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To add a non-Steam game to your Steam Deck library, switch to Desktop Mode, add the installed program through Steam’s Add a Game control, and return to Gaming Mode. The result is a library shortcut, not a Steam purchase or Steam-managed installation. You can then apply custom artwork either with Steam’s desktop library controls or, optionally, with the SteamGridDB Decky plugin from Gaming Mode.
What this setup actually does
A non-Steam entry is a shortcut that tells the Steam client how to launch an application already installed on the Deck. It lets the program appear alongside your other library entries and gives you a place to configure controller layouts, launch options and artwork. It does not turn the program into a Steam copy.
- Steam does not deliver updates for the non-Steam program through this shortcut.
- The shortcut cannot be used as proof that you own the game on your Steam account.
- Removing the shortcut from Steam does not, by itself, uninstall the underlying application.
That distinction matters when you are organizing emulators, applications, games installed through another launcher or locally added executables. Steam is providing the library interface and launch shortcut; the original installer, launcher or package remains responsible for the software itself.
Choose an artwork method before you begin
There are two practical approaches. The first uses Steam’s desktop client and your own image files. The second uses the optional SteamGridDB Decky plugin to search for and apply artwork while you remain in Gaming Mode.
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| Method | Best for | What you need | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam desktop controls and manual files | Users who want to select their own images and stay within the Steam client | Desktop Mode, the installed application and correctly matched artwork files | You must work through Desktop Mode, and SteamGridDB’s documented manual path is a Windows path rather than a confirmed Deck path |
| SteamGridDB Decky plugin | Users who want to find and apply art from Gaming Mode | Decky Loader and the artwork plugin, installed and compatible with your current Deck software | It is optional third-party software, so compatibility and installation instructions can change |
You can use either method after the shortcut exists. The choice affects how you manage images, not whether the non-Steam entry can be launched.
Add the non-Steam game or application on Steam Deck
1. Switch from Gaming Mode to Desktop Mode
- Open the Steam menu on the Deck.
- Choose Power.
- Select Switch to Desktop.
- Wait for the desktop to load and open the Steam desktop client if it does not start automatically.
Steam’s Deck desktop guidance says Deck controls work in Desktop Mode. In some situations, a physical keyboard and mouse may be more convenient or may be needed for a particular desktop task, but they are not stated as a general requirement for changing library artwork.
2. Use Steam’s Add a Game control
- In the desktop Steam client, click Add a Game in the lower-left area of the window.
- Choose Add a Non-Steam Game.
- Let Steam scan the list, then select the installed application you want to add.
- If the program is not listed, use the control to browse for its executable or application entry, then select it.
- Click Add Selected Programs.
The new item is now a Steam library shortcut. Give it a clear name before you begin artwork work; the name is what you will recognize when choosing the entry in the library.
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3. Return to the Deck interface
- On the desktop, use the Steam link labeled Return to Gaming Mode.
- After the Deck interface reloads, open your library.
- Look in the non-Steam section for the shortcut you created.
If the item is missing, return to Desktop Mode and check that you added it to the same Steam account that is active in Gaming Mode. Also verify that the shortcut was added rather than merely selecting a program in the scan list.
Apply custom artwork with Steam’s desktop controls
Open the shortcut’s library artwork controls
Steam’s desktop client provides controls for changing the images associated with a library entry. With the shortcut selected, open its library management or artwork controls and choose the option to set or change the relevant image. The exact arrangement of controls can move as the Steam client changes, so follow the labels visible in your current client rather than relying on an older screenshot.
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Use images that clearly belong to the entry you are editing. A common mistake is applying art to a similarly named shortcut, especially when several versions of an application have been added. Confirm the selected title before saving each image.
Understand the AppID-based manual method
The SteamGridDB FAQ documents a manual workflow that identifies a library entry by its Steam AppID and places image files in Steam’s grid artwork directory. The filenames are tied to that AppID, so a correctly named image can be associated with the intended entry.
The documented example path in that FAQ is explicitly for Windows. It should not be copied into a Steam Deck walkthrough as though it were the Deck’s filesystem path. Steam Deck runs a Linux-based desktop environment, and the cited FAQ does not establish an equivalent Deck path. If you choose a manual-file workflow on Deck, verify the current Deck-specific location first; otherwise, use Steam’s controls or the optional Gaming Mode plugin.
Keep artwork files organized
- Use a separate folder for images you have selected for Steam shortcuts.
- Name files descriptively outside Steam so you can identify the game, artwork role and version later.
- Keep a backup of images you want to reuse. Steam’s library artwork association can change when a shortcut is renamed or recreated.
- Apply one image at a time and check the result in the library before moving to the next artwork type.
These habits do not change how Steam identifies the entry, but they make it easier to recover when an image is attached to the wrong shortcut or when you rebuild a library.
Apply artwork from Gaming Mode with the SteamGridDB Decky plugin
What the plugin adds
The SteamGridDB Decky plugin is optional software that provides a Gaming Mode artwork workflow. It supports artwork for Steam games and non-Steam shortcuts, including icons. Because it is not a built-in Steam requirement, you need Decky Loader and a plugin installation that is compatible with the SteamOS and Decky versions on your device.
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Use the Change Artwork command
- In Gaming Mode, highlight the Steam game or non-Steam shortcut whose artwork you want to change.
- Open the game’s context menu.
- Select Change Artwork….
- Choose the artwork offered by the plugin or search for an appropriate image.
- Apply the selection and return to the library to confirm that the tile and detail view look correct.
The plugin’s menus and installation process can change. If Change Artwork… is not present, check that Decky Loader is running, the plugin is enabled and the installed plugin version supports your current Deck software. Do not assume that a plugin installation guide written for an older SteamOS release still uses the same labels.
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Make a non-Steam entry look consistent
Start with the title and icon
Use the same spelling and capitalization everywhere: the shortcut name, the image filenames you keep locally and any notes about the installation. A consistent title makes it easier to recognize the entry when Steam lists several similarly named programs.
Icons are particularly useful for applications and emulators because they appear in compact lists where large artwork is not visible. The Decky plugin explicitly supports icons; Steam’s desktop controls can also expose image controls depending on the client view.
Choose art for the view where you browse most
Deck library screens show the same entry in more than one context, such as a compact list, a grid and a detail page. Select images that remain legible when reduced and that do not depend on tiny text. If an image looks good in a large preview but becomes unreadable in a small tile, choose a simpler composition for that role.
Do not treat a single image as proof that every artwork slot has been filled. Check the library views you actually use after applying the art. A tile can look correct while another view still shows a blank or unrelated image.
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Keep local customization separate from public uploads
Changing an image for your personal library is different from uploading artwork to a public Steam Community area. Steam’s Community Artwork policy says public uploads should be your own creation and directly related to the game; stolen or inappropriate work can be removed. That policy is about public submissions and is not a complete statement of copyright law for every local-use situation. For personal files, use artwork you created, licensed or otherwise have permission to use, and avoid presenting someone else’s work as your own in a public upload.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot the common failure points
The program does not appear in the scan list
- Confirm that the application is already installed and can be launched outside Steam.
- Use the browse option in Add a Non-Steam Game instead of relying only on the automatic list.
- Select the application’s actual executable or launcher entry, not an installer file or an unmounted location.
- Finish by clicking Add Selected Programs; selecting a row without completing the add action does not create the shortcut.
The shortcut is present but launches the wrong program
- Return to Desktop Mode and inspect the shortcut’s target in its Steam properties.
- Choose the installed executable that should start the game or application.
- If the program requires its own launcher, use the launcher entry deliberately and test it before changing artwork.
- Remove duplicate shortcuts so that you do not keep editing the wrong library item.
The entry appears in Desktop Mode but not Gaming Mode
- Return to Gaming Mode with the desktop link labeled Return to Gaming Mode, rather than closing Steam abruptly.
- Open the library’s non-Steam section.
- Check that the shortcut was added to the account currently signed in on the Deck.
- Restart the Steam client if the library view has not refreshed.
The artwork is attached to the wrong entry
- Reopen the context menu for the exact shortcut you intend to edit.
- Check the title before applying each image.
- If you used a manual AppID-based method, verify the identifier and filename convention instead of assuming that a similar title has the same identifier.
- Prefer the supported artwork controls when you cannot verify a Deck-specific manual path.
Manual files do not appear
The documented SteamGridDB manual example uses Windows paths, so a Windows directory copied to the Deck may simply be the wrong location. Confirm a current Deck-specific path before moving files. If you cannot establish one, use Steam’s desktop artwork controls or the Decky plugin’s Change Artwork… flow instead of scattering duplicate files through the filesystem.
The Decky artwork command is missing
- Confirm that Decky Loader itself is installed and active.
- Check that the artwork plugin is enabled rather than merely downloaded.
- Restart Gaming Mode after a plugin update.
- Verify current compatibility information before troubleshooting further; plugin behavior can change as SteamOS and the Steam client change.
A reliable end-to-end workflow
- Install and test the game or application outside Steam.
- Switch to Desktop Mode through Steam > Power > Switch to Desktop.
- Open Steam’s Add a Game control, choose Add a Non-Steam Game, select the installed program and click Add Selected Programs.
- Rename the shortcut if necessary, then return to Gaming Mode with Return to Gaming Mode.
- Confirm that the entry is in the library’s non-Steam section and launch it once.
- Choose either Steam’s desktop artwork controls or the optional SteamGridDB Decky plugin.
- Apply artwork to the exact shortcut, check the tile and detail views, and keep a local copy of images you want to retain.
- If using manual files, verify a Deck-specific path; do not substitute the Windows path shown in the SteamGridDB FAQ.
What to check before you finish
- The shortcut launches the intended installed program.
- The item is visible under the Deck’s non-Steam library section.
- The title is unambiguous when several shortcuts have similar names.
- The selected artwork belongs to the correct entry and remains readable in the views you use.
- You know whether your images are local personal files or public Community Artwork uploads, because the public-upload rules are different.
- You have not assumed that Steam will provide updates or ownership records for the non-Steam program.
Which approach should you use?
Use Steam’s desktop controls when you want the fewest additional components and are comfortable selecting your own files. This is also the safer choice when you cannot confirm a current Deck filesystem path for manual artwork placement.
Use the SteamGridDB Decky plugin when browsing and applying art from Gaming Mode is more important than avoiding optional software. It is convenient for both Steam and non-Steam entries, but its availability and menu labels depend on Decky and plugin compatibility with the software on your Deck.
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