How to Add Games to GeForce Experience on Windows 10 (Now NVIDIA App)

If you are trying to add a game to GeForce Experience on Windows 10, the current method is slightly different from older guides. NVIDIA has replaced GeForce Experience with the NVIDIA App, which keeps its game-detection and optimization features in a newer interface. Instead of adding a game executable one at a time, you add the folder where your games are installed and let NVIDIA App scan that location.

NVIDIA says GeForce Experience can still be reinstalled, but it is no longer supported. For most Windows 10 systems, the steps below are the recommended approach. You can get the current software from the official NVIDIA App download page.

How to add games to NVIDIA App on Windows 10

Before changing anything, open NVIDIA App and check the Home screen. Games that the app has already detected appear in its Library. If the game you want is already listed, you do not need to add it again.

1. Open NVIDIA App. If you still have GeForce Experience installed, consider upgrading to NVIDIA App first because GeForce Experience is no longer the supported client.
2. Open Settings. Select the Settings entry in the left sidebar.
3. Find Scan Locations. NVIDIA's support documentation says missing games can be addressed by checking the folders listed under Settings > Scan Locations.
4. Add your games folder. Select Add, then choose the folder that contains the installed game. For example, if several games are stored under D:\Games, adding that parent folder is usually more useful than adding a desktop shortcut or Start menu entry.
5. Let NVIDIA App check the folder. After the location is added, give the app time to scan it, then return to Home and check the Library again.

NVIDIA's own support page confirms this workflow: if a supported game is missing, make sure its installation directory is one of the folders NVIDIA App checks. See NVIDIA's game-detection support article for the current guidance.

What to do if your game still does not appear

Adding a scan location does not guarantee that every executable will become an optimizable game. NVIDIA App recognizes supported titles and their configuration files. If nothing appears after adding the correct folder, work through these checks:

• Confirm that the game is supported. NVIDIA maintains an official list of supported games and apps. A game that is not on the list may not appear as an optimizable title even when its folder is scanned.
• Launch the game once. NVIDIA notes that newly installed games often create configuration files on first launch. Those files may be required before optimal settings can be applied.
• Install the latest game patch. NVIDIA's optimization profiles are designed for the latest official game versions.
• Check the actual install path. Steam, Epic Games, Xbox, and other launchers can place games on a secondary drive or in a custom library. Add the folder that contains the installed files rather than assuming everything is under C:\Program Files.
• Update NVIDIA App and your driver. NVIDIA lists Windows 10 and Windows 11 as supported operating systems and recommends a GeForce 551.52 driver or later for NVIDIA App. Keeping both the client and display driver current also avoids troubleshooting an obsolete interface.

If the game is detected but cannot be optimized, NVIDIA specifically recommends running the game once and updating it to its latest official patch. The company documents those steps in its optimization troubleshooting guide.

Optimize a game after NVIDIA App finds it

Once a supported game appears, select it from the Library or Graphics section. NVIDIA App can recommend settings based on your GPU, CPU, and display, and it provides a Performance-to-Quality control before you apply the recommended configuration. You can review the individual settings first rather than treating optimization as mandatory.

If you prefer your own in-game settings, leave them unchanged. NVIDIA App is a convenience layer, not a requirement for launching games.

Can you still add games in the old GeForce Experience app?

Technically, yes, but it is now a legacy path. NVIDIA's current FAQ says you can uninstall NVIDIA App and reinstall GeForce Experience, but it also states that GeForce Experience is no longer supported. That is why older instructions that refer to the GeForce Experience Home page, a three-dot menu, a Games tab, or a separate “Scan for games” command should be treated as outdated for a current Windows 10 setup.

The practical fix is simple: use NVIDIA App, open Settings > Scan Locations, add the folder where the game is installed, and verify that the title is on NVIDIA's supported-games list. That keeps the original GeForce Experience functionality while using the interface NVIDIA currently maintains.