App · High risk
Is Steam safe for your child?
Age guide
13+
We advise Steam from age 13 and up. Overall risk 7/10 (high risk).
- 5-8
- Children in this age range should not use Steam due to the platform's complexity and vast library of games, many of which are not age-appropriate.
- 9-12
- For this age group, Steam's Family View feature is essential to limit access to a pre-approved selection of games and restrict online community features.
- 13-15
- Teenagers may begin to explore Steam's broader game library, but parents should monitor game ratings and discuss the risks associated with in-game purchases and direct messaging with strangers.
- 16+
- Older teens might use Steam for multiplayer games with friends and participate in community discussions, requiring ongoing conversations about digital citizenship and responsible spending on microtransactions.
Steam is a digital distribution platform by Valve Corporation for PC games. It offers a vast library of games, social networking features, and community forums.
- Age guide
- 13+
- Overall risk
- 7/10
- Violence
- 7/10
- Toxic behaviour
- 6/10
- Stranger contact
- 7/10
- Addiction risk
- 9/10
- Language
- 7/10
- Influence
- 8/10
What parents should know
Steam is a digital storefront and platform for PC games, offering a vast library from various developers. It includes social features like chat, forums, and user-generated content, along with in-game purchase options. Parents can use the built-in Family View to restrict access to games and community features, which is crucial for managing content exposure.
What to do about Steam
Free with a Parentwise account. The age-by-age verdict needs your child's age, which is why it lives behind the account.
- The age-by-age verdict
What we advise for under 8, 8-12 and 13+ - our age guide for Steam is 13+, and the answer changes with your child's age. - The one setting to change tonight
The exact Steam setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it. - What to say
Word-for-word openers for talking about Steam without a row. - Red flags to watch for
The signals in Steam that mean it is time to step in.
Steam age rating and parents guide: common questions
What age rating is Steam?
Parentwise puts Steam at 13+. We advise Steam from age 13 and up. Overall risk 7/10 (high risk). Violence scores 7/10, language 7/10, stranger contact 7/10 and addiction risk 9/10.
Can a 10 year old use Steam?
Not by default: we advise Steam from 13+, so at 10 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. For this age group, Steam's Family View feature is essential to limit access to a pre-approved selection of games and restrict online community features.
Can a 12 year old use Steam?
Not by default: we advise Steam from 13+, so at 12 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. For this age group, Steam's Family View feature is essential to limit access to a pre-approved selection of games and restrict online community features.
Can a 13 year old use Steam?
Yes, 13 is at or above the age we advise for Steam (13+). Teenagers may begin to explore Steam's broader game library, but parents should monitor game ratings and discuss the risks associated with in-game purchases and direct messaging with strangers.
Is Steam appropriate for kids?
Steam is a digital storefront and platform for PC games, offering a vast library from various developers. Parentwise rates Steam overall as high risk (7/10), with stranger contact at 7/10 and addiction risk at 9/10.
Is Steam family friendly?
Steam is one of the higher-risk titles we rate, so treat it as supervised rather than family viewing. It includes social features like chat, forums, and user-generated content, along with in-game purchase options.
Steam parents guide: what should a parent know first?
Steam is a digital storefront and platform for PC games, offering a vast library from various developers. The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (7/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (9/10).
Is Steam safe for kids?
We advise Steam from age 13 and up. Overall risk 7/10 (high risk). It includes social features like chat, forums, and user-generated content, along with in-game purchase options.
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Release and popularity data comes in part from RAWG, TVMaze (CC BY-SA) and Wikidata (CC0). Safety guidance is written by Parentwise.