(Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Epic Games)
There are many places to buy video games, but Steam is easily the most popular among them. Not only is it a one-stop shop for PC games, but you can also add games you bought elsewhere. Whether you purchased a game through EA, the Epic Games Store, GOG, or itch.io, you can add it to Steam as long as it's installed on your computer. Here's how to add non-Steam games to the Steam app and the Steam Deck handheld.
Add Non-Steam Games to Steam
First, open Steam and click Games > Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library. You can also click Add a Game in the bottom-left corner and select Add a Non-Steam Game. A pop-up will appear with all the software installed in your Programs folder.
(Credit: PCMag / Valve)If your game isn’t listed (and it likely won’t be), hit Browse and locate the folder where the game is installed. Click the game’s executable, then hit Open. The game should now be in the list of apps. Hit the checkbox next to the games you want to add, and click Add Selected Programs.
(Credit: PCMag / Valve)Now the game should be listed in your Steam library just like any other game. Select the title from your game library and click the Play button to start the game. Take note that the game's page in your library won’t have any information beyond the name of the game and a button to launch it. To change the name of the game, rick-click on it in the sidebar, choose Properties, and enter a new one.
(Credit: PCMag / Valve)Add Non-Steam Games on Steam Deck
If you followed the steps above, the game should also appear in your Steam Deck library. However, if you want to install a non-Steam game directly on the handheld, you must follow a more complicated process. First, hit the Steam button and go to Power > Switch to Desktop on the Steam Deck to open desktop mode. Make sure the game is downloaded onto the Steam Deck, either on internal storage or the SD card.
(Credit: PCMag / Valve)Once it’s downloaded, open the Steam app on the desktop. The process is the same as if you were on a PC. Go to Games > Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library and choose the game you want to add. If it’s not listed, click Browse and find the game. Click Add Selected Programs and the game will now be listed in your Steam library. Go back to Gaming mode and it will show up in the main Steam Deck library under the Non-Steam tab.
(Credit: PCMag / Valve)