Choose a client
Greenlight or XBPlayer on Steam Deck: which should you choose?
Both clients work with your Xbox and cloud games. Compare current versions, controls and access terms; XBPlayer setup and Steam Input preparation are covered separately.
On this page
Greenlight and XBPlayer let you play on Steam Deck from your own Xbox or through Xbox Cloud Gaming. Greenlight is an open-source project with Linux releases; XBPlayer offers its own interface, control profiles and streaming settings. Your choice depends on the mode you need, the setup process and purchase terms. For step-by-step XBPlayer setup after installation, see the Steam Deck guide.
Where to get the apps and their support status
Greenlight links to Flathub and ready-to-use releases. As of October 24, 2026, the latest listed release is v2.4.2. The developer has designated V2 as a maintenance branch: critical bugs are fixed, but new features are not added. V3 is in development without an announced release date; its features should not be treated as an already available update.
For XBPlayer, use the official website and Deck instructions. Instructions for installing on an Android phone do not replace the Steam Deck installation process. Check purchase terms for the Deck version through its distribution channel; the Android version's balance of ad-supported minutes does not carry over.
Comparison to help you choose
| Question | Greenlight | XBPlayer on Steam Deck |
|---|---|---|
| Your own Xbox or the cloud | Supports home streaming and xCloud | Remote Play and “Cloud gaming” |
| Where to get the app | Official GitHub releases / Flathub | The channel listed on the XBPlayer website |
| Controls | Controller and keyboard bindings; Xbox button through N | Built-in Deck controls, controller profiles, remapping and dead zones |
| Image settings | Features of the installed Greenlight release | Separate Remote/Cloud resolution modes and an optional bitrate limit |
| Phone settings on Deck | Android client instructions do not apply to Greenlight | Phone touch controls, PiP and FSR cannot automatically be assumed to apply to the Deck version |
| Project development | V2: critical fixes; V3 has no ETA as of the review date | Use the available release and its update notes |
A supported mode does not grant rights to a game. Remote Play requires an Xbox One/Series with remote features enabled; cloud play requires an eligible account, game and region. Game Pass and cloud-hour terms apply independently of the client.
The Xbox button and Steam Input
Greenlight's README maps the Xbox button to the N key: you can assign it to one of Steam Deck's back buttons. The --fullscreen launch option enables fullscreen mode. These are Greenlight settings; do not add them to XBPlayer by analogy.
In XBPlayer, first test the built-in sticks, D-pad, buttons, bumpers and triggers. Then use a controller profile if you need a different command. The Deck guide covers the first connection and control checks. An additional Steam Input binding on top of a client profile can change the button you expect.
Gyro, trackpads and back buttons depend on the input path and configured layout. A sensor being present in Deck does not mean it reaches a third-party client in the same way as an Android phone's sensor.
Sleep and docking
Save through the game before putting Deck to sleep. After waking it, check the picture and controls; reconnect if the session has disconnected. Putting the client device to sleep does not guarantee that the game pauses on the Xbox or in the cloud.
If you use a dock, check the selected display, audio output and controller. Ordinary SteamOS output to a monitor differs from the dedicated Android mode that puts the game on a second screen while touch controls stay on the phone. The absence of that second mode in the Deck version does not prevent ordinary docked display output.
How to decide
If you want an open-source Linux client and are comfortable with V2's maintenance status, start with Greenlight. If you want XBPlayer's profiles and interface, set it up on your Deck and evaluate the specific feature in a familiar game. There is no basis for promising that one client has lower latency without measuring both under the same conditions.
Complete the first gaming session once in each option, then compare the differences that matter using the criteria for choosing before purchase. How quickly the menu opens does not replace testing buttons, text and connectivity in the game itself.
Details for a Steam Deck problem
Select only the scenarios you actually tested.
The version and launch method are recorded
Specify the client version, SteamOS version and whether you launch in Desktop or Gaming Mode.
Xbox on Steam Deck: your first XBPlayer connection and controls →The game and mode match
Use the same Xbox or the same cloud game under the same account when comparing.
Xbox Remote Play or Xbox Cloud Gaming: which should you use? →The required command has been tested
Specify the button, its Steam Input/client assignment and the action it actually performs.
How to remap controller buttons in XBPlayer →Sleep or an external display reproduces the failure
If the problem involves this scenario, describe the state before and after it, and how you restore the session.
Do not include your password, one-time code or tokens in a support request. Your email app sends the message prepared by the form.
Sources and further reading
- XBPlayer — official website — Client features and the central starting point for downloads.
- Greenlight — official repository — Remote Play and xCloud, Linux/Steam Deck, Flathub and releases; N key for Xbox and the --fullscreen option.
- Greenlight v2.4.2 — release notes — V2 receives critical fixes, with no new features; V3 is in development without an ETA. The latest-release API was checked on October 24, 2026.
- Xbox Remote Play — Microsoft — Xbox One/Series, remote features and separate requirements for games and online modes. The official web route's system requirements are not XBPlayer requirements.
- Xbox Cloud Gaming — Microsoft — Cloud catalog, supported devices, certain free games and selected purchased games. A separate announcement establishes the dates of monthly limits.
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