How to play Minecraft on Steam Deck

Want to know how to play Minecraft on Steam Deck? With Minecraft not on Steam, the process isn’t as straightforward as you’d expect, so we’ve compiled a quick guide for you.

If you’ve ever felt the urge to pick up your pick axe and play Minecraft on the go, but noticed it’s not on Steam, you’re not alone. While other titles in the Minecraft franchise, like Minecraft Dungeons, may be available on the Steam store, the original game is nowhere to be seen.

Given Minecraft was originally developed for Windows that’s unsurprising. Yet, not all is lost when it comes to the Steam Deck. Minecraft is playable on the handheld, though there is some tinkering involved before you can get the full Java version running.

With that in mind, we’ve put together this handy guide so you can get to foraging your way through Minecraft on the Steam Deck in no time.

How to play Minecraft on Steam Deck

Before you can enjoy what the blocky world of Minecraft has to offer on the Steam Deck, you will require a digital copy of the game. This is because the launcher we use requires the verification of a Minecraft digital license.

If you own Minecraft through Xbox Game Pass, you might have difficulties getting it to work using this method. If that’s the case, you can alternatively check out our guide on how to play Xbox Games Pass and PC Games Pass games on the Steam Deck.

1. Switch to Desktop mode

Before you can get Minecraft up and running on the Steam Deck, you first need to switch to Desktop Mode. Here are the steps:

1. Select ‘Steam’ button
2. Navigate to ‘Power’
3. Scroll down and select ‘Switch to Desktop’

It will take a few moments before the Steam Deck will switch to desktop mode. After it’s complete, you should be looking at the default Steam Deck wallpaper, with a toolbar at the bottom and some icons on the screen, similar to your desktop PC.

At this point, you can make use of the built-in Steam Deck keyboard to make navigating through desktop mode easier. However, we recommend picking up one of the best Steam Deck docks and using a mouse and keyboard setup instead.

2. Download Prism Launcher

In desktop mode, select the ‘Discover’ app on the SteamOS toolbar. The Discover app is represented by a blue shopping bag.

Once Discover has launched, select the search bar in the top-left corner and type ‘Prism Launcher.’

The Prism Launcher app will be represented by a cube logo surrounded by a hexagonal rainbow pattern. Once the Prism Launcher app has been found, select the install button in the top right corner, and begin downloading.

3. Run Prism Launcher

Once Prism Launcher has been installed, launch your newly acquired app.

To begin, Prism Launcher will prompt you to install a version of Java if you don’t have a working version on your Steam Deck. Click ‘next’ after this page, and then on the next page, to finish setting up the app.

4. Run Minecraft as an instance

Once Prism Launcher is up and running, you should be introduced to a welcome greeting asking you to “add instance” before getting started.

Select the ‘add instance’ button in the top-left corner, and a list of different versions of Minecraft will appear. Here, you need to select which version of the game you intend to play. Select Java.

After this, you’ll be taken back to the previous screen, with an icon for the version of Minecraft you selected appearing within the Prism Launcher home screen.

Right-click on the icon using the L2 trigger, and select ‘create shortcut’ to add an easy-to-access version of the game on your SteamOS desktop.

5. Enter Minecraft account details

Selecting ‘launch’ on the sidebar will cause a dialogue box to appear, prompting you to use your Minecraft log-in details that we mentioned earlier.

By clicking ‘yes’ you will be taken to the accounts screen, where yet another dialog box will appear. This time, it will direct you to the Microsoft website and give you a code to proceed with your log-in.

After confirming your log-in details, and verifying you own a license to the Java version of Minecraft, the game will then install and run on your Steam Deck.

5. Add Minecraft as a non-Steam game

Hover over the recently created Minecraft shortcut on your desktop and right-click using the L2 trigger. Once the small text box has appeared, navigate to and select ‘add to Steam’ from the list.

Once you return to gaming mode on the Steam Deck, Minecraft will now be available from the ‘non-Steam games’ menu in your library. From here, you can upload your custom art to make the game blend in with the rest of your Steam library.

Now, you’re all set up to play Minecraft on the go via the comfort of your Steam Deck.

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