How to Add Fortnite to Steam in 2025

Fortnite and Steam are two of the biggest names in PC gaming, but they've never officially played together. Epic Games — Fortnite's developer — runs its own launcher, the Epic Games Store, which means Fortnite doesn't appear in Steam's library by default. That said, you can still add it to Steam manually using a feature Steam has offered for years. Here's what that actually means, how it works, and what affects whether it's worth doing for your setup.

Why Fortnite Isn't Natively on Steam

Epic Games and Valve (Steam's parent company) are direct competitors in the PC gaming storefront market. Fortnite ships exclusively through the Epic Games Launcher, and as of 2025, there's no version of Fortnite distributed through Steam. This isn't a technical limitation — it's a business one.

That means any method of "adding Fortnite to Steam" is purely cosmetic and functional at the surface level: it lets you launch Fortnite from within Steam's interface rather than switching to the Epic Games Launcher separately. The game still runs through Epic's infrastructure, and the Epic Games Launcher must still be installed.

What "Adding a Non-Steam Game" Actually Does

Steam includes a feature called "Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library." This creates a shortcut inside your Steam library that points to any executable on your PC — including the Epic Games Launcher or Fortnite's own launcher executable.

When you click that shortcut in Steam:

• Steam launches the specified executable
• You can enable Steam Overlay on top of Fortnite (for FPS counter, screenshot shortcuts, and browser access mid-game)
• The game shows as "In Game" on your Steam profile
• You can use Steam's Big Picture mode or controller configuration tools

What it does not do:

• Add Fortnite to Steam's store listing or update system
• Bypass Epic's account system or launcher requirements
• Count playtime in Steam's official stats
• Enable Steam achievements for Fortnite

Step-by-Step: How to Add Fortnite to Steam 🎮

Prerequisites: Fortnite must already be installed via the Epic Games Launcher. If it isn't, install it there first.

Method 1 — Add the Epic Games Launcher as the Shortcut

1. Open Steam
2. In the bottom-left corner, click "Add a Game" → "Add a Non-Steam Game..."
3. Steam will scan your PC for installed programs. Look for Epic Games Launcher in the list
4. Check the box next to it and click "Add Selected Programs"
5. Fortnite will launch via the Epic Games Launcher when you activate the shortcut

This is the simpler method but adds an extra step — you'll still need to click through Epic's launcher to start Fortnite.

Method 2 — Point Directly to Fortnite's Executable

1. Follow steps 1–2 above, but instead of selecting from the list, click "Browse"
2. Navigate to your Fortnite installation folder. The default path is typically: C:Program FilesEpic GamesFortniteFortniteGameBinariesWin64
3. Select FortniteClient-Win64-Shipping.exe
4. Click "Add Selected Programs"

This points the shortcut directly at Fortnite's executable. However, some users report that launching this way without the Epic Launcher already running can cause authentication errors, since Epic's backend still needs to verify your account. Results vary depending on system configuration and launcher version.

Optional: Rename and Add Artwork

Once added, right-click the shortcut in your Steam library and select "Properties" to rename it to "Fortnite." You can also use tools like SteamGridDB or Artwork Manager to download custom cover art and hero images so the shortcut looks like a native Steam title in your library.

Factors That Affect How Well This Works

Not everyone gets the same experience, and a few variables matter:

Anti-cheat interaction is the most important variable. Fortnite uses Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC), and launching through non-standard paths can, in some configurations, trigger verification steps or performance flags — though this is not a ban risk under normal circumstances.

Steam Deck Considerations 🕹️

If you're playing on a Steam Deck, adding Fortnite to your Steam library is more complex. Fortnite officially supports Windows only, and Epic Games has not released a Linux-native or Steam Deck-verified version as of 2025. Workarounds involving compatibility layers exist in the community, but they sit in a different technical category entirely — and results depend heavily on your specific Deck firmware version and community tool versions.

The Real Question for Your Setup

Adding Fortnite to Steam is technically simple and reversible — it's just a shortcut. But whether it improves your gaming experience depends on how you actually use Steam. Players who rely on Steam Overlay for tools like FPS counters or who use Steam's Big Picture mode consistently tend to find the most value in it. Those who primarily use Steam for its social features or game library organization may find the benefit more limited, especially if Epic's launcher handles controller and overlay features well enough on its own.

Your system configuration, how Fortnite behaves on your specific hardware, and whether Steam Overlay plays nicely with Easy Anti-Cheat on your machine are the pieces only you can test.