Install SteamTools (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Download and install the SteamTools desktop client, then use steamtools.games to generate Lua and key.vdf files for any Steam App ID.
Last updated: 2026-07-15
Windows 10 / 11
Download the .exe installer from the official site, run it, and let it patch your existing Steam install in place.
macOS 12+
Download the .dmg, drag SteamTools.app into Applications, and launch it once so the macOS gatekeeper allows it.
Linux (any distro)
Download the .tgz, extract it anywhere, and run SteamTools. SteamTools is fully self-contained and does not need a system Steam install.
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). Prefer builds from the official SteamTools-Team repository only.
After install — place generator files
- Launch SteamTools once so it can finish setup.
- Open steamtools.games and download a ZIP for your App ID.
- Unzip and copy both files into the SteamTools install root (same folder as the SteamTools / Watt Toolkit executable):
<APPID>_public.luakey.vdf
- Fully quit SteamTools and open it again, then refresh the library.
Note: Packages from this site do not include classic
appmanifest_*.acffiles. If you follow a guide that mentionsdepotcache/+scripts/, that is a different layout used for.acfworkflows — see Manifest files.