Frameloader
For Steam Frame · Free and open source

Drag. Drop. Play.

How do you sideload APK Android apps, Windows exe apps, Linux apps, and more to your Steam Frame for free without installing sketchy closed-source shareware? You use Frameloader.

Download View the code

macOS, Windows, and Linux · MIT licensed · Fully LAN

Frameloader's home screen: a drop zone above a list of three apps installed on the headset, each with a Play button.

How to get loading

  1. 1
    Turn on Developer ModeSteam Settings → System → Enable Developer Mode, then set a user password under Developer.
  2. 2
    PairOpen Settings → Developer → Pair new host on the headset, click Pair in Frameloader, and approve.
  3. 3
    DropFrom then on it's drag, drop, Install. The title appears under Non-Steam in your library.

Frameloader automates the sideloading process that Valve built for developers to test apps on the Frame. This lets you get apps into the Frame's library without needing to mess around with the terminal yourself every time.

Reviewing an Android app before installing: its name, details like arm64 and VR app, the Lepton runtime, and an Install to Frame button.

Actually private - no analytics, no tracking, nothing.

Frameloader is a tiny piece of freeware that solves one problem - getting apps from your computer to your Steam Frame.

  • No analytics, no telemetry, no crash reporting. Frameloader doesn't count you or profile you.
  • No account. Nothing to sign up for and nothing to sign in to.
  • Talks only to your Frame. It connects to the headset on your own network: SSH, Valve's pairing service, and local discovery.
  • This website doesn't track you either. No cookies, no analytics, no third-party fonts or scripts.

Don't take our word for it: read the code.

Open source, top to bottom

Yes it was written with the help of Claude, but it's also a straight forward bit of code. The whole app (and this site) is MIT licensed and you can read it, fork it, file an issue, send a PR.

travelerdev/frameloader

The desktop app, this website, and the notes on how sideloading to the Frame actually works.

View on GitHub →

Standing on good shoulders

Valve's open-source SteamOS Devkit Client and Lepton, plus the field notes from Frame Control.

Frameloader is 100% free and open source

I'm Zack - I made this because I wanted to solve this problem without having to install sketchy closed-source software or dig into terminal all afternoon.

Buy me a coffee