How To Add non-VR Steam Games To SteamVR Library (For SteamVR 1.X.X)

Lately, VR mods have been on the rise. However, in order to run VR modded flat Steam games, you needed to launch them from your desktop. Well, ever wanted to add those Steam games into your SteamVR library for easier access? Well, you actually can! This guide will show and explain how to do this.

Intro

This guide will not work for SteamVR 2.X as the new version basically uses Steam Big Picture Mode - Thankfully in 2.X, you can see your non-VR games!

Lately, VR mods for flat games have been on the rise. If you mod a non-steam game, you are able to simply add a VR tag to the shortcut in Steam. However, this is not the case for non-VR Steam games. In order to run these games, you needed to launch them from Steam on your desktop. Well, ever wanted to add those modded Steam games into your SteamVR library for easier access? Well, you actually can! This guide will show and explain how to do this.

Please advise! There is some modding required with Steam configuration files. Please proceed AT YOUR OWN RISK! I will not take ANY responsibility to any potential damage this could do.

• Difficulty: Moderate
  
• Time: <5 Minutes

Create a SteamVR Manifest File

Since there is no option to 'Add To VR' in the steam library, instead, you have to create a SteamVR manifest file for the game. What this file does is it contains metadata for the SteamVR library shortcut so it can display in the SteamVR library. This contains the file path to the game executable, a file path to a cover image, etc.

First, let's go to the game's installation directory in steam. In Steam, right-click on the game you wish to add to your SteamVR library, hover over "Manage" and click on "Browse Local Files". In the Windows Explorer window, right click within the window and create a New Text Document.



For the file name, name it "manifest.vrmanifest". Right-click on this file and open it in Notepad.

NOTE: You can name the file anything before the '.vrmanifest'. You can call it '[GAMENAME].vrmanifest' if you want to. However, for this guide, we are just going to call it 'manifest.vrmanifest' for simplicity.

Copy-paste the code below into your file:

{
        "source": "builtin",
        "applications": [{
            "app_key": "steam.app.[APPID]",
            "image_path": "https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steam/apps/[APPID]/header.jpg",
            "launch_type": "url",
            "url": "steam://launch/[APPID]",
            "last_played_time":"",
            "strings": {
                "en_us": {
                    "name": "[GAMENAME]"
                }
            }
        }]
}

Where it says "[APPID]", we need to replace this with the game's steam ID. To find this, go back to Steam. Right-click on the game and click on "Add Desktop Shortcut". Go to your desktop, and right-click on the shortcut Steam added and click on "Properties".


Notice the "URL" has a number after "/rungameid/". This is the game's SteamID. Copy ONLY the number from here.

Going back to Notepad, replace the "[APPID]" with the ID you copied. Be sure to replace all instances.

Next, replace "[GAMENAME]" with the name of the game you are adding.

When you are all finished, save the file.

Time To Import

Launch SteamVR, but do not put your headset on. There is one more thing to do.

Once SteamVR is running, double-click on your .vrmanifest file that you created. You should get a message stating that the game has automatically imported.

Go ahead and put on your headset and look in your library. You should see your game as the last game in your library.

NOTE: Your game will not be at the top because SteamVR sorts by 'date last played' so it will be at the very end of your library.

See Your Game? If So, You Are Done!

If you see your game in the SteamVR library tab, then you have successfully added the game! If you do not, well, please go back and re-read the steps above. There may be something wrong with your VR Manifest file.

If you need help, please write in the comment section below and I will try my best to help out. :)

[Legacy] Editing SteamVR App Configuration File

If you have difficulty importing your SteamVR Manifest file, you can manually force it into SteamVR by editing SteamVR's app configuration file (appconfig.json). What this file does is it basically links the application's mainfest file to SteamVR. You can find this file in the following directory:

<STEAM DIRECTORY>/config/appconfig.json

Make a backup copy of this file. Just in case something get's messed up. Right-click on the file and open it in Notepad.

This file may be blank or may contain some paths to other manifest files. But please see my screenshot of my configuration file as an example.


Go back to the .vrmanifest file you created in your game's directory. Copy the full path from here to this file and paste below the last .manifest file including quotes. So it should look something like this:

"C:/Program Files/Steam/steamapps/common/[YOURGAMENAME]/manifest.vrmanifest"

If you pasted in \, replace these with either \\ or /. For some reason this file does not like single \. Also, be sure to ensure that there is a comma after the quote before your entry. Please look at the code above. Notice the comma after "steamapps.vrmanifest" before the new entry. Save the file.

Go ahead and launch SteamVR. If you see your game in the library tab, then you have successfully added the game! If you do not. Please go back and re-read the steps. If you need help, please write in the comment section below and I will try my best to help out.

[T0X1N]

Updated the guide. This guide is only for the 1.X.X which is still the stable build of SteamVR. The upcoming 2.0 version will replace the entire interface of SteamVR with Steam Big Picture Mode like what the Steam Deck uses. Not only does this show your VR games in a better UI, but you can access all of your Steam games in the interface. You can opt into the beta right now to see the new and improved SteamVR (I highly recommend it).

[lightwo]

Consider removing the line that points to Roblox' vrmanifest file in appconfig.json, then making appconfig.json read-only for testing

[dommygutman]

Does this help with the roblox bug, which prevents the valve index being usable for VR?

[T0X1N]

I added the part talking about how to force import your VRManifest file into SteamVR back into the guide. I titled it "[Legacy] Editing SteamVR App Configuration File". This should help those who are having difficulty importing your manifest file.

[lightwo]

Welp, due to the Linux version doing a big fat nothing when trying to import a manifest (or it appeared that way), I had to edit steamapps.vrmanifest directly, but alas, the only difference is that only the parts of the array inside "applications" [{}] are required.

[T0X1N]

In SteamVR Home? Yes

[lightwo]

This makes placing any trophy possible again, right? I'll report back when I test it myself :p

[T0X1N]

Of course! Glad you got it working!

[landroval5]

Have been away for some time. Just tried your solution, it works! Thank you for your help :-)

[T0X1N]

That's odd. It sounds like the default application for those files are not set for SteamVR. Try right-clicking on the vrmanifest file and change the "Opens With" to "SteamVR". If it is not listed, you can browse for it, I believe it is the "vrmonitor.exe" located in the following directory:

/steamapps/common/SteamVR/bin/win64/vrmonitor.exe

If that does not work, you can also try adding a shortcut for SteamVR onto your desktop via Steam and click & drag the .vrmanifest file onto the shortcut.

Hope that helps!