Steam Deck News

Note: This update is for the Steam Deck Preview channel, and includes new features that are still being tested. You can opt into this in Settings > System > Steam Update Channel.

• Rebased SteamOS on the latest version of Arch Linux
  • This update pulls in the latest performance, security and stability fixes for the underlying packages that are the foundation for SteamOS
    
  • Most notably, this includes recent changes to KDE Plasma, Steam Deck's Desktop Mode. Full notes on these updates can be found on KDE's website here, here, and here. Here are a few of the highlights:
    
    • New Overview view to see all open windows and virtual desktops
      
    • Updates to KRunner, the built in assistant for searching and running tasks
      
    • New touchscreen gestures
      
    • New themes and wallpapers
      
    • Updates to widgets
      
• Performance profiles
  • New option to allow Screen Tearing
    
  • Changed performance HUD level 2 to use a horizontal layout. It fits in the letterbox space for games running in a 16:9 aspect ratio.
    
• Storage
  • Re-enabled TRIM for the internal drive as well as supported external storage devices, improving write performance
    • This includes a workaround ensuring that TRIM operations are safe for SD cards that advertise discard support but do not support it
      
    • Steam will periodically TRIM storage devices as needed
    • New button in Settings → System → Advanced to run trim immediately
      
  • Added an eject option for removable drives in Settings → Storage
    • This unmounts the removable drive, it does not physically eject it
      
  • External drives formatted as ext4 are now automatically mounted and available for use in Steam
    
• Input
  • Disabled built-in DualShock 4 and DualSense trackpad → mouse emulation when Steam is running
    
  • Changed timing of virtual keypresses to improve game compatibility with on-screen keyboard
    • Fixes input issues with apps such as Street Fighter V, EA app
      
  • Fixed Steam Input's action set switching based on cursor visibility in Game mode
    
  • Re-enabled the built-in gamepad driver when Steam is not running in desktop mode
    
• Audio
  • Fixed a case where the default audio device would display "echo-cancel-sink" and audio controls would cease to work correctly
    
  • Fixed a case where some applications would output audio to the wrong device
    
  • Fixed an issue with HDMI/DisplayPort audio going to sleep after being idle on external displays
    
• General
  • Fixed a performance issue that could cause 100ms hitches during gameplay if adaptive backlight was enabled
    
  • Fixed issue with opening file managers if the gamescope session has been restarted
    
  • Fixed issues with sleep / wake for a number of titles
    
  • Fixed GPU clock settings sometimes not sticking if set manually (thanks to user xperia64 for the amdgpu kernel patch backport)
    
  • Fixed an issue with fan controller excessive sensor polling causing sporadic fan behavior and higher SSD temps on some NVME drives
    
  • New firmware for Docking Station
    • Fixes an issue where HDMI 2.0 displays are not detected during wake or boot up
      
  • Known Issue: Chinese Pinyin and Zhuyin input for the on-screen keyboard are not currently functioning correctly - we are aware of the issues and will address in an upcoming update.
    

Note: This update is for the Steam Deck Beta and Preview channels, and includes new features that are still being tested. You can opt into this in Settings > System > Steam Update Channel.

General

• Fixed the 'Cancel' button in the wifi password dialogue for a new connection causing the current network to disconnect
  

Note: This update is for the Steam Deck Beta and Preview channels, and includes new features that are still being tested. You can opt into this in Settings > System > Steam Update Channel.

General

• Fixed downloads page crashing when starting in offline mode
  
• Downloads page now properly responds to online/offline status
  
• Virtual Keyboard now has a maximum width, so that it doesn't stretch to an unusable size on large screens in Docked mode
  

Desktop Mode

• Fixed issue preventing the Virtual Keyboard from accessing the clipboard and being able to perform paste operations
  
• Fixed duplicate dialogs (e.g. uninstall dialog) after opening the standalone keyboard or controller configurator
  
• Fixed regression where Browse Local Files was no longer working
  
• Fixed circular download progress indicator being broken in game entry list
  
• Fixed issue where the library UI would not render in offline mode
  

New Big Picture Mode

• Fixed issue where custom artwork and local screenshots were not found when running with -newbigpicture
  
• Fixed issue where transitioning from Desktop => BPM => Desktop would cause the Friends List to be signed out
  
• Fixed issue where advanced display settings were not visible outside of the Steam Deck
  
• Fixed issue where the old Big Picture Mode was started when the checkbox in Settings => Interface specified that Big Picture Mode should be the startup UI, even though -newbigpicture was specified.
  
• Fixed Virtual Keyboard not working properly when brought up manually or by automatically by the game
  

Note: This update is for the Steam Deck Beta and Preview channels, and includes new features that are still being tested. You can opt into this in Settings > System > Steam Update Channel.

• Added error dialog for when the user clicks on a mailto link
  
• Set scale for startup movies so that the top and bottom of the movie are cropped for 16:9 aspect ratio in docked mode
  
• Fixed issue in desktop mode that sometimes made it difficult to drag the Friends List
  
• Fixed glyphs for third party Nintendo Switch controllers while streaming
  
• Fixed inaccurate location of context menus for the Friends List in desktop mode
  
• Fixed a bug that could prevent exiting offline mode in the same session where the client entered offline mode
  

Note: This update is for the Steam Deck Beta and Preview channels, and includes new features that are still being tested. You can opt into this in Settings > System > Steam Update Channel.

General:

• When installing a game always show the install location picker if there is more than one library folder, and automatically focus the default library folder when the dialog shows up
  
• Fixed issue where Steam would be unable to connect in some cases after suspend/resume
  
• Fixed issues where the main window would close and then be reloaded:
  
  • When selecting a friend in the previously or recently played
    
  • When selecting a guide in a game's Community Feed
    
  • When selecting the "Downloading" label on a game's detail page
    

Desktop Mode:

• Center the popup controller configurator window when viewing controller layout
  
• Fixed the old version of Big Picture Mode opening when hitting the Steam/Guide button on the Steam window
  
• Fixed recently played games not showing up in the Recent Games shelf in library