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NightHammer1000 edited this page Sep 14, 2026 · 10 revisions

WSGM, Windows Steam Game Mode

WSGM reconstructs the SteamOS Game Mode experience on Windows 11, on gaming handhelds, gaming PCs and DIY Steam Machines: sign in, land in Steam Big Picture, control everything with the pad and the touchscreen, and only see the desktop when you ask for it. Explorer stays your Windows shell.

  • How it Works: the technical deep-dive, and why each piece works the way it does. The logon service and the Explorer takeover, Desktop Mode and the Game Mode entry transaction, the Steam autostart takeover, the Steam Input Lease, the quick access sheet, the Steam CEF bridge and everything built on it (Steam's own Quick Access Menu revived, storage and screensaver pages, libraries, tabs, badges, artwork, launch fixes), device plugins and the Claw reference package, common plugins and the IR endpoint, RTSS performance, display layouts, power, and recovery.
  • Command-Line Reference: every WSGM.exe, service and launch-wrapper flag, how per-game launch fixes are applied, and where the logs live.
  • Releases: installer downloads.
  • README: features, install modes, recovery.
  • docs: the in-repo documentation the wiki page summarizes, with the exact log lines and budgets.

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