Steam Machine · Guides
How to Use Xbox Cloud Gaming on Steam Machine
Summary
Run Xbox Cloud Gaming on Steam Machine in a supported browser, add the shortcut to Steam, and keep the browser and controller setup separate from local game installs.
Xbox's current cloud-gaming page lists browser play on supported browsers such as Edge and Chrome. That makes Xbox Cloud Gaming a practical Steam Machine route without a Windows install, but it is still a browser workaround rather than a native SteamOS client.
No Windows install, no dual boot, no compatibility layer. The game runs on Microsoft's servers.
What you need
- A Game Pass plan with cloud access in your region. Xbox currently lists Essential, Premium, and Ultimate cloud access, while the catalog and queue terms vary by plan and region.
- A wired connection if possible. Cloud streaming is more sensitive to network quality than local play.
- A controller, which Steam Machine already has.
The browser method
This works without Decky Loader or any plugin.
1. Install a browser. Switch to Desktop Mode, open Discover, and install Microsoft Edge. Microsoft's SteamOS walkthrough documents this Edge path and notes that the Flatpak is community maintained and not officially supported by Microsoft on SteamOS. Xbox also lists Chrome and Safari as supported browsers where available.
2. Sign in. Open the browser, go to xbox.com/play, and log into the Microsoft account with cloud access. Confirm a game launches before going any further, so you know the account, plan, and regional catalog side is working.
3. Add it to Steam. In Desktop Mode, open Steam, choose Add a Non-Steam Game, and select your browser.
4. Point the shortcut at the cloud page. In the shortcut's properties, append Microsoft's Edge launch options after the existing `@@u @@` wrapper: `--window-size=1024,640 --force-device-scale-factor=1.25 --device-scale-factor=1.25 --kiosk "https://www.xbox.com/play"`. These flags come from Microsoft's walkthrough; other browsers use different options.
5. Give the browser controller access and set a layout. Microsoft's walkthrough uses `flatpak --user override --filesystem=/run/udev:ro com.microsoft.Edge`, then the Steam template `Gamepad with Mouse Trackpad`. The trackpad pointer is useful for the cloud interface even though the games take controller input directly.
6. Fix the artwork. The shortcut will show up as a blank tile with a browser icon. SteamGridDB, either the site or the Decky plugin, gets you proper Xbox Cloud artwork.
The UnifiDeck method
If you already run Decky Loader, UnifiDeck's current README lists Xbox Cloud Gaming as one of the libraries it can unify.
It can pull Xbox Cloud Gaming into your Steam library alongside the other stores it supports, with artwork and a normal Play button. Its README says Microsoft Edge is required for sign-in and Xbox Cloud Gaming, so the browser requirement does not go away. Decky itself remains unofficial on Steam Machine.
This is the better route if you want more than just Xbox Cloud, since you get every other store in the same pass. It is more setup than necessary if Game Pass is the only thing you are after. See our plugins roundup for the full picture.
What to expect
It is streaming. Input latency is higher than local play, and image quality depends on your connection. Slower-paced games hold up well. Twitch shooters are a worse fit.
Wired beats wireless. Steam Machine sits in one place next to a router more often than not. Use that.
Not everything on Game Pass is streamable. The cloud catalog is a subset of the full library and varies by region and plan. Check the game's cloud badge before assuming a specific title is available.
Your saves are on Microsoft's side. Cloud saves sync through your Xbox account, so progress follows you to a console or PC.
Why not just install Windows
You could dual boot, and some people do. But cloud gaming gets you Game Pass without touching the SteamOS install, without partitioning anything, and without a reboot every time you switch.
If you want Game Pass titles running locally at full quality, that is a Windows conversation and a different article. If you want to play them on the hardware as it ships, this is a short browser setup.
What is confirmed and what remains unknown
Xbox documents browser-based cloud play and Microsoft documents an Edge shortcut workflow for Steam Deck. The Steam Machine path is a reasonable SteamOS adaptation, not a separate Microsoft support commitment. Browser, Flatpak, controller, catalog, queue, and regional behavior can change.