Getting started

SteamWrapper lets Steam launch the game executable or launcher you choose. Manager is for configuration; the independent Runner handles daily launches. Once setup is complete, Manager can stay closed.

This guide uses the WinUI Windows preview. It currently targets Windows 11 24H2 x64. WinUI is the only Manager; version-tag packages are unsigned prereleases and its installer remains unfinished. Start with installation if you do not yet have the complete preview directory.

Before configuring a game

Have the game installed in Steam and identify the executable you actually want to run. For a translation or alternate build, first confirm that its complete directory launches correctly through ordinary File Explorer.

Keep the official Steam installation and a complete third-party translation in separate directories. Back up the game’s actual saves before moving or testing a build. SteamWrapper’s configuration backups are not game-save backups. See translated games and saves before changing a mixed official/translated installation.

1. Open Manager

Extract the entire preview and double-click SteamWrapper.Manager.exe in File Explorer. Do not copy the EXE out of its directory or run it inside the downloaded ZIP.

With no saved language preference, the interface follows the supported system UI language. Simplified Chinese systems use Chinese; unsupported languages use English. The sidebar’s Language selector offers English / 简体中文. A successful manual selection is saved and takes priority on later launches.

2. Add your Steam game

1. Select ＋ Add game.
2. Choose the game from the locally discovered Steam library. Search by name or AppID.
3. Select Use this game.

If discovery cannot find Steam, use Choose Steam folder…. You can also choose Enter AppID manually and enter the original game’s positive numeric Steam AppID. Use the AppID of the Steam library entry you intend to launch.

If that game already has one matching profile, Manager opens it for editing. Multiple profiles matching the same AppID must be resolved before saving.

3. Choose the actual program

Check these fields:

Field	What to choose
Game name	A name you recognize
Steam installation	Read-only information about the official Steam-managed location
Game runtime folder	The complete directory containing the build you want to play
Program to run	That build’s actual game or launcher .exe

For example, the official installation may stay inside a Steam library while Game runtime folder points to G:\OtherGames\Example Game and Program to run points to its translated launcher.

Leave the advanced working directory empty unless the game or launcher needs a different one. New Windows profiles use Wait for the program and its children (recommended). See configuration and wait modes for exceptions.

4. Save and prepare Runner

Select Save and generate launch options. Manager saves the profile, checks the bundled Runner, and installs or updates it in SteamWrapper’s stable user-data directory when possible.

Continue when the success message says Runner is ready and the launch-options text is visible. A message that the profile was saved but Runner is not ready means configuration succeeded while runtime preparation still needs attention. Follow troubleshooting before changing Steam.

5. Copy the launch options into Steam

1. In Steam, right-click the same game and open Properties → General → Launch Options.
2. Copy and keep the complete previous value somewhere you can retrieve it. Record an empty value as empty.
3. In Manager, select Copy launch options.
4. Paste the generated text into Steam’s Launch Options.

The generated command has this shape; use Manager’s actual output rather than this example:

"C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\SteamWrapper\bin\SteamWrapperRunner.exe" --appid "123456" -- %command%

Keep the quotes, --appid, the separate --, and final %command% exactly as generated. Do not replace Runner with the Manager EXE or a file inside a temporary extraction directory.

Copying does not apply settings to Steam. The preview uses this manual paste step. Runner receives and logs Steam’s expanded original command, but currently launches the profile’s own target and arguments; it does not automatically append the original command to the game.

6. Launch and exit normally

Close Manager, then select Play on the original Steam library entry.

Confirm that the expected game or translation opens. Exit through the game’s normal controls and check that Steam returns to its stopped state. Running state, displayed playtime, Overlay and achievements are separate observations; success in one does not prove the others.

For subsequent play, use Steam normally. Open Manager again only when changing configuration or addressing a Runner issue.

Undo a game’s setup

Restore the launch-options value you recorded before setup. If it was empty, clear the field. This removes that Steam entry’s reference to Runner; it does not move game files or restore game progress.

If you were only testing, restore the previous options afterward and keep any naturally updated saves unless you deliberately choose a separate save-recovery plan. Stop on a cloud-save conflict instead of guessing which progress to overwrite.

Continue with detailed configuration or troubleshooting.