How to Use a Controller for Non Steam Games on PC
Controllers often work in non-Steam games once you add the game to your Steam library and launch it through Steam. Here is how to set that up.
In this article
You can use a controller for non Steam games on PC by adding them to Steam and launching them from there. [1][2]
Steam's controller profiles and mapping only apply when the game runs inside Steam, because you have to use the Steam overlay to load them. [2]
The process has two steps. First, add the game to your Steam library as a non-Steam game. [1] Then launch it through Steam so its controller profile can apply. [2] Learn more in How to Add Epic Games to Steam Deck (Launcher and Alternatives).
Controller support still depends on the game itself, so some titles may resist a controller even when Steam launches them. [2] If the controller still does nothing, the game may not accept controller input at all, since controllers don't work in some non-Steam games. [2] Related reading: Non-Steam Games Not Showing Up on Steam Deck? Causes and Fixes.
Why does the game need to start from Steam?
Your controller profile only applies when Steam starts the game. The Steam overlay is what loads the controller profiles and mapping, so the game has to run inside Steam for them to work [2].
Why the launch method matters
The app has to be launched within Steam, so Steam can apply your saved layout when the game starts [2]. Steam sits between your controller and the game. If Steam is not part of that launch, there is nothing to apply the mapping.
Starting the game from its own launcher or a desktop shortcut can skip Steam entirely [2]. The game then runs without the overlay, so your profile and mapping are not applied. Use the Steam library entry each time you want your controller to work.
For example, say you added a fantasy RPG to your library. Starting it from Steam gives you the overlay and your saved layout. Starting it from an old desktop icon leaves you with the game's default controls, even if you set up a profile earlier.
How do you add a non-Steam game to your library?
Adding a non-Steam game takes only a few clicks, and all of it happens inside Steam. Here is the path to follow.
- Open Steam and go to the Games tab in the settings bar at the top.
- Click Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library.
- Select the game's program file from the list and add it.
The first two steps happen in the Steam window itself. The Games tab sits in the settings bar along the top, so you won't need to dig through menus.
Step three is where you point Steam at the game. For example, if your game lives in a folder on your D drive, browse to that folder and pick the program file that starts the game, not an installer. Choosing the right file matters because Steam launches the file you add.
Once the game is added, it appears in your Steam library like any other title. From there, you can start it from Steam, which is the route that lets Steam's controller tools apply to it.
How do you get the controller working in the game?
A controller works with a non-Steam game only when Steam launches the game and you set the controller profile through the Steam overlay. [2] If you start the game from its own icon, Steam is skipped and the controller settings never apply, so begin from your library instead.
- Open your Steam library and start the game from its entry there. Steam needs to be the one launching it, because your app has to be launched within Steam for the controller profile to apply. [2]
- While the game is running, open the Steam overlay. You have to use the Steam overlay in order to use the controller profiles and mapping, so this is the step where the controller gets its layout. [2]
- Load the controller profile or mapping you want from the overlay, then return to the game. For example, a gamepad profile can map the left stick to your character's movement. Press a few buttons on the menu to see whether they respond.
- If the controller still does not respond, the game may not support it through Steam. In that case, the profile cannot fix the problem, because the game is not reading the controller through Steam at all.
What to do when a controller will not work
A controller works in a non-Steam game when Steam launches it, so the launch method matters most. Open Steam, go to the Games tab in the settings bar at the top, and click Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library. [1] Then start the game from Steam and load your profile with the Steam overlay. [2]
If one game still ignores your controller, check that game's own controller options first. Then look through Steam's support threads for that title, since someone may have already found a fix. Some games will not respond through Steam at all, and in that case there may be no workaround.