Run Games from HoYoPlay Launcher with Steam Overlay

Get the Steam overlay working with HoYoverse games (confirmed to work with Genshin Impact; Honkai Impact 3rd; Honkai: Star Rail; Zenless Zone Zero). Works with Big Picture mode, Steam Remote Play (aka In-Home Streaming) and Steam Link. Includes instructions for running on Steam Deck!

Introduction

As an avid PC gamer who frequently plays non-Steam games through Steam because of its amazing versatility, I was a bit disappointed after coming back to play miHoYo's Genshin Impact following a long hiatus, only to wind up being nagged to download a new launcher update before I could even enter my game. Soon after I realized that the launcher update gave me a new launcher entirely after I noticed the Steam overlay being dropped, and then felt compelled to buckle down and figure out what exactly was going on.

Following a quick web search did I learn that Genshin Impact’s standalone launcher was moved to the new HoYoPlay Launcher released in the spring of 2024, much to my surprise. After doing some additional research in getting Steam's overlay working again was a hit and miss, so I drew upon my working knowledge of Battle.net and SWTOR’s launchers and set out to do something similar with HoYoverse’s new launcher that now houses all their games.

If you’re a gamer who enjoys playing the anime games from HoYoverse that isn’t readily available on Steam or the Steam version isn’t entirely suitable for you, and loves the convenience of having Steam’s overlay for whatever your reason might be, then this guide is for you.



This guide assumes HoYoverse game users attempting to run them from Steam is using Windows, and will work on Windows 10 or 11.

Configuring the HoYoPlay Launcher

To save time and to avoid the possibility of troubleshooting this later, it is advised to configure the HoYoPlay Launcher first.

These settings are intended to avoid conflicts with Steam, and allows game or Launcher updates to take place.

Step-by-Step Instructions

To get the HoYoPlay Launcher and Steam to play nice with each other, follow the following steps:

1. Open the HoYoPlay Launcher.
   
2. Click the gear ⛭ icon near the top right corner of the Launcher to open the Launcher’s Settings window.
   
3. In the section labeled General, look for Launch Settings and make sure the recommended Auto-Launch HoYoPlay at Startup setting is turned off. Then turn on the setting for Show Launcher’s Main Interface After Exiting the Game.
   
4. Under the Close Settings section, switch the Close Window option to Exit Launcher.
   
5. Click on the X in the top right corner of the Settings window to automatically save the new settings and close the window.
   
6. Completely exit the HoYoPlay Launcher.

Configuring the Steam Client

It is important to make sure that the Steam client is not running before attempting to follow the steps listed below.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open Windows Explorer (Win-key + E) and navigate to your Steam client installation or do a Search for the Steam.exe file. (Default path is usually located under C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam.)
   
2. Right click on Steam.exe and go to Properties and click on the Compatibility tab.
   
3. Under the Settings section, check the box labeled Run this program as an administrator. Click the Apply button, then OK.
   
   
4. Run the Steam client, then log in with your credentials if necessary.

Troubleshooting

For some users, Steam may falsely complain about being run in "compatibility mode" and prompt you to disable it. If this is the case, you will need to remove the Administrator privileges from the Steam.exe file and apply it to the desktop shortcut for Steam instead. Make sure that the Steam client is NOT running when applying this step!

To tell the shortcut to give Steam administrator privilege, right click on the shortcut and go to Properties > under the Shortcut tab click the Advanced button > check the Run as administrator box in the new window, then click OK to close > click Apply and OK.



Restart Steam using the shortcut you modified with administrator privileges. (Note: It is normal for a popup to request permission for the application to make changes.)

If a Shortcut tab is not available in your desktop shortcut for Steam Properties, select the Compatibility tab instead > check the Run this program as an administrator box > click Apply and OK.

Adding HoYoPlay Game Shortcuts to Steam

It is assumed anyone following these instructions is running the Steam client in Windows.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Important note: To add shortcuts to run HoYoverse games directly from the HoYoPlay Launcher, each game will need to undergo the same steps depending on which games you wish to play through Steam.

1. Click Games in the top left of the Steam client, then navigate and click Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library…
   
   
   Alternatively, clicking Add a Game located at the bottom left corner in Steam and select Add a Non-Steam Game… will work as well.
   
   
2. After the list has populated, search for and check the box next to launcher.exe then click the button labeled Add Selected Programs.
   
   Note: If it not found under the PROGRAM list, click the Browse… button to search for launcher.exe. (It should be noted that the default path for 32-bit versions of Windows is located in C:\Program Files\ and C:\Program Files (x86)\ in 64-bit versions of the operating system.)
   
3. Navigate to Library > Home in the Steam client's main navigation bar, then begin typing launcher in the Search field with the magnifying glass icon to locate it easily. (Note: you will not need to capitalize or type in the entire keyword.)
   
   
4. Right click on launcher found in the list in the left column and click on Properties….
   
   
5. Under the Shortcut heading, change the name of your shortcut in the field that says "launcher" located to the right side of the HoYoPlay Launcher icon.
   
   Optional – to change the HoYoPlay Launcher shortcut icon, click the icon itself and locate your game’s executable to use that shortcut icon instead.
   
   See also the HoYoPlay Game Shortcut Codes section in this guide for more information.

Optional – change the game artwork in your Library’s shelf by right-clicking on your game to the right side of your library’s list and go to Manage > Set custom artwork to select a custom image. Using game box art is ideal for the new Steam library layout. SteamGridDB[www.steamgriddb.com] is also an excellent resource for customizing your non-Steam Game artwork in your library.

Launching HoYoverse Games from Steam

It is important to remember that this guide intends that you manually run your games from the HoYoPlay Launcher and that the shortcut will only open to the corresponding game tab. It will not launch the game itself for you. Due to the way HoYoverse currently designed the HoYoPlay Launcher, this particular method will trick Steam into attaching its overlay to the HoYoPlay Launcher and to any games being run through it.

REMINDER: It is important to make sure that the HoYoPlay Launcher is not running before attempting to run HoYoverse games through Steam!

Step-by-Step Instructions

If you followed each step correctly, test the new shortcut by clicking the blue PLAY button inside your game library. It will update your Steam status accordingly as well as open to the corresponding game location in the HoYoPlay Launcher. (HoYoverse game and launcher updates will also be downloaded from the launcher when they become available.)




If your Steam status doesn’t update or get the Steam overlay notifications as shown in the screenshots, delete the shortcut from Steam and follow the instructions again more closely. Sometimes a missing space or end quotation will cause it not to work.

Important note: When exiting the game being run through the HoYoPlay Launcher, Steam will continue to recognize you as being in game. To revert your Steam status back to being Online, you must EXIT the Launcher, either from your Launcher as shown when configuring HoYoPlay's launcher settings, or by right clicking the HoYoPlay icon in your Windows taskbar and click Exit Program as demonstrated in the image below.

HoYoPlay Game Shortcut Codes

If you’re lazy, like me, and just want the HoYoPlay Launcher to automatically open to the intended game the shortcut is being created for, the following table includes codes for HoYoPlay Launcher's current list of games.

More codes will be added (if applicable) when additional games are released.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Simply copy the shortcut code from the following table and paste it into corresponding non-Steam game’s LAUNCH OPTIONS as described in the Adding HoYoPlay Game Shortcuts to Steam section.

HoYoverse Game Title	Game Shortcut Code	Notes
Genshin Impact	--game=hk4e_global
Honkai Impact 3rd	--game=bh3_global
Honkai: Star Rail	--game=hkrpg_global
Zenless Zone Zero	--game=nap_global

Shortcut codes are typically found in game desktop shortcut’s Properties...



REMINDER: this method will not automatically start HoYoverse’s games for you and must be run through the HoYoPlay Launcher itself! All this does is hook the Steam overlay into the launcher and games run through it.

Add HoYoverse Games to Steam Deck

While untested and needs confirmation as I do not own one to test it myself, it is possible to play miYoHo games on Steam Deck. Similar to using the Battle.net Launcher, the principle is very much the same...

Below are the steps to find out how. However, before getting started, check that there is adequate drive space on your Steam Deck or microSD card.

It should be noted that:

Originally posted by Rock Paper Shotgun:

Any UHS-I microSD should work, including microSDXC (Expanded Capacity) and microSDHC (High Capacity) cards.

Source: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/best-microsd-cards-for-steam-deck

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. To enter desktop mode in Steam Deck, open the application and select "Switch to Desktop".
   
2. Download the HoYoPlay Launcher[hoyoplay.hoyoverse.com].
   
3. Navigate to the Games Tab and select "Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library".
   
4. Choose launcher.exe, then tap the checkbox at the left of the selection and click to "Add Selected Programs."
   
   • Note: Be sure to right-click the HoYoPlay Launcher's executable and select "Properties". Navigate to the "Compatibility" tab, and check the option to "Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool."
5. Run the HoYoPlay Launcher and install your chosen HoYoverse game.

Additional Notes

As with all non-Steam games, Steam still does not track time logged in game (likely because it is tied into their Steam Shop). There is no known option to get this working, and doing so either through a third-party or direct file manipulation may put you at risk of violating Terms of Service and User Agreements with Steam and/or HoYoverse.


Please rate this guide with a thumbs up if you found it helpful; or a thumbs down if you didn't. Be sure to reserve questions, concerns, suggestions for improvement, or anything else regarding this guide in the comments section below.

Other Guides

For your convenience, here is a list of other guides I have written:

• Run Games from Battlenet Launcher with Steam Overlay
  
• Move Sims 3 Game Saves to Another Location & Improve Performance
  
• How to get the Steam Overlay working with Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR)
  
• Get the Steam Overlay Working with Games on Origin
  
• Auto-Delete Sims 3 Cache and Run it on Origin with the Steam Overlay
  
• Auto-Delete Sims 3 Cache and Run it on Steam
  
• How to Stop Vampire the Masquerade – Redemption from Requesting a CD Key
  
• Move the Mabinogi Folder from Documents to Another Location
  
• Auto-Delete Sims 4 Cache and Run it on Steam
  
• How to Fix Fable Anniversary from Causing Motion Sickness
  
• How to Fix EULA Bug in Steam's SWTOR Launcher
  
• Run Games from HoYoPlay Launcher with Steam Overlay – This guide.

Changelog

01/15/2025 – Fixed typo and revised some text in Introduction section for better flow.
12/21/2024 – Included additional text for clarity for the Troubleshooting instruction in the Configuring the Steam Client section.
12/17/2024 – Fixed typo.
12/08/2024 – Added Troubleshooting notes to Configuring the Steam Client section.
12/01/2024 – Revised word salad text in Introduction section for better clarity and flow; added closing ordered list tags to other sections; added Add HoYoverse Games to Steam Deck section.
11/30/2024 – Fixed broken image.
11/30/2024 – Initial version.

[† ßâd•£üç]< Îñç™]

@Perkele: Sorry to hear that you're experiencing issues. Hopefully we can get it working for you.

When you say that when opening the launcher, it immediately closes. Is this happening when you start it, or after doing a game update, or starting a game through the launcher?

Typically, when you start a game, the launcher will minimize itself to the taskbar and continues to run in the background. The reason that I like the setting to open the launcher when exiting a game is mainly for troubleshooting purposes. Since it is an optional setting, I suggest leaving it turned on.

Try waiting a few extra moments for the game to load and see if you're still having the same issue. As of right now, there is no need to reinstall the game until we know more. Remember, any details that you can provide is extremely helpful.

Good luck and please let me know what happens!
Thank you.

[Perkele]

I got issue whenever i open the launcer, it immediately close, i have no idea what to do. Currently i do bypass the launcer by open it directly from genshin.exe. should i renisntall the game?

[† ßâd•£üç]< Îñç™]

@litework: If approving the UAC is your biggest concern, you can use Google to find a way to disable it for a specific program (in this case, Steam). However, please be aware that the process is tedious, and depending on the manner in which you use, you can run the risk of messing something up with your operating system. This is why I never post risky, invasive work arounds in my guides. If you choose to try it, please follow the directions carefully and keep in mind that you'd be doing it at your own risk. Personally, I don't think it is a big deal at all to manually accept the UAC warning... but that is just me.

[litework]

The only way I can get it to keep my Steam status as ZZZ is to run Steam as admin, and if I do that I have to approve UAC every time. T_T

[† ßâd•£üç]< Îñç™]

@SporkofDeath: You're welcome! As long as you're able to play with your controller is what matters in the end.

Have fun and enjoy! 😊

[SporkofDeath]

I tried that new launch options command but it didn't change anything. I'm leery of the new Nvidia driver because it has some sorta issue causing black screens. I'm comfortable with the way things are working right now though. Thanks for going above and beyond to help!

[† ßâd•£üç]< Îñç™]

@SporkofDeath: I did some checking and found a video that walks you through updating a Logitech controller. It's not the same one that you have, but the process might be the same, so I'm passing it along just in case.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzHxuj5k6Xk

Good luck.

[† ßâd•£üç]< Îñç™]

@SporkofDeath: Here are some things to try...

▪ Update your GPU drivers.
▪ Run a repair check for ZZZ from inside the YoHoPlay Launcher.
▪ Inside the Steam shortcut you made for ZZZ, copy and paste -force-d3d12 in the Launch Options.

Hopefully something here will help. Good luck!

[† ßâd•£üç]< Îñç™]

@SporkofDeath: Glad to know it is working through ZZZ's executable. Hopefully it will work with Steam being hooked into HoYoverse's launcher... You might need to use your mouse to navigate the launcher though and then test the controller once the game starts.

Good luck and let me know if it worked for you. 👍

[SporkofDeath]

Well, after trying it again, I can't for the life of me figure out why the Launcher won't start through steam. As far as I can tell I've done everything you said to. Any time I try to it gives a message saying "Failed to start process for this game :" I do not know why there's a space between the word game and the colon, but it's very noticeable. I can still play ZZZ by launching the exe itself through steam though.