← Back to Blog

Using Steam Overlay with Any Game

February 20, 2024

What is Steam Overlay?

The Steam Overlay is a powerful feature that allows you to access Steam functionality without leaving your game. When you add games to Steam using SteamTools, you can access all Steam overlay features just like with native Steam games.

The overlay provides quick access to friends, chat, web browser, screenshots, achievements, and more - all accessible with a simple key press during gameplay.

Enabling Steam Overlay

To use Steam Overlay with games added via SteamTools:

  1. Open Steam and go to Settings
  2. Navigate to In-Game settings
  3. Enable "Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game"
  4. Set your preferred overlay hotkey (default: Shift+Tab)
  5. Launch your game through Steam
  6. Press the overlay hotkey during gameplay

Once enabled, the overlay will work with all games launched through Steam, including those added with SteamTools.

Key Overlay Features

  • Friends & Chat: Message friends and see who's online
  • Screenshots: Capture in-game moments with F12
  • Web Browser: Browse the internet without leaving your game
  • Achievements: View and track game achievements
  • Game Notes: Take notes about your gameplay
  • Controller Configuration: Customize controller settings
  • Performance Monitor: View FPS and system performance

Taking Screenshots

One of the most popular overlay features is screenshot capture:

  • Press F12 during gameplay to take a screenshot
  • Screenshots are automatically saved to your Steam screenshots folder
  • Access screenshots through the overlay or Steam library
  • Upload screenshots to Steam Cloud for sharing
  • Customize screenshot hotkey in Steam settings

Using the Web Browser

The overlay includes a full-featured web browser:

  • Access guides, walkthroughs, and wikis while playing
  • Check game forums and community discussions
  • Watch videos or stream content
  • No need to alt-tab out of your game
  • Browser history and bookmarks are saved

Troubleshooting Overlay Issues

If the overlay doesn't work with your game:

  • Ensure the game is launched through Steam
  • Check that overlay is enabled in Steam settings
  • Verify the overlay hotkey isn't conflicting with game controls
  • Try running Steam as administrator
  • Check if the game has overlay compatibility issues
  • Update Steam to the latest version

Customizing Overlay Settings

You can customize various overlay settings:

  • Change overlay hotkey to your preferred combination
  • Adjust screenshot quality and format
  • Configure notification preferences
  • Set up controller configurations per game
  • Customize overlay appearance and position