. Thus you can request the person (in case you can somehow make a contact to that person) or simply go on to wait for the other person to complete the game.
Fix#3: Close Steam on other Systems
When any other Steam account, authorized to play the game, has presently logged into Steam and is active at the same time in the background. Then you are most likely to face this error and get the Steam shared Library locked.
Thus to get the issue fixed, you must ensure to close Steam on all other devices which have an access to the shared library.
Fix#4: Configure a “.BAT” File
Sometimes, the Steam library lock can be fixed in a very convenient way which doesn’t involve you having to run through a series of steps every time you launch the game.
Another simple way to resolve Steam shared library locked issue is to download .BAT file from an authentic source or by clicking here on this link. Then extract the downloaded file on your computer. Thereafter launch your game, and the moment it has been launched, just double click on the “Steam Off.bat” File.
This way you will get to access any other game from your Friends library bypassing the app from getting connected to the internet. And you don’t even have to ask your friend to end his game.
If you want your Steam app to get connected with internet, you can do that with ease by double clicking on the “Steam On.bat” file yet again.
With a bit of luck on your side and applying the aforesaid fixes you may be able to resolve the issue on your computer.
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