Is there a way to stop Steam from opening when I launch a game from the desktop icon?

[Volkner]

I find this irritating as it amounts to nothing more than having to close two windows whenever I launch a game. It's a small thing, but it gets more and more annoying each time it happens.

[potato]

most games require steam to be running, only drm free games can be launched without it

[cinedine]

Depends on the game, some will start Steam if it's not running or won't start.

The desktop icon Steam generates are not links to the executable but commands for the steam:// protocol. So you'd have to create your own.

[Ricardo]

yesy play game cuphead

[Wolfpig]

As far as i know, no you can not stop steam from forcing itself as the primariy window at start/Set it to start minimized.

Maybe valve will change that again with the next Client redesign in 10 years or so....

[lsdninja]

As long as Steam is already running and minimised in to the tray, it should stay there. You only get this behaviour (which is annoying and should be fixed) if Steam isn’t already running first.

[Volkner]

I don't care if Steam is started, I just don't want it opening two windows. It use to not do that.

[lsdninja]

Originally posted by Volkner:

I don't care if Steam is started, I just don't want it opening two windows. It use to not do that.

It always had startup and shutdown splashes, they just weren’t as noticeable before (because the client wasn’t as much of a bloated pig before).

[Azure Fang]

Desktop shortcuts created by Steam are not executable targets; they are URIs targetting the steam:// protocol and will always launch Steam.

If you want to try and launch a game without Steam, you have to start by launching directly from the executable (or create a proper shortcut manually). If the game launches, congrats! That game does not require Steam to be running in order to launch. If launching the executable still launches Steam or throws an error, you're SOL.

[Takohashi]

Originally posted by Azure Fang:

Desktop shortcuts created by Steam are not executable targets; they are URIs targetting the steam:// protocol and will always launch Steam.

If you want to try and launch a game without Steam, you have to start by launching directly from the executable (or create a proper shortcut manually). If the game launches, congrats! That game does not require Steam to be running in order to launch. If launching the executable still launches Steam or throws an error, you're SOL.

Obviously, OP wants Steam to launch in minimized mode.
Why do many users have problems understanding the text they read?

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

I am having close to the same issue with this blasted Logitech GHub. Steam client can be forced to be minimized/silenced to system tray. My issue there is no cure anymore...

[ILOVEFOOTBALL]

Steam takes resources that some game NEED. Not all of us have $10K PC's. I have proof... College Bowl. Runs slow but when I pause and close Steam after the game has started, then return back to the game, it runs normal. It's making me think Steam is a resource hog.

[Adam]

This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.