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Steam Link is a great way to play your favorite games or just control your computer remotely. However, you will find that you cannot import Xbox Game Pass or Microsoft Store games to Steam.
This guide will help you get the most out of your Game Pass subscription and Microsoft Store purchases by allowing you to play these games via Steam Link using GlosSI.
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Why can’t you just import Microsoft Store or Xbox Game Pass games into Steam?
You can easily play any type of non-Steam game or program on Steam Link if you import it into Steam. However, if you have a PC Game Pass subscription or a game from the Microsoft Store and try to import those games into Steam, you won’t find them in the list of games you can add to Steam.
This is because Microsoft games use UWP instead of the traditional Win32 platform. UWP unifies Microsoft applications between different platforms like Xbox, Windows 10 or Windows 11 and even mobile devices. However, UWP prevents Steam from recognizing it as a program that you can add to your library.
UWPHook lets you easily import UWP games to Steam, but it’s missing a crucial element; be able to use a controller with it. Therefore, GlosSI is required, which you will learn about in the next section.
What is GlosSI?
GlosSI (formerly known as GloSC) stands for Global (systemwide) Steam Input. It’s a program by Peter Repukat, also known as Alia5 on GitHub or Flatspot Software on YouTube.
GlosSI is intended to be used as an emulator for programs or games that do not support Steam Input, such as B. UWP games from the Microsoft Store or Xbox Game Pass. Without Steam Input emulation, you wouldn’t be able to use a controller with Steam Link in UWP apps because Steam Link relies on Steam Input for gamepad control.
Besides Steam input emulation, GlosSI also allows you to import UWP games into Steam, which is an important part of playing games via Steam Link. You need these two features to play or use almost any UWP program via Steam Link. Now all you have to do is know how to use the application and get it working.
How to install GlosSI to play Xbox Game Pass games via Steam Link
Xbox Game Pass can save you tons of money on games through its affordable subscription model. However, Game Pass does not offer the ability to stream games locally to your other devices such as a TV or tablet/phone. GlosSI allows you to use Steam Link to play your Game Pass games. To set up GlosSI so you can play Microsoft or Xbox games anywhere in your house:
Step 1: Download and install GlosSI
To download GlosSI, first go to the GlosSI download page and search for Click the Download Installer button..
Once the installer is downloaded, open it and set it up. When you get to the page where you need to select the components, make sure everything is selected. Click Next, choose your install location, and then click To install. Once you click Install, the other selected components will also be prompted to install. Install these as well.
After all components have been installed, you need to restart your PC for it to work.
Step 2: Import GlosSI target into Steam
Now that your PC has restarted, two programs have been added to your PC; the GlosSI target and GlosSI. You can see these in your Windows Start menu. You can also search them if you can’t find them.
Open Steam and you will see a in the bottom left Plus with Add a game Besides. Click on it and click Add a non-Steam game… when it shows up.
Search for GlosSI-Target and select it. Finally click on Add selected programs Button.
Step 3: Enable Steam input for Xbox controllers
In order for GlosSI to work properly, you need to enable a specific setting for controller emulation to work on UWP games. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to use a controller through Steam Link.
Go to the top left side of the Steam window and click steam.
After clicking Steam, a drop-down menu will appear. Click on Settings > Controllers.
Once you are on the Controllers tab, turn on Enable Steam Input for Xbox Controllers.
Step 4: Open the GlosSI configurator and add your UWP games
Now that the requirements for the controls to work are met, we will now add these UWP games to Steam for you to play on Steam Link.
Go to the Windows Start menu and search for GlosSI, not GlosSI Target. Open GlosSI.
Once it’s open, click + button bottom right of the window. A popup will appear asking what type of shortcut you want to add to GlosSI. click on UWP app.
You will then be prompted to select a UWP app, e.g. B. the Microsoft programs and Xbox Game Pass games that you have already downloaded. In our case, we choose Aragami 2. Here are some suggestions for low storage Xbox Game Pass games that are perfect for playing through Steam Link.
Once selected, click the blue icon Save on computer button at bottom right.
After saving, you will see the UWP app you just added on the main screen. However, you must click gray steam icon bottom left of the game you just added.
After clicking the Steam icon, you will be prompted to restart Steam to complete your settings. You can ignore this to add more games and restart Steam later once you’ve added everything.
Finally, restart Steam and open the games you added to make sure they work. especially with a controller.
Connect your Steam Link device to your PC and test your games
This guide isn’t just about playing UWP games on Steam. Our goal is to be able to stream these games to your mobile device or TV via Steam Link. That’s exactly what we’re going to do in this section.
First, make sure Remote Play is enabled. Go to Steam > Settings > Remote Play and turn on Enable remote play.
Next, go to your Steam Link device of choice. It can be a TV, a phone, a tablet, another PC or wherever you want to stream your games. In our case we use a Huawei MatePad 11 2023.
Open Steam Link, make sure Steam is also open on the host PC and let it discover the host. Once found, tap on it Play Now on your device.
When using Steam Link with the device for the first time, a code will appear to authorize the device. Enter the code and click Confirm.
Once authorized, Steam will open in Big Picture mode and stream to your Steam Link device. If you’re having trouble setting it up, check out how to fix Steam Remote Play on Windows.
Go to the UWP game you just added and plug in your controller of choice or use the on-screen controls. In my case, I connect an Xbox 360 controller to my tablet using an OTG adapter.
As an example, we’ve chosen Minecraft for Windows 10 (Bedrock Edition), a UWP game that you won’t find on Steam but can be played on Xbox Game Pass; Still, we play it on Steam Link. Although Bedrock is inferior to the Java Edition, the latter is not a UWP app.
If you see nothing but a blank screen after launching a UWP game, click Alt+Tab on your keyboard to switch to the game and you should be good to go.
Use Steam Link for almost any UWP Microsoft game
Steam input isn’t universal, and Valve hasn’t updated Steam, if at all, to add UWP programs. We don’t want these limitations to stop you from playing your favorite games through Steam Link as it’s one of the easiest local game streaming apps out there.
Once everything is set up, there’s nothing stopping you from enjoying your favorite Xbox Game Pass or Microsoft Store games on your TV or tablet powered by your gaming computer.