So you’ve finally got your hands on the Steam Deck and are ready to enjoy some games. But your Steam library is pretty barebones, and you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on purchasing games that you already have access to through your Xbox Game Pass subscription. Although you can install Windows on your Steam Deck to access your Xbox Game Pass library, it isn’t the only way to get Xbox Game Pass on the handheld console.
Using a simple workaround that involves adding a Microsoft Edge shortcut to the Steam Library in desktop mode, you can get Xbox Game Pass on your Steam Deck. The best part about this workaround is that it comes directly from Microsoft’s programming team, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally breaking your brand-new console. If that sounds appealing, follow the steps below to access Xbox Game Pass games on your Steam Deck.
Create a Microsoft Edge shortcut in the Steam library to get Xbox Game Pass games on your Steam Deck
Before we begin, connect an external keyboard and mouse to your Steam Deck using a USB-C hub. It’s not necessary, but it will make the process a bit easier. Once that’s done, follow these instructions to get Xbox Game Pass on your Steam Deck.
- Boot your Steam Deck and enter Desktop mode by navigating to the power settings menu. Alternatively, you can enter Desktop mode by pressing and holding your Steam Deck’s power button.
- Select the shopping bag icon at the bottom of the display to open the Discover Software Center.
- Open the options menu and navigate to Applications > Internet > Web Browsers.
- Select Microsoft Edge Beta on the following page and choose the download option to download and install the browser.
- After installing Microsoft Edge Beta, navigate to Steam, select Microsoft Edge in the Add a game window, and select the Add Selected Programs button.
- Now head back to the desktop and open Konsole from the Applications Launcherto open a terminal window.
- Enter the following command in Konsole and hit enter: flatpak –user override –filesystem=/run/udev:to com.microsoft.Edge
- Exit Konsole by typing “exit” and hitting the Enter key.
- Head back to Steam in Desktop mode, right-click on Microsoft Edge in the Steam library, and select the Properties option.
- Open Launch Options from the Properties menu and replace everything that comes after “e @@u @” with the following command: –window-size=1024,640 –force-device-scale-factor=1.25 –device-scale-factor=1.25 –kiosk “https://www.xbox.com/play”
- (Optional) Change the controller layout by right-clicking Microsoft Edge in the Steam library and navigating to Manage > Controller Layout > Browser Configs
- Select the preferred controller layout, and you’re good to go.
This workaround essentially adds a modified Microsoft Edge shortcut to your Steam library, letting you access your Xbox Game Pass games on your Steam Deck. Switch back to Gaming Mode, select Microsoft Edge in the Steam library and log in with your Microsoft account to enjoy your favorite games.
We recommend using a keyboard and mouse to play Xbox Game Pass games on your Steam Deck while connected to an external display. If you don’t have a compatible dock to create such a setup, check out our recommended Steam Deck docks to order one right away.