Steam Updates Family View Parental Controls
Steam has improved its Family View feature with better content filtering and purchase approval controls.
Published: 2026-02-28
What Changed
Steam has updated its Family View feature — which allows parents to restrict what their child can access on the platform — to include more granular controls. Parents can now restrict access by PEGI content descriptors (not just age rating), require a PIN for any game launch outside an approved list, and receive a notification when a game is added to a shared library. The update also adds a spending approval feature that requires parental confirmation for any Steam Wallet purchase.
What to Review
- •Set up or review Family View on your Steam account (Steam > Settings > Family).
- •Review which games your child has access to and whether any are rated above their age.
- •Check whether your Steam Wallet has payment methods stored that your child could access.
Parent Actions
- 1Enable Family View in Steam Settings and set a PIN. Configure the access settings for your child's level of maturity.
- 2Enable the spending approval feature to prevent unauthorised purchases.
- 3Review your child's friends list on Steam and discuss who they play with online.
Full app guide
View the complete Steam safety guide
This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.
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Last reviewed: 2026-04-01