Install Heroic Games Launcher from Discover in SteamOS Desktop Mode, sign in to an Epic, GOG, or Amazon Games account, then add installed titles to Steam so they appear in Game Mode. Each game may need its own compatibility checks and runtime settings; Heroic does not guarantee that every title will run. This guide walks through the complete setup, including where game files and prefixes go, how to prepare Proton-GE and UMU, and what to check if Heroic cannot access a folder or a game does not launch.
What Heroic does on Steam Deck
Heroic Games Launcher is a free, open-source launcher for Epic Games, GOG, and Amazon Games libraries. On Steam Deck, it provides a way to install and manage games from those stores and, where supported, launch them through Steam’s Game Mode. Heroic’s official Deck instructions use the SteamOS Discover store and recommend the Flatpak installation: Heroic on the Steam Deck and Heroic downloads.
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The basic process has two parts. First, install and configure Heroic in SteamOS Desktop Mode, where you can use Discover and the launcher’s settings. Then add an installed game to Steam and switch back to Game Mode to launch it from your library. Heroic’s official Steam Deck page describes this route: install from Discover in Desktop Mode, then add the game to Steam for Game Mode.
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Install Heroic from Discover
- Switch the Steam Deck to Desktop Mode: press the Steam button, choose Power, then select Switch to Desktop.
- Open Discover from the desktop taskbar or applications menu.
- Search for Heroic Games Launcher, open its listing, and select Install. Use the Flatpak offered through Discover, which is Heroic’s recommended SteamOS path.
- When installation finishes, open Heroic from Discover or the desktop applications menu.
Heroic offers other Linux distribution formats, but its Steam Deck instructions direct users to Discover. For this device, there is no need to choose an AppImage or a distribution-specific package instead. The useful comparison is the supported install path for SteamOS: Heroic recommends Discover/Flatpak for Steam Deck, while its other Linux formats serve broader Linux distribution use.
If you are deciding whether to install Heroic or use another route, note what this setup does and does not do. Heroic is a separate launcher for the supported store libraries; it does not replace Steam, convert a game into a Steam purchase, or make every store title Deck-compatible. The software itself is free and open source, so there is no Heroic purchase required to follow these steps. No accessory or additional hardware is identified as necessary by Heroic’s installation instructions.
Sign in to your game stores
In Heroic, open the login menu and connect the account for the store where you own games. The Linux Quick Start Guide covers Epic, GOG, and Amazon accounts; you can add the relevant accounts from Heroic’s login menu. Sign-in is required to load the associated library and install titles. If you use more than one supported store, add each relevant account through the login menu rather than expecting one sign-in to populate all of them.
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Heroic is a third-party launcher, so signing in through it does not change which store owns a game or remove that store’s account requirements. It gives you a way to view and manage the supported library through Heroic; the account and its games remain associated with their respective store. Consult Heroic’s Linux Quick Start Guide if the login flow or a store-specific step differs from what you see.
If a library does not show the title you expect, check that you connected the account for the store where you own it. Do not assume that installing Heroic automatically imports games from every account or store: the account needs to be connected before Heroic can show the associated library. The official guide documents account setup for Epic, GOG, and Amazon, not a universal import from unrelated services.
Prepare Proton-GE and UMU for Windows games
Many games in these libraries are Windows titles. Heroic’s Linux quick-start recommends using UMU as the Proton runtime and installing Proton-GE through Wine Manager, then selecting that runtime in the game’s Wine settings. This is a per-game configuration step, not an assurance that a game will work simply because the runtime is installed.
- In Heroic, open Settings → Advanced and enable Use UMU as Proton runtime.
- Open Wine Manager, select Proton-GE, and download either the latest numbered version or Proton-GE Latest.
- When configuring an individual game, open its Wine settings and select the Proton-GE version you downloaded.
Make sure the runtime is selected for the game you are configuring. Downloading Proton-GE in Wine Manager prepares it as an available option; the game’s Wine settings are where you choose which version that title uses. If you install several games, do not assume that selecting a runtime for one has configured every other game’s settings.
Proton-GE releases arrive periodically and can include game-specific fixes and broader improvements. Keeping a reasonably current version is generally sensible, but an installed game does not necessarily need to be moved to every new release. If a game already works, changing its runtime without a reason can introduce a new variable when troubleshooting. Conversely, if a game fails, a runtime change may be one thing to test, but check one setting at a time so you can tell whether the change helped.
Heroic also provides Wine and Proton management plus options involving DXVK and VKD3D. Those are configuration tools rather than universal switches. The official material does not identify one best combination for all games; check per-game compatibility information and use a toggle only when you have a reason to test it.
Install a game and choose its folders
- Open Library in Heroic and select the game, or open its game page.
- Choose Install. If Heroic offers both Linux and Windows builds, its guide says the Windows build is typically preferable: some Linux builds may require older libraries or may be broken. Treat this as general guidance, not a rule for every game.
- Choose the installation location. This is where the main game files will be stored.
- Choose or confirm the game’s prefix. A prefix is a virtual Windows
C:drive used for Windows dependencies and game data such as saves. - Complete the installation, then check the game’s Wine settings and select the Proton-GE runtime you prepared if needed.
Keep the install folder and prefix distinct in your planning: the install folder contains the game files, while the prefix supplies the game’s Windows-like environment and can contain dependencies and saves. The prefix is not simply another name for the folder containing the main game files. Knowing which is which helps when choosing storage and when narrowing down a problem later: an access problem with the install location concerns the game files, while the prefix holds the virtual Windows environment and its associated data.
Choose locations deliberately before starting a large download. Consider whether you want the game files and prefix in their chosen locations, and whether Heroic is allowed to access them. If you choose a location on removable or external storage, make sure Heroic has permission to access it before troubleshooting the game itself. External device paths may require explicit access. There is no single location that the research identifies as best for every user, so use a folder that fits your storage plan and that the Flatpak can reach.
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If installation fails at the folder-selection or writing stage, check folder permissions first rather than repeatedly changing the game’s runtime. The Flatpak sandbox can limit access to locations outside the app’s default accessible areas. This is a separate issue from game compatibility: granting folder access may let Heroic install or read files, but it does not guarantee that the game itself is compatible.
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Add the game to Steam and open it in Game Mode
Heroic can create a Steam shortcut for an installed game. You can add games individually or configure automatic additions for new installs. This is the step that makes the title easy to find from Steam’s Game Mode interface; it is not the same as installing the game through Steam.
- For an individual title, open its three-dot menu in Heroic and choose Add to Steam.
- To have Heroic add new installs automatically, open Heroic’s Settings and enable the automatic Steam additions option.
- Return to SteamOS Game Mode. Open the Non-Steam tab in your library and select the added game.
If you only want a particular title in Steam, use its three-dot menu and add that one. If you prefer Heroic to add future installs without repeating the menu step, turn on the automatic additions setting. The individual option gives you control over which titles are added; the automatic option reduces repeat setup for new installs.
The shortcut makes the title available from Steam’s interface; it does not establish that the game is compatible or that its launch settings are correct. If a title is listed but will not start, investigate its runtime, files, and compatibility evidence rather than assuming that adding it to Steam fixed those issues. Also check the Non-Steam tab when looking for an added Heroic game; that is where Heroic’s guide says added non-Steam games appear in Game Mode.
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Fix folder-access problems
Heroic’s Flatpak runs with a sandbox, which can prevent it from reading or writing a chosen game folder. This is especially relevant if the install location is on an external device or outside the folders already accessible to the app. A failed folder selection does not necessarily mean that the game or drive is defective; the app may simply lack permission for the location.
- Symptom: Heroic cannot select, install to, or otherwise access the chosen folder. Likely issue: the Flatpak does not have filesystem permission for that location.
- Fix: use Flatseal to grant Heroic access to the required location, or apply a Flatpak override for that path.
- After changing permissions: fully restart Heroic so it can use the updated access.
Grant access only to the locations Heroic needs. The exact path depends on where you keep the game files; external-device paths may need to be added explicitly. Do not assume that permission for one folder automatically covers every other location. If the game folder and prefix are stored in different places, confirm that Heroic can access the locations you selected.
Heroic documents the permission approach and override option in its Linux Quick Start Guide. Use Flatseal or the documented Flatpak override method, then restart Heroic before retrying. This resolves a permission boundary only; if Heroic can now access the files but the game still fails, move on to per-game runtime and compatibility checks.
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Check compatibility one game at a time
Before spending time on a large install, check the individual game’s Steam Deck and ProtonDB information where available. Heroic surfaces compatibility information and includes Proton and Wine management, along with DXVK and VKD3D options. These features can help with investigation and configuration, but neither a rating nor a visible toggle guarantees success.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute- Check whether the title has relevant Steam Deck or ProtonDB reports.
- Confirm that the selected build and runtime match the game’s needs.
- If the game fails after a runtime change, try the previous known-working runtime rather than changing several settings at once.
- Use DXVK or VKD3D settings only when there is a reason to test them; the available options do not establish a universal best setting.
Compatibility is a title-by-title question, not a setting you can apply once to the whole library. A report or rating is a research aid for that game; do not treat it as a promise for a different title or a guarantee for your exact setup. The sources do not provide a universal compatibility percentage or a game-by-game success rate.
A sensible troubleshooting order is to confirm that the game is installed in the intended folder, verify that Heroic has access to that folder and the prefix, check the game’s selected runtime, and compare with available compatibility reports. Change one relevant setting at a time and retest. This makes it easier to identify whether the issue was access, the selected build, or a runtime setting instead of making several unrelated changes together.
Heroic’s official materials do not provide measured Steam Deck performance figures for this setup. Do not infer frame rate, battery life, load time, or guaranteed launch success from the fact that a game appears in the library. The research for this guide does not include hands-on testing, so it cannot support tested-game claims or performance comparisons.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to find official guidance
- Heroic on the Steam Deck: Deck-focused installation and Game Mode overview.
- Heroic downloads: available download channels and the SteamOS Flatpak recommendation.
- Linux Quick Start Guide: account setup, UMU and Proton-GE, game installation, Steam integration, and Flatpak permissions.
- Heroic Games Launcher repository: project features and supported stores and operating systems.
- Heroic Games Launcher: project information and support resources.
Use the Deck page for the overall Desktop Mode-to-Game Mode flow and the Linux quick-start when you need detail about account login, runtimes, folders, or permissions. Heroic’s official resources describe the available setup and features; they do not replace per-game reports or establish that every title will run.
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Is Heroic Games Launcher free on Steam Deck?
Yes. Heroic is described as free and open source. The recommended Steam Deck installation is the Flatpak from Discover; the research identifies no required purchase or accessory for setup.
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Can I install Heroic directly from Game Mode?
Heroic’s official Steam Deck instructions direct users to switch to SteamOS Desktop Mode, open Discover, and install the Flatpak there. After installing a game, add it to Steam and launch it from Game Mode.
Which accounts can I connect to Heroic?
Heroic’s Linux Quick Start Guide covers Epic, GOG, and Amazon accounts. Connect the relevant account through Heroic’s login menu so its associated library can load.
How do I get a Heroic game into Steam Deck Game Mode?
In Heroic, open the installed game’s three-dot menu and choose Add to Steam. Alternatively, enable automatic Steam additions in Heroic Settings for new installs. In Game Mode, look for the added title under the Non-Steam tab.
Do I need Proton-GE for every game?
Heroic’s Linux quick-start recommends enabling Use UMU as Proton runtime, downloading Proton-GE through Wine Manager, and selecting a runtime in the individual game’s Wine settings. Runtime needs can vary by title, and having Proton-GE installed does not guarantee compatibility.
What is the difference between the install folder and a prefix?
The install folder stores the main game files. A prefix is a virtual Windows C: drive that can hold Windows dependencies and game data such as saves. Plan access to both locations if you store them separately.
Why can’t Heroic access my external drive or chosen folder?
Heroic’s Flatpak is sandboxed and may not have permission for a location outside its accessible folders. Grant the needed filesystem access with Flatseal or a Flatpak override, explicitly include external-device paths when needed, and restart Heroic.
Does every Epic, GOG, or Amazon game work on Steam Deck through Heroic?
No blanket compatibility is promised. Check that title’s Steam Deck and ProtonDB information where available, and treat ratings and Heroic’s configuration options as research aids rather than guarantees. The official materials provide no universal success rate or measured performance figures.
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For the official Steam Deck path, install Heroic’s Flatpak from Discover in Desktop Mode, connect the relevant Epic, GOG, or Amazon account, prepare UMU and Proton-GE, and install a title from Heroic’s Library. Add the installed game from its three-dot menu—or enable automatic additions—then find it under Non-Steam in Game Mode. Check each game’s compatibility and folder permissions individually; neither a Steam shortcut nor a chosen runtime guarantees that every game will run.
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