Even though the Steam Deck can handle all the most demanding games, there are instances when it is simply insufficient. Enter Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft’s membership programme that includes many titles, most of which can be played on both Xbox and PC.
Because of this interoperability, you can access your Steam Deck from anywhere and play the newest Game Pass titles like Halo Infinite or the upcoming Starfield. Just the perfect configuration will do. We’ll make sure you know exactly what you need to accomplish.
How to activate Steam Deck games via Xbox Game Pass
Although it may seem apparent, keep in mind that for these steps to work, you must be signed up for Steam and have an active Xbox Game Pass or Game Pass Ultimate membership.
Step 1: Connecting your Steam Deck to a mouse and keyboard before you start will make this process much simpler. To make this procedure simple, we advise sitting at your computer.
Step 2: After turning on your Steam Deck, tap the main Steam button. Pick Power, then select Switch to the desktop from the menu that appears. You don’t need to connect the Deck to a desktop monitor for this to function; instead, it will enter a desktop Linux mode that gives you more direct control over a range of settings.
Step 3: Check out the button’s taskbar and choose the icon that resembles a blue shopping bag. The Discover Software Center will now be accessible. Find the three-line “hamburger” button in the Software Center, pick it, then click on Applications. Next, navigate to the Internet area and look for Web Browsers.
Step 4: Locate Microsoft Edge in the list of accessible web browsers (it is presently available on the Deck in a beta version, but don’t let that deter you). Choose to Install by selecting it or using a right-click.
Step 5: Return to the Steam desktop now. This time, select the Application Launcher from the taskbar. After choosing the Internet, look for Microsoft Edge (beta). Select Add to Steam from the context menu when you right-click it. Find Microsoft Edge in the Add a Game box once more, then select the Add Selected Programs button at the bottom.
Step 6: Return to the desktop and select Application Launch once more. To open the terminal window this time, select System and then Konsole. Time to start entering some commands! Enter the following command, followed by the Enter key:
Com.microsoft.Edge —filesystem=/run/udev:ro flatpak —user override
Enter the word “exit” after typing it into the Konsole.
Step 7: From the desktop, return and click the Steam icon to launch Steam. Go to your library and click this to access Microsoft Edge (beta). Property can be selected by right-clicking it. Here, you’re going to adjust a few key things.
First, choose Xbox Cloud Gaming instead of Microsoft Edge next to the icon’s name. Although the Edge icon already includes a caption that says “beta” to help, you could want to add a (beta) at the end to remind people that this is currently a work in progress.
Visit Launch Options to access the command line. Keep the “e @@u @” part, but substitute the following command for everything that follows:
Kiosk “https://www.xbox.com/play” —window-size=1024,640 —force-device-scale-factor=1.25 —device-scale-factor=1.25
This effectively transforms Edge into Xbox Cloud Gaming, a clumsy workaround that Microsoft intends to enhance in the future but will function for the time being. Remember that the Edge icon is your access to Xbox games. Technically, you can change the symbol with a different image, but doing so would require a lot of work for a feature that we hope will eventually be replaced, so we’re okay with having it in place.
Step 8: In your Steam Library, you can also choose to manage the controller layout for your new Xbox Cloud Gaming app. Set it to the layout you want to use when playing Xbox games by right-clicking and selecting Manage and Controller layout.
Step 9: That ought should be it! You should be able to pick the Xbox Cloud Gaming icon and log in with your Microsoft account once you’ve returned to your gaming mode.
