The Steam Deck needs no big introduction. It’s one of the best handheld gaming consoles for playing a lot of great PC games away from a monitor or TV. So, if you just purchased one or are waiting for yours to arrive, there’s a lot of wonder awaiting you.
Thanks to the power of SteamOS, you can not only game but install all kinds of apps, use a web browser, and a lot more. So if you’re looking for tips on how to navigate your new Steam Deck, find new games, or are looking for docks or controllers, we’ll speed you through setup.
1 Familiarize yourself with SteamOS
The operating system that powers your Steam Deck is known as SteamOS, and it’s a custom Linux-based operating system distributed by Valve. It’s different from Windows, iOS, and Android, though, since it puts Valve’s storefront, Steam, front and center and has two modes, a desktop mode, and a gaming mode. It’s easy to navigate using the touchscreen or the joysticks.
Once you unbox the system and power it on, you’ll be prompted to download any updates and will be taken to the standard gaming mode first. You’ll have to sign in with Steam and connect to Wi-Fi. From there, you can navigate over to your library to see your games. You’ll see recently played games first, but you can scroll over to see your full library.
You can press the Steam Button to pull up different areas of SteamOS. In the sidebar, you’ll see the Library section, the link to the Store, a Social section for interacting with Steam friends, a Media section for screenshots, and Downloads for peeking at the progress of games you might want to download. There are also links to Settings and the Power Menu.
That Steam button is not to be confused with the home button, which is to the right of the console (the three dots). It gives you access to Quick Settings, like brightness, audio, network and battery, and other performance settings, suggested per the game, or frame rate limits and overlays.
Oh, and if you purchased a microSD card for your Steam Deck, you’ll want to plug it into your system after the initial boot and setup. Simply insert it into the bottom of the Steam Deck. Then, press the Steam Button and head into Settings> System> Format SD Card for your Steam Deck to recognize it, so you can start installing and playing games on it.
2 Where to find games, and what games to try
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The best way to play games on your Steam Deck is to download titles that you see listed on Steam. Press the Steam button, then choose Store to be taken to the Steam storefront. From here, there will be thousands of games you can download. We suggest sticking to games that are compatible with the Steam Deck in the Great on Deck section. They have a green checkmark on them and have been verified by Valve.
Having said that, you can technically install almost anything listed on this storefront. Just keep in mind ones that have a yellow mark will be playable with varying issues, and a question mark icon says it’s unclear if it’ll play well. For example, a yellow checkmark can mean something as innocuous as needing to change a control input. You can sort through these various categories at the bottom of the storefront.
You can also install games from outside the Steam library, which we’ll talk about in the next section. These don’t have any sort of verification to ensure they run well on the Steam Deck, however. Check out our best Steam Deck Games for some titles to ttry.
3 Remember, there’s the desktop mode and the option to install Windows for advanced users
There’s also a desktop mode that you can try on your Steam Deck to turn into a full-blown PC. This is for more advanced users who might be into running Linux applications and other programs and games beyond what Valve offers on Steam. The desktop mode can be accessed by pressing the power button and choosing Switch to Desktop. It gives you a desktop-like experience that’s based on Arch Linux. Tap the Steam button to see all your applications and launch games. There are also sections for All Applications, Development, Games, Graphics, Internet, Multimedia, System, and Utilities. For example, you can access the Firefox or Microsoft Edge web browser from Internet. For installing additional apps, we suggest launching the Discover app that’s pinned to the bottom of your screen (second from left next to the Steam icon). You can find many emulators here. We have a separate guide on how to emulate games on your Steam Deck.
Additionally, thanks to the power of Linux and the compatibility layer that’s known as Proton, you can technically download and install games from outside Steam (like Overwatch 2) in this desktop mode. Download the installer for that game in this mode using the web browser, and add it to your Steam Library by opening Steam and clicking add a non-Steam game. Then, ensure you click on the game, choose the settings gear, then Properties>Compatibility, and choose the Proton version to run the game with. You can then re-enter the usual SteamOS UI and launch the game.
You can also install Windows on your Steam Deck. There are ways for you to replace SteamOS with Windows entirely, or you can dual boot Windows and SteamOS by creating a new partition and booting it externally from an SD card or on a USB Drive. This is so you can try out more games on your handheld, or use the Steam Deck as a Windows PC.
4 Manage controllers or try an external controller
The Steam Deck has integrated controllers, which is great for on-the-go gaming. In gaming mode, you can manage the buttons on a per-game basis in your Steam Library and then press the controller icon on the right side of the game’s landing page. When in a game, you can manage controls by pressing the Steam button, going to Settings and choosing Controller settings.
External controllers work great with the Steam Deck, too, and you can pair them via Bluetooth by pressing the Steam Button, going into Settings, and then choosing Bluetooth. Then, press the pair button on your controller, select it from the list, and you’re good to go. For controller recommendations, we have a guide to the best Steam Deck controllers.
5 Try SteamOS on the big screen with a dock
Finally, you can use your Steam Deck with a dock to plug it into an external display and port those games over to the big screen. There are many great Steam Deck docks, but the official one is the best to use. It has three USB-A 3.1 ports, Ethernet, a DisplayPort, and an HDMI port for hooking up to your TV. Once you plug your Steam Deck into a dock via USB-C and then plug an HDMI or DisplayPort cable into your dock and your TV, you’ll be good to go.
Enjoy your new Steam Deck
And there you have it! Those are five tips to get you started with your Steam Deck. We’ve reviewed the Steam Deck and absolutely loved it. For our own Timi Cantisano, the Steam Deck even reinvigorated his passion for gaming. And we’re almost certain that with a new Steam Deck in your hands, you’re going to love gaming more than ever.