Convenient, fast and automatic way to add non-Steam games to your Steam library — with auto-detected exe and launch options, covers from multiple sources (localized where available), and a two-panel mode for moving game folders with Steam paths updated automatically.
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Steam Commander is a Windows Forms desktop tool written in PowerShell. You point it at one or two folders that contain your games (for example a big HDD and a fast SSD), and it helps you:
- Add non-Steam games to Steam — with the correct title, executable, start folder, launch parameters and full set of artwork, instead of a blank shortcut.
- Keep artwork right — official Steam covers where they exist, SteamGridDB as an alternative source.
- Move games between two folders/drives — files are moved with progress and the Steam shortcut is updated to the new path.
- Stay safe — back up and restore
shortcuts.vdfat any time.
Library view
- Two independent panels, each pointed at any folder.
- Search by folder name, sorting, and folder size calculation.
- Free-space indicator per drive and a marker for games that are already in your Steam library.
- Columns for size, date and the in-library flag; click a header to sort.
Adding games
- Game card with title, executable, start folder and launch parameters.
- Four artwork slots: vertical, horizontal, hero/background, logo — each with a live preview and a source badge (Steam / SteamGridDB).
- Title and executable confidence indicators (green check when the match is reliable).
- Steam Web API integration for more accurate game title and App ID matching, with titles and App IDs cached locally for faster searches.
- Executable detection with junk filtering (uninstallers, crash handlers, redistributables, …) and a hint from Steam's own launch data.
- Launch parameters suggested from Steam data, with human-readable descriptions for well-known options.
- Batch mode for many games at once, with optional auto-fill: confidently recognised games are added without opening a card; the card opens only for games the program could not identify unambiguously.
- Steam cover region selection (localised artwork).
- EXE filter with an option to include game launchers in executable suggestions.
Moving games
- Move ticked games from one panel folder to the other with progress, speed and free-space check.
- Steam shortcuts are rewritten to point at the new location.
Safety
- Manual backup and restore of
shortcuts.vdf(Steam is closed and restarted automatically around a restore). - Removing a game from a panel list never touches files on disk.
Interface
- Six languages: Русский, English, 简体中文, Español, Português (Brasil), Deutsch.
- Keyboard-friendly: see Keyboard shortcuts.
- Windows 10 or 11.
- Windows PowerShell 5.1 (built in) — only needed if you run the
.ps1directly. - Steam installed and started at least once (so a
userdataprofile exists). - Administrator rights — the program asks for them and exits without.
- Internet access for game search and artwork (see Privacy and network).
- Optional: a free Steam Web API key for more accurate game title and App ID matching.
- Optional (but highly recommended): a free SteamGridDB API key for the SteamGridDB source.
- Open the Releases page and download
Steam Commander.exe. - Put it in any folder and run it (it requests administrator rights).
# from an elevated PowerShell window
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\src\Steam_Commander.ps1See Building.
- Launch Steam Commander and open Settings. Check the Steam folder and pick the Steam profile (
userdata) you want to work with. - (Optional) Add your Steam Web API key for more accurate game title and App ID matching. Game titles and App IDs are downloaded and stored in a local database for faster subsequent searches.
- (Optional but highly recommended) Paste your SteamGridDB API key for additional artwork. A status message under the field tells you whether the key is valid, revoked, or the service is unavailable.
- Choose a game folder for left panel and, if you want to move games between drives, another one for right panel.
- Tick the games you want and press Add selected games to library, or open a single game card with double-click / Enter.
- Check the title, executable and artwork, then save.
Note: when the program writes to
shortcuts.vdfit closes Steam and starts it again afterwards. Close running games and let Steam finish syncing first.
Both game panels share the same keys.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Double-click / Enter | Open the game card |
| Space | Show folder size |
| Delete | Remove selected games from the list (files on disk are untouched) |
| Ctrl+A | Select all |
| Esc | Close the current game card (same as Cancel) |
| Alt+Shift+Enter | Calculate the size of all folders in the active panel. |
The Refresh button brings removed rows back.
| What | Where |
|---|---|
Settings (config.ini), cover-source metadata |
%APPDATA%\Steam Commander |
| Steam game database | %APPDATA%\Steam Commander |
shortcuts.vdf backups (default) |
backups folder next to the executable — can be changed in Settings |
| Temporary covers | %TEMP%\SteamCommander (removed when the program closes) |
| Steam shortcuts and artwork | your Steam profile: Steam\userdata\<id>\config\shortcuts.vdf and config\grid\ |
Your Steam Web API key and SteamGridDB API key are stored in plain text in config.ini. Do not share that file.
There is no telemetry. The program only contacts services needed for its job:
store.steampowered.com,api.steampowered.comand the*.steamstatic.comCDNs — game search and official artwork.api.steamcmd.net— Steam launch data (executable and launch options hints).www.steamgriddb.com— alternative artwork (with your SteamGridDB API key).
The Steam Web API is used to download game titles and App IDs for the local database when a Steam Web API key is configured.
The executable is produced with ps2exe:
Install-Module ps2exe -Scope CurrentUser # once
.\build\build.ps1The result is dist\Steam Commander.exe, with the icon, version and administrator manifest applied. The version is read from $global:appVersion in the script, so it always matches the source.
A GitHub Actions workflow (.github/workflows/release.yml) builds and attaches the executable to a release whenever you push a tag such as v1.0.0.
Steam-Commander/
├── src/Steam_Commander.ps1 # the whole application
├── build/build.ps1 # ps2exe build script
├── assets/icon/ # application icon (.ico, 1024 px and 4096 px PNG)
├── .github/ # issue templates, release workflow
├── CHANGELOG.md
├── CONTRIBUTING.md
└── LICENSE
- For some games (especially very new or obscure ones) Steam's CDN has no vertical/capsule artwork. SteamGridDB is then the fallback, which needs an API key.
- Game title matching is heuristic. The confidence indicators in the game card show when a manual check is a good idea.
- Only Windows is supported.
Bug reports and pull requests are welcome — see CONTRIBUTING.md.
Steam Commander is an unofficial community tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Valve Corporation. Steam and the Steam logo are trademarks of Valve Corporation. Artwork shown in the program comes from Steam and SteamGridDB and belongs to its respective owners. The application icon is an original design.
Use at your own risk: the program edits Steam's shortcuts.vdf. Create a backup from the Settings dialog before your first bulk operation.
If Steam Commander is useful to you, you can support its development:
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