10 Life Hacks Every Steam Deck Owner Should Know

Valve’s Steam Deck, released in 2022, revolutionized PC gaming, popularizing the portable gaming PC format. In 2026, it still offers excellent performance-to-price ratio and remains highly relevant compared to more expensive and fiddly alternatives like the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X. But that doesn’t mean it’s ready to use right out of the box. SteamOS offers a more intuitive interface than any other portable gaming PC (or gaming PC in general, frankly), but there are plenty of ways to modify and customize it to make it truly yours.

Steam Deck’s desktop mode essentially turns it into a mini PC.

It’s simple, yet it greatly expands the capabilities of the Steam Deck. Yes, the main advantage of the Steam Deck is that you can easily launch games directly from the main screen using the built-in controls, but did you know that it can also be used as a more traditional desktop computer?

To switch your device to the built-in desktop mode, press the Steam button (the one located on the device itself), then select “Power.” Then select “Switch to Desktop.”

And so, you’re immediately taken to a more traditional PC interface, which will feel especially familiar if you’ve ever used Linux, the underlying operating system on which SteamOS is built.

You’ll need desktop mode to activate many of the other features on this list, but it’s also great on its own. With it, you can install your favorite Linux productivity apps or even just browse the web using the pre-installed Microsoft Edge (you can install your own browser later). You can use the right touchpad, joysticks, or touchscreen to move the mouse cursor, and press Steam + X to bring up the keyboard. You can also connect an external accessory or dock via the USB-C port on the top of the device. If done correctly, you can turn the Steam Deck into a fully-fledged mini PC with a built-in screen.

To exit desktop mode and return to the standard Steam Deck interface, click the “Return to Game Mode” icon in the upper-left corner of the desktop.

You can play games that are not hosted on Steam.

By default, Steam Deck will display games from your Steam library, and that’s where the store page will redirect you. This makes sense—Valve wants you to buy games from their store. But since Steam Deck is essentially a specialized mini PC, this won’t prevent you from playing games from other computer game stores.

There are several ways to do this, but the most convenient is undoubtedly the Heroic Launcher. It lets you install games from your Epic Game Store, Amazon, and GOG libraries, selecting them from a convenient scrolling list.

Installing Heroic Game Launcher is very simple. First, go to desktop mode , then click the “Discover” icon to the left of the folder icon. Find Heroic and install the app called Heroic (it will likely be the first one on the list and will have an icon resembling a shield and sword).

Once installed, open it either by clicking the shortcut on your desktop or by finding it using SteamOS’s version of the classic Windows Start menu (it’ll be on the far left of your taskbar and look like the Steam Deck logo).

From here, log in to your various game launcher accounts using the “Log In” button in the upper left corner. After that, you can simply install your games and be done with them, switching to desktop mode and opening the Heroic Launcher whenever you want to play them. But let’s take it a step further, allowing you to access them directly from Game Mode (the default Steam Deck interface).

First, let’s try installing any game from the “Library” tab to get used to the process. Select the game you want to install, then click “Install.” You may see an option to change the installation path or Wine settings. The latter can help with compatibility, but you likely won’t need to do so. Some games may require you to allow C++ installation to run, but you can simply click “Install” in the pop-up window that appears when you try to launch them.

After installing the game, click the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner and select “Add to Steam.” This will add the game to your Steam library, allowing you to launch it directly from your handheld’s game mode.

You can stop here, adding games to Steam as needed. But for maximum convenience, you can add the Heroic Launcher itself to your Steam Deck game mode to make it easier to access your games. To do this, click the Steam shortcut on your desktop (or open it from the Start menu). Then, click the “Add a game” button in the lower-left corner, next to the plus sign. Click “Add a non-Steam game,” and in the list that appears, find and select Heroic Game Launcher . Click “Add selected programs.” You can then access Heroic Game Launcher from Game Mode by going to “Library” > “Non-Steam.” All games added to Steam via Heroic Game Launcher will be displayed here, and you can use the same steps to add and view other third-party apps on Steam, even popular ones like Google Chrome. Note that the cover images for these apps may appear a little blank. There are several ways to fix this, but I’ll share my favorite below.

Install plugins to customize the site’s functionality.

SteamOS is fairly fast and easy to navigate by default, but fans have created various plugins to further customize it. You’ll find them in a program called Decky Loader.

Unlike the Heroic Launcher, Decky Loader requires installation via a browser. Switch to desktop mode , open any browser (Edge by default), then go to decky.xyz . From there , click “Download” in the upper right corner. Locate the installation file either in your browser or in the Steam Deck file manager (the folder icon on the taskbar) in the Downloads folder. Double-click it and proceed with the installation. For the best experience, choose the recommended installation method.

To start using Decky Loader, return to Game Mode and press the physical button with three dots on your Steam Deck (I’ll refer to it as the “quick settings button” from now on). Scroll down to the Decky Loader menu , which looks like a plugin. Here you can start experimenting with your plugins.

You have several options, so let’s take a look at where to find plugins and which ones are my favorites. First, select the market stall-like icon (in the upper right corner), and from there you’ll see all available plugins.

By default, they’ll be sorted alphabetically, but I find the “Sort by” option with “Most Downloaded First” to be the most popular. This puts the most popular plugins at the top of the list. My favorites include CSS Loader, which lets you change the appearance and theme of your Steam Deck , and Animation Changer, which lets you customize the animation your Steam Deck plays when it launches or pauses. Download the one you like and access it from the plugins menu by clicking the quick settings button.

Please note that installing a new Steam Deck system update can sometimes break plugins. To fix this, go to the Plugins menu , click the gear icon in the upper-right corner, then select “Plugins” and reinstall any that have updates. You may also need to update Decky Loader itself in the “General” menu on the same page. If the Plugins menu doesn’t appear, you’ll need to exit to the desktop, reinstall Decky Loader using the setup file you downloaded earlier, and restart the game.

Finally, let’s look at an example and answer the question of how to add artwork for non-Steam games. Download the SteamGridDB plugin from the Decky store . After installing it , navigate to any installed Steam game and press the “Start” button (the three horizontal lines above the right joystick). In the menu that appears, select “Change Artwork.” You’ll see several community-created options that will change the display of various game icons and posters in your Steam Deck library. This will work with virtually any game in your library—most games have artwork uploaded to the database from which this plugin pulls it—as well as some non-game programs. Most importantly, it will allow you to easily add artwork to games that don’t have it by default, such as non-Steam games.

Get yourself a berth

The Steam Deck is portable, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be used as a regular desktop computer. I’ve already covered how to enable desktop mode on the Steam Deck, but if you want to go further and use it on a larger screen, you’ll probably need a docking station.

You have a few options. I use the unofficial JSAUX dock , mainly because I bought mine before the official Steam Deck was released. To support Valve’s firmware, you’ll need the more expensive official Steam Deck dock , but that will only improve stability—it’s not required.

Whichever option you choose, make sure it has a DisplayPort or HDMI 2.1 port (check if your TV or monitor supports these ports), as they provide high resolution and refresh rates. A built-in Ethernet port will also be useful for a wired internet connection, as will additional USB ports.

With a dock, you can connect your Steam Deck to a larger screen using the USB-C port on the top and the appropriate HDMI or DisplayPort cables. You can also connect as many accessories as your dock allows. Some docks even have useful extra features. For example, storage device maker Sabrent sells a Steam Deck dock with the ability to install an M.2 SSD for storage expansion. JSAUX also sells such a dock , although I can’t comment on it as I have a different model.

Once you’ve connected the dock and set everything up, simply turn on the Steam Deck and configure your TV or monitor to the desired input, and you’ll be playing on the big screen just like on a standard PC. Please note that depending on your screen resolution, you may need to manually set the screen resolution for each game (available in the gear menu after selecting any game, under General > Game Resolution ), as some games may require a lower resolution to run at full speed when connected to a 4K TV. Alternatively, you can set a global maximum resolution for games by clicking the Steam button and going to Settings > Display > Advanced > Maximum Game Resolution .

You can also use Steam Deck’s built-in FSR scaling feature to improve image quality in games at lower resolutions. To do this, click the Quick Settings button , select the lightning bolt icon (this will take you to the Steam Deck performance settings), and scroll down to “Scaling Filter.” Select “Wide” to begin scaling, as I usually do, but there are other filters and modes you can experiment with to find the settings that work best for you.

Make it easier to emulate games from older systems.

In addition to running PC games, Steam Deck can be used to emulate games from older systems. While you can install emulators yourself ( legal programs , as long as they don’t contain copyrighted software), enterprising fans have created a tool that makes installing all the necessary emulators on your Steam Deck much easier. It’s called Emudeck, and installation is a breeze: go to desktop mode , open emudeck.com in your browser, click the “Download” button in the upper-right corner, select steamOS , and run the installation file either from your browser or from the “Downloads” tab in your file manager.

Frankly, there are a ton of installation options to choose from here—too many to list them all. If you’re new to emulation, I recommend choosing “Easy Mode,” which will configure you with EmuDeck’s recommended settings. These should be fine for most users, but if you want to customize settings like aspect ratio, filters, and which emulators to install, choose “Custom Mode.”

Go through the installation process, then to find your emulators, open Emulation Station (or the alternative interface you installed using Custom Mode) in Game Mode under Library > Non-Steam Games , or Steam ROM Manager by opening it from the Start menu.

As for actually downloading games to your device, you’ll generally have to figure this out on your own: it all depends on your retro game collection and how you extract files from it. However, many of the steps described in this article will also apply here.

Make the steam deck fan quieter.

If your Steam Deck’s fan is too noisy, don’t just put up with it. There are actually several ways to control it, including a simple official switch and a more advanced fan-developed option.

Let’s start with the official toggle. If the fan is excessively noisy, press the Steam button on your device, then select “System” and scroll down to “Enable updated fan control.” Enable it to make the fan quieter, but be aware that this may reduce performance, as the system will be less able to handle overheating. (If this setting is already enabled, you can disable it to potentially improve performance.)

For more detailed control, install Decky Loader using the “Install Plugins” method from this list. Then install the Fantastic plugin . This will allow you to set a custom fan speed curve for your Steam Deck, which will change the fan speed based on the current temperature of your Steam Deck. Simply open the plugin and tap the curve in the “FAN” menu to customize it.

Adjust power consumption to extend battery life.

Not every game requires the full power of your Steam Deck. If you play less demanding games, consider reducing your Steam Deck’s performance to save battery life. To do this, click the Quick Settings button and select the lightning bolt icon to open the Performance menu. Here, you can adjust the TDP limit to reduce your Steam Deck’s power consumption. By default, it’s set to 15W, but I’ve managed to get by with 8W or less in some less demanding games. Experiment to find the optimal balance of power and performance for your game.

Here, you can also set the GPU clock speed manually , which will reduce your GPU’s performance and may help improve battery life. Similarly, you can set the screen refresh rate , which will reduce the number of frames your system can display per second but may also increase gameplay time.

Get a steam deck system at a low price.

Since Valve discontinued the Steam Deck LCD , the base price of the Steam Deck is $550. Not bad for an OLED screen and all the features this device offers, but significantly more expensive than the previous starting price of $400. However, Valve occasionally puts new stock of “certified refurbished” Steam Deck units up for sale . These can start at $279, and while such offers are rare, it’s a significant discount if you manage to find one.

Valve is your best option for purchasing a refurbished Steam Deck console without any hassle, but if you absolutely must have one and can’t wait for the next release, you might want to consider using a third-party reseller program. GameStop also sells refurbished Steam Deck consoles , although at the time of writing, their inventory is also limited.

Refurbished steam decks are probably worth looking into, but don’t plan on purchasing them if you really want to buy a steam deck right now.

Get Steam Beta Updates

Valve is constantly improving SteamOS, but it may take some time for new features to become generally available. However, if you can’t wait for the next major SteamOS update, you can easily sign up for the beta. To do this, click the Steam button , then go to Settings > System > Beta Participation . From here, you can join the beta or preview .

This will allow you to access new SteamOS features faster, although it may lead to instability. However, if you don’t mind tinkering with the settings, it will allow you to more quickly access features like downloading files when the display is off .

Make your steam deck more colorful.

Finally, let’s make the screen a little brighter. This might be especially useful if, like me, you own one of those discontinued Steam Decks LCD monitors.

Previously, this feature was only available as a fan-made plugin, but Valve has now added official support for customizing Steam Deck color settings. To access it, click the Steam button and go to Settings > Display . From there, click “Adjust display colors.” This will take you to a menu where you can adjust the color temperature and saturation of your device, and the results will be displayed in the demo image above.

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