You can install Ubisoft Connect on Steam Deck by running Ubisoft’s Windows installer through Steam and Proton in Desktop Mode. Add the installer as a non-Steam game, run it, then change that shortcut’s target to the installed UbisoftConnect.exe. This community-documented workaround is not a SteamOS-native installer, and whether a particular Ubisoft game works is a separate question.
Before you start: check whether the game needs Ubisoft Connect
Ubisoft Connect is Ubisoft’s current PC launcher; “Uplay” and “Ubisoft Game Launcher” are older names you may see in guides. The workaround below is useful for games in a Ubisoft library outside Steam or other titles that currently require Connect. For a Steam-owned game, launch it from Steam and sign in to Ubisoft Connect if prompted to link the accounts; see Ubisoft’s account-linking instructions.
Requirements can change by game. A Windows Central report dated 10 September 2026 says Ubisoft is testing a launcher-free Steam-services tool, initially for Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Ubisoft said, “The new tool keeps Ubisoft game features (..) without requiring the Ubisoft Connect PC launcher to be installed or launched.” The report describes a possible progressive rollout if testing succeeds, but does not establish a broad release or confirm that older Steam purchases are included. Check the current Steam page or Ubisoft notice for your game before assuming Connect is required. Read the report.
Install Ubisoft Connect through Steam and Proton
- Switch to Desktop Mode. Open the Steam menu, choose Power, then Switch to Desktop.
- Download the official Windows installer. Open Ubisoft’s Ubisoft Connect PC installation page and download the installer. The page provides the Windows client; using it on Steam Deck requires Proton.
- Add the installer to Steam. Open Steam in Desktop Mode, choose Games > Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library, browse to the downloaded installer, select it, and add it.
- Enable Proton for the installer shortcut. In Steam, right-click the installer in your Library and choose Properties > Compatibility. Check Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool, then select an available Proton version. The specific Proton choices in older walkthroughs date from 2022, so do not treat them as current universal recommendations. Valve documents the compatibility setting in its Steam Deck software and troubleshooting guide.
- Run the installer. Select the shortcut and choose Play. Complete the Ubisoft Connect installation and sign in. Installer and login screens may be easier to operate with the touchscreen, trackpads, or a mouse; Valve notes that launchers can need different controls from games.
- Change the shortcut to the installed launcher. In Steam, open the installer shortcut’s Properties. Change its target to
UbisoftConnect.exein the same Proton prefix created for the installer. The 2022 guide gives the relative location asProgram Files (x86)/Ubisoft/Ubisoft Game Launcher/UbisoftConnect.exe. The prefix folder is specific to your setup, so locate the one associated with this shortcut instead of copying a numeric folder path from someone else. - Return to Gaming Mode and launch Connect. The shortcut now opens the installed launcher rather than the setup program. Install or launch your Ubisoft game from Connect, then test that game itself.
Optional: make a microSD card visible to Proton
You do not need a microSD card to install Ubisoft Connect. If you want to install games to removable storage, the 2022 GamingOnLinux guide documents adding a mount path through the shortcut’s Steam launch options. Its example is STEAM_COMPAT_MOUNTS=/run/media/mmcblk0p1/ %command%. That path is an example, not a guaranteed current SteamOS mount point: use the actual mount path for your card, which may differ or change with your setup. See the guide’s SD-card instructions.
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- 1TB NVMe SSD
- 1280 x 800 HDR OLED display with premium anti-glare etched glass, 7.4" Diagonal display size up to 90Hz refresh rate
- Wi-Fi 6E
- 50Whr battery; 3-12 hours of gameplay (content-dependent)
- Carrying case with removable liner
Troubleshooting dated launcher behavior
The 2022 walkthrough recommends setting Ubisoft Connect to minimize when closed because it reports display flashing in Gamescope when the launcher remains open as a game starts. It also describes a game-specific launch option in the form uplay://launch/*gameID*/0. These are dated, game-dependent tips rather than guaranteed fixes; try them only if you encounter the corresponding behavior, and do not assume the example game ID applies to another title. The guide’s installation steps and troubleshooting notes are documented by GamingOnLinux.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Valve is entering the gaming console marketplace with the new Steam Deck, a console geared towards PC gamers. The Steam Deck can be docked to a monitor, and used as a PC, or docked to a TV.
- Players can play a huge variety of games at any time with the comfort of a console and the freedom of a PC. Not anti-glare screen.
- Like the name suggests, the Steam Deck will include upgraded 1TB storage, and will include a carrying case. A micro SD slot will also enable expanded storage.
- Valve partnered with AMD to create a specialized APU optimized for handheld gaming, and Valve says the chip will deliver performance to run AAA gaming titles.
- The Steam Deck is outfitted with a 7-inch touchscreen, and two trackpads under the control sticks that allow gamers to operate games never designed outside of mouse and keyboard capabilities.
Rank #2
- International (UK) Version
- 7.4” diagonal, HDR OLED, 1280 x 800 x RGB, up to 90Hz Refresh rate, High performance touch, <0.1 ms Response time, 1,000 nits peak brightness (HDR), 600 nits (SDR)
- SteamOS 3.0 (Arch-based)
- 512GB NVMe SSD, 16GB LPDDR5 on-board RAM (5500 MT/s quad 32-bit channels), microSD UHS-I supports SD, SDXC and SDHC
- 6 nm AMD APU, CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32
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