Download & Install SteamTools — Windows, macOS, Linux

steamtools.games only generates the Lua + key.vdf pair. To use those files you need the SteamTools desktop client (also known as Watt Toolkit / Steam++). Install that client first, then come back to the generator.

Official downloads

Use the cards below (or the matching links on GitHub Releases). These are the official builds from the BeyondDimension/SteamTools repository — always prefer them over third-party mirrors that may ship modified or outdated binaries.

After install — place generator files

1. Launch SteamTools once so it can finish setup.
2. Open steamtools.games and download a ZIP for your App ID.
3. Unzip and copy both files into the SteamTools install root (same folder as the SteamTools / Watt Toolkit executable):
   • <APPID>_public.lua
   • key.vdf
4. Fully quit SteamTools and open it again, then refresh the library.

Note: Packages from this site do not include classic appmanifest_*.acf files. If you follow a guide that mentions depotcache/ + scripts/, that is a different layout used for .acf workflows — see Manifest files.

Troubleshooting

These are the client-side problems people hit after installing SteamTools — none of them are caused by the files this site generates.

SteamTools won't launch or crashes on startup

Make sure you downloaded the build from the official BeyondDimension/SteamTools GitHub releases, not a third-party mirror. On Windows, try running it as administrator once. A first-launch crash is usually a missing runtime or an antivirus quarantine — not a problem with your generated files.

I placed the files but the game doesn't appear in my library

The files are almost certainly in the wrong folder. They go in the SteamTools install root — the same folder as the SteamTools or Watt Toolkit executable — not in depotcache. Then fully quit and reopen SteamTools (closing the window is not enough) and refresh the library.

macOS says "unidentified developer" / Linux won't run it

On macOS, right-click (or Control-click) SteamTools.app and choose Open the first time to bypass Gatekeeper, then confirm in the dialog. On Linux, make the extracted binary executable with chmod +x, or launch it from a terminal. These are OS security prompts, not errors in the build.

A Steam or SteamTools update removed my files

Sometimes. SteamTools updates can reset the scripts folder. Re-download the ZIP from steamtools.games for your App ID, drop the .lua and key.vdf back into the install root, and restart SteamTools. Keep the ZIP so this is a ten-second fix next time.

My antivirus flagged SteamTools

A common false positive for open-source Steam tools. Confirm the file came from the official BeyondDimension GitHub release, then add an antivirus exclusion and restore the quarantined file. We never repackage the binary — what you download is the upstream build.

SteamTools vs Watt Toolkit vs Steam++

The same project. Steam++ was renamed to Watt Toolkit, and the desktop unlock feature is widely called SteamTools. Install any of them from BeyondDimension/SteamTools on GitHub and the files from this site work the same way.

SteamTools root or depotcache?

It depends on the workflow. The Lua + key.vdf pair from this site goes in the SteamTools install root (next to the executable). The classic appmanifest_*.acf files used in depotcache + scripts layouts are a different workflow — see Manifest files. Don't mix the two.

Need more help?

• How the generator works
• What is a Steam manifest?
• FAQ