child-time

How to limit Steam game time for kids

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Steam makes it easy to install a new game in two minutes — which is why rules for one game are rarely enough. The fair setup is simple: a daily limit for the whole PC, plus extra rules for the games that cause arguments.

🎬 Video: Limits and sleep mode

A daily limit, hours when the computer rests, and allowed hours for a specific game.

Start with a daily limit for the whole computer

Install child-time on your child's PC (guide) and in the dashboard add “+ Limit” — for example 2 hours on school days. It counts all apps, so a newly installed game is covered from the first minute. Add “😴 Sleep mode” so the computer locks at night.

Add rules for specific games

  1. Let your child play once, so the game appears in the app list (it shows what has actually been opened on that PC).
  2. Open Kids & limits → “⏸ App” and pick the game — for example Counter-Strike 2 or Rust.
  3. Choose “After a daily minute limit”, “Only outside allowed hours” or “Always”.
Why not just limit Steam? Each Steam game runs as its own app, separate from the Steam window. A rule on Steam itself only affects the Steam window, not games that are already running — so put rules on the games, and rely on the daily limit for everything else.

See where the time actually goes

Reports show minutes per app by day and week, so you can see whether it's one game or five. Your child sees their own timer and gets warnings at 15, 5 and 1 minute left.

Steam Families or child-time?

Steam has its own family features for managing a child's Steam account. child-time works at the level of the Windows PC: it also covers games outside Steam (Epic, Roblox, Minecraft), adds bedtime hours, and lets your child earn extra minutes with tasks you approve. Many families use both.

Related guides: Parental controls for a gaming PC · How to limit Discord time on a Windows PC · Screen time rules for teenagers · How to turn off your child's computer remotely

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