How to Add a Non-Steam Game to Steam and Run It With Proton

Your Steam library is tidy, but the games that live outside it, a launcher title, an emulator, an old executable you dug out of a folder, sit awkwardly apart. Adding a non-Steam game to Steam and running it through Proton pulls those orphans into one place and, on Linux, makes Windows-only titles playable. The process takes a few minutes and unlocks Steam Input, Big Picture and the overlay for almost anything.

Quick Answer

In Steam, open the Games menu and choose Add a Non-Steam Game, browse to the game's executable and add the shortcut, then open the shortcut's Properties, go to the Compatibility tab and tick Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool to assign a Proton version. The game then launches through Proton like any native Steam title.

What You Are Actually Doing

Two things happen here. First, you create a Steam shortcut that points at any executable on your machine, which brings that game under Steam's roof for the overlay, controller support and Big Picture. Second, on Linux, you tell Steam to run that Windows executable through Proton, the compatibility layer that translates Windows calls so the game runs without Windows itself. The first step works on any platform. The second is what makes a Windows-only game playable on a Linux handheld or desktop.

This is the same mechanism that lets a Linux gaming handheld run a sprawling library of Windows titles. Having capable hardware underneath makes the experience smooth, and our handheld gaming console range covers exactly the kind of devices people use this trick on daily.

Step By Step

Work through these in order. None of the steps are difficult, but the sequence matters.

1. Open the Add dialog

In the Steam client, click the Games menu at the top, then choose Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library. A window appears listing applications Steam has detected. If your game is in that list, tick it. If not, you will add it manually in the next step.

2. Browse to the executable

Click Browse at the bottom of that window. Navigate to where your game is installed and select its main executable, the .exe file that actually launches the game. Be precise here, because pointing at an installer or a launcher stub rather than the real game executable is the most common reason a shortcut later fails to start. Once selected, confirm and the game appears in your library as a shortcut.

3. Open the shortcut's Properties

Find the new entry in your library, right-click it and choose Properties. This panel controls how Steam treats the shortcut, including launch options, the name shown, and crucially the compatibility settings you need next.

4. Assign a Proton version

In the Properties panel, open the Compatibility tab. Tick the box labelled Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool, then pick a Proton version from the dropdown. A recent stable Proton release is the sensible default. This tells Steam to run the Windows executable through that Proton build rather than trying to launch it natively, which is what makes a Windows game work on Linux.

5. Launch and verify

Close Properties and click Play. The game should start through Proton, with the Steam overlay available. If it launches and runs, you are done. If it does not, the next section covers the usual fixes.

Fixing Common Problems

Most failures trace back to a handful of causes, and each has a quick remedy.

If the shortcut does nothing or closes instantly, double-check that it points at the actual game executable rather than a launcher or installer. Re-add it pointing at the correct .exe if needed.

If a Windows game refuses to start under one Proton version, return to the Compatibility tab and try a different Proton build. Some titles prefer a newer release, others a slightly older one, and switching is a thirty-second test.

If a game uses its own launcher before the main executable, you may need to point the shortcut at the launcher and let it hand off, or find the underlying game executable directly. Trial between the two usually resolves it.

If controller input does not behave, open Big Picture or the controller settings for that shortcut, since Steam Input now manages the pad for your non-Steam game and may need a template selected.

Why This Is Worth Doing

Beyond tidiness, pulling everything into Steam gives every game the overlay, screenshots, the in-game browser and consistent controller handling through Steam Input. On a Linux handheld or desktop, the Proton step is the difference between a game you cannot run and one that plays well. It turns Steam into a single launcher for your whole collection rather than one of several scattered apps.

The smoothness of the result still leans on the hardware. A capable handheld or gaming PC handles Proton translation with little overhead, while weaker hardware shows it. If you are building or buying for this kind of use, our best-selling gaming PCs give a sense of the performance that keeps Proton titles running cleanly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need Proton if I use Windows?

No. Proton is for running Windows games on Linux. On Windows the games already run natively, so adding a non-Steam game there is purely about bringing it into Steam for the overlay and controller support.

Which Proton version should I choose?

Start with a recent stable Proton release as the default. If a game misbehaves, switch to a different version in the Compatibility tab, since some titles prefer a newer or slightly older build.

Why does my shortcut fail to launch?

The usual cause is pointing the shortcut at an installer or launcher stub instead of the real game executable. Re-add it aimed at the actual .exe, and if it still fails, try a different Proton version.

Will I get Steam Input and the overlay?

Yes. Once a game is added as a Steam shortcut, it gains the Steam overlay, screenshots and Steam Input controller handling, even though it did not come from the Steam store.

Can I add emulators and launchers this way?

Yes. Any executable can be added as a non-Steam shortcut, including emulators and third-party launchers, which is a common way to manage an entire game collection from one place.