A brilliant new app makes your Xbox Ally look cleaner with proper Steam artwork

If you’re using an ASUS ROG Ally, Ally X, or even the standard Xbox Ally, you might find that adding games from Steam to the Xbox App isn’t very smooth. The game artwork often doesn’t display correctly, showing placeholder images or just the app icon instead of the actual game cover, which can look messy and unappealing.

Luckily, SteamGridDB solves this problem. It’s a free app you can get from the Microsoft Store that automatically adds the correct game images when you browse your games on devices like the Xbox Ally, Xbox Ally X, and Lenovo Legion Go 2 – basically, any device using the Xbox App.

The app just launched yesterday. I first saw it reported on rogallylife, and it was created by “lirrik” on GitHub.

How to install SteamGridDB for Xbox and apply custom artwork

Settings > Privacy & security > File system

Let apps access your file system > SteamGridDB for Xbox > Toggle On

It’s quick and easy to set up SteamGridDB for Xbox – it only takes a moment. However, the app needs a specific permission before it can access your game artwork. If you follow these simple steps, you’ll enjoy a unified and organized look for your game tiles on Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store, and other platforms.

Install the SteamGridDB for Xbox app

Grab the widget directly from the Microsoft Store:

Microsoft Store page: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9pkqx0rjc32v

GitHub (for transparency and updates): https://github.com/lirrik/steamgriddb-xbox

Install it like any other Game Bar widget.

Enable file system access (required)

Game Bar widgets operate within a restricted environment and can’t access standard file selection tools, so the developer needed Microsoft’s approval to allow access. You’ll have to enable this feature yourself.

Here’s the path:

Open Settings
Go to Privacy & security
Select File system
Under “Let apps access your file system”, find SteamGridDB for Xbox
Toggle it On

Choose artwork for each game

The widget handles stores differently:

Steam and GOG: Auto-detection works immediately. You’ll see proper artwork appear for each title with no extra steps.
Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Connect: Search for these manually by typing the game’s name into the widget. It’ll pull artwork from SteamGridDB instantly.
Battle.net: Not supported. Battle.net stores art differently and the Xbox app doesn’t expose those images in a usable format.

Apply the artwork

Select a game, pick the artwork you like, and the widget replaces the Xbox app’s image in seconds.

Restart the Xbox app (optional but helpful)

As a gamer, I’ve noticed the Xbox app is usually great at showing off new game artwork right away. But if it *doesn’t* update immediately, don’t worry! A simple restart of the app usually does the trick and everything refreshes perfectly. It’s a quick fix that saves me from staring at the old cover art!

Without SteamGridDB

With SteamGridDB

It’s not flawless, and it seems you still need to add the game artwork yourself for each title. However, it’s a significant improvement over the standard artwork you see when adding games to the Xbox app from Steam.

FAQ

What devices does SteamGridDB for Xbox work on?

Windows 11 devices capable of running the Xbox Game Bar work with this, including the Xbox Ally, Ally X, ROG Ally, MSI Claw, and various laptops, desktops, and handheld PCs.

Does this work inside the Xbox Full Screen Experience?

Once you change the artwork within the Xbox app, the full-screen display will automatically update to show the new images.

Is it safe to enable file system access?

The widget only accesses and updates artwork files that the Xbox app uses for games added from outside the Xbox store. It doesn’t look at any other files on your computer or scan your system.

Will Battle.net games ever be supported?

It’s highly improbable. Battle.net uses a unique image format, and the Xbox app doesn’t preserve images from those games in a way that can be easily accessed. The game’s creators have confirmed that extracting screenshots from Battle.net is not possible.

Is this app officially supported by Microsoft?

This isn’t an official Xbox feature. It’s a tool created by the community and available on the Microsoft Store, but it’s been approved by Microsoft and operates with their permission.

2025-11-12 01:10