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How to add Windows-only non-Steam games to Steam Deck
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Guide.md

How to add Windows-only non-Steam games to Steam Deck

This guide explains how to add a Windows-only game (or application) to Steam Deck. It also works for Steam running on Linux on any hardware (your laptop, your desktop, etc.). By following these instructions you can add any freeware and fan-game to your system. Of course, just be careful and don't download anything suspicious.

This guide was originally written as a comment to a YouTube video. However, YouTube comments are trash and are randomly silently dropped, so I'm rewriting it here. It's also easier to point people towards this guide.

Prerequisites

  • You know how to use the desktop mode.
  • You understand the concept of files and folders; and you know how to uncompress a ZIP file (or whatever format you have downloaded).
  • Having a real keyboard and mouse helps with using the Steam Deck on Desktop mode, so it's highly recommended, but not necessary.

Step-by-step

  1. Go to Desktop mode.
  2. Unzip/unpack the game into some directory. (e.g. /home/deck/mygames/Super Amazing Game/)
  3. Now you have two alternatives, just choose one:
    • Either go to Steam → Add a Game → Add Non-steam Game → Browse → File Type = All Files → Select the .exe file. → Add selected programs.
    • Or open the file manager (Win+E, or choose Dolphin from the KDE/Plasma start menu) → navigate to the game folder → right-click on the .exe file → Add to Steam.
  4. Go to the Steam Library and find the game.
  5. Right-click (or click on the little gear ⚙ button) → Properties.
  6. Observe that "Target" correctly points to the executable file, and "Start in" correctly points to the directory where it is located.
  7. Optionally change the game title to something more friendly.
  8. Still at the game properties dialog → Compatibility → Force use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool → pick one of the Proton versions from the dropdown.
    • I like going for the latest Proton version or for the Proton Experimental.
    • If you have issues, try another version.

That's all. The game should now work when launched either on Game mode or on Desktop mode.

Controller input

You should probably change the controller layout to Gamepad, if the game natively supports it. Or change it to another layout that matches the needs of that game.

You can also create a custom controller layout remapping buttons to keyboard keys or to anything. This is a very comprehensive guide: Steam Deck Controller Guide - A Visual Introduction

Custom cover art

SteamGridDB collects custom cover art for games. Everything is submitted by the community. You can use that website to change the cover art of Steam games, and also to add art to custom shortcuts (non-Steam games).

To simplify the process, you can use either SGDBoop or BoilR.

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