diff --git a/post_build/README.experimental_steamclient.md b/post_build/README.experimental_steamclient.md
index 3a4b3129..c5a840f4 100644
--- a/post_build/README.experimental_steamclient.md
+++ b/post_build/README.experimental_steamclient.md
@@ -83,6 +83,11 @@ This dll is meant to be injected during **startup** only, it must **not** be pla
 Some apps verify the existence of this dll, either on disk, or inside their memory space, that's why this dll exists.  
 It is **NOT** recommended to ignore this dll.  
 
+## Recommended path for apps/games
+Some apps check if their **root folder** is inside `steamapps/common`, so it is recommended to create this directory `steamapps/common` and put the app's **folder** there.  
+Example: `~/my apps/steamapps/common/my app/`  
+Example: `D:\my apps\steamapps\common\my app\`  
+
 ## Mods paths (source-engine games on Windows)
 On Windows, the registry key `SourceModInstallPath` is changed to the folder containing the loader.  
 ```
@@ -95,4 +100,4 @@ New value:      <FOLDER CONTAINING THE LOADER>
 This affects source-engine mods  
 
 ## Linux
-On Linux, you may need to set the environment variable `PROTON_DISABLE_LSTEAMCLIENT=1` when running `steamclient_loader.exe`, depending on the Proton variant you are using (e.g. Proton GE run through Lutris or UMU needs it).
\ No newline at end of file
+On Linux, you may need to set the environment variable `PROTON_DISABLE_LSTEAMCLIENT=1` when running `steamclient_loader.exe`, depending on the Proton variant you are using (e.g. Proton GE run through Lutris or UMU needs it).
diff --git a/tools/steamclient_loader/win/ColdClientLoader.cpp b/tools/steamclient_loader/win/ColdClientLoader.cpp
index fe16d94b..2a02fef2 100644
--- a/tools/steamclient_loader/win/ColdClientLoader.cpp
+++ b/tools/steamclient_loader/win/ColdClientLoader.cpp
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ static void cleanup_registry_hkcs()
 
 
 
-static void set_steam_env_vars(const std::string &AppId)
+static void set_steam_env_vars()
 {
     SetEnvironmentVariableA("SteamAppId", AppId.c_str());
     SetEnvironmentVariableA("SteamGameId", AppId.c_str());
@@ -420,6 +420,55 @@ static void set_steam_env_vars(const std::string &AppId)
 }
 
 
+static void read_steam_settings_appid()
+{
+    static const auto try_read_file = [](const std::filesystem::path &appid_file) -> std::string {
+        try {
+            if (!common_helpers::file_exist(appid_file)) return {};
+
+            auto fr = std::ifstream(appid_file, std::ios::in | std::ios::binary);
+            if (!fr) return {};
+
+            std::string content{};
+            std::getline(fr, content);
+            fr.close();
+
+            return common_helpers::string_strip(content);
+        } catch(...) {}
+
+        return {};
+    };
+
+    const auto steam_settings_folder = std::filesystem::u8path("steam_settings");
+    const auto current_folder = std::filesystem::u8path(pe_helpers::get_current_exe_path());
+    const auto exe_folder = std::filesystem::u8path(ExeFile).parent_path();
+    const auto exe_run_dir_folder = std::filesystem::u8path(ExeRunDir);
+    const std::vector<std::filesystem::path> search_folders {
+        current_folder / steam_settings_folder,
+        exe_folder / steam_settings_folder,
+        exe_run_dir_folder / steam_settings_folder,
+
+        current_folder,
+        exe_folder,
+        exe_run_dir_folder,
+    };
+    
+    for (const auto &folder : search_folders) {
+        
+        const auto appid_file = folder / std::filesystem::u8path("steam_appid.txt");
+        const auto content = try_read_file(appid_file);
+        if (!content.empty()) {
+            AppId = content;
+            logger.write(
+                "Read appid file '%s', content '%s'",
+                appid_file.u8string().c_str(), AppId.c_str()
+            );
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+
 int APIENTRY wWinMain(_In_ HINSTANCE hInstance, _In_opt_ HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, _In_ PWSTR lpCmdLine, _In_ int nCmdShow)
 {
     IniFile = pe_helpers::get_current_exe_path() + std::filesystem::u8path(pe_helpers::get_current_exe_name()).stem().u8string() + ".ini";
@@ -624,20 +673,24 @@ int APIENTRY wWinMain(_In_ HINSTANCE hInstance, _In_opt_ HINSTANCE hPrevInstance
     }
 
     if (PersistentMode != 2) {
-        if (AppId.size() && AppId[0]) {
-            try {
-                (void)std::stoul(AppId);
-            } catch(...) {
-                logger.write("AppId is not a valid number");
-                MessageBoxA(NULL, "AppId is not a valid number.", "ColdClientLoader", MB_ICONERROR);
+        if (AppId.empty()) {
+            read_steam_settings_appid();
+            if (AppId.empty()) {
+                logger.write("You forgot to set the AppId");
+                MessageBoxA(NULL, "You forgot to set the AppId.", "ColdClientLoader", MB_ICONERROR);
                 return 1;
             }
-            set_steam_env_vars(AppId);
-        } else {
-            logger.write("You forgot to set the AppId");
-            MessageBoxA(NULL, "You forgot to set the AppId.", "ColdClientLoader", MB_ICONERROR);
+        }
+
+        try {
+            (void)std::stoul(AppId);
+        } catch(...) {
+            logger.write("AppId is not a valid number");
+            MessageBoxA(NULL, "AppId is not a valid number.", "ColdClientLoader", MB_ICONERROR);
             return 1;
         }
+
+        set_steam_env_vars();
     } else { // steam://run/
         constexpr const static wchar_t STEAM_LAUNCH_CMD_1[] = L"-- \"steam://run/";
         constexpr const static wchar_t STEAM_LAUNCH_CMD_2[] = L"-- \"steam://rungameid/";
@@ -658,7 +711,7 @@ int APIENTRY wWinMain(_In_ HINSTANCE hInstance, _In_opt_ HINSTANCE hPrevInstance
         }
 
         if (AppId.size()) {
-            set_steam_env_vars(AppId);
+            set_steam_env_vars();
             logger.write("persistent mode 2 will use app id = " + AppId);
         } else {
             logger.write("persistent mode 2 didn't find app id");
diff --git a/tools/steamclient_loader/win/ColdClientLoader.ini b/tools/steamclient_loader/win/ColdClientLoader.ini
index bb9bdd75..d416e21d 100644
--- a/tools/steamclient_loader/win/ColdClientLoader.ini
+++ b/tools/steamclient_loader/win/ColdClientLoader.ini
@@ -1,16 +1,23 @@
 # modified version of ColdClientLoader originally by Rat431
 [SteamClient]
 # path to game exe, absolute or relative to the loader
-Exe=game.exe
+Exe=steamapps\common\game_folder\game.exe
 # empty means the folder of the exe
 ExeRunDir=
 # any additional args to pass, ex: -dx11, also any args passed to the loader will be passed to the app
 ExeCommandLine=
-# IMPORTANT, unless [Persistence] Mode=2
+# Steam ID of the app, unless [Persistence] Mode=2
+# if this is empty the loader will try to read the file "steam_appid.txt" from the following folders in order:
+#   <loader directory>/steam_settings/
+#   <exe directory>/steam_settings/
+#   <exe run directory>/steam_settings/
+# 
+#   <loader directory>/
+#   <exe directory>/
+#   <exe run directory>/
 AppId=
 
-# path to the steamclient dlls, both must be set,
-# absolute paths or relative to the loader
+# path to the steamclient dlls, both must be set, absolute paths or relative to the loader directory
 SteamClientDll=steamclient.dll
 SteamClient64Dll=steamclient64.dll