The Steam Deck is a mighty fine device, but with a few tips & tricks, it only gets better. The tricks we share with you below will help you get even more out of the handheld.
Were you treated to a Steam Deck during the holidays? Or are you curious what else you can do with the device? There’s plenty in store for you. Here are our tips & tricks:
#1 Shortcuts on your Steam Deck
Although a Steam Deck has to do without your laptop’s keyboard, there are a lot of handy shortcuts to use. It makes navigating more intuitive. Moreover, you can easily find the list of shortcuts by pressing the Steam button on the left side. We list the most useful ones for you:
Steam + B: force exit a game
Steam + X: bring up the keyboard
Steam + L1: use the magnifying glass
Steam + R1: take a screenshot
Steam + L2: left mouse click
Steam + R2: right mouse click
Steam + D-pad right: use enter
Steam + D-pad left: use Escape
Steam + D-pad down: use Tab
#2 Adjust the controls
The default settings often get you a long way, but with some games it is much nicer to adjust the controls. Before starting a game in your library, press the controller icon to see how the controls are set.
You’ll also find layouts created by the community. The most popular ones are at the top. Go through the list and see if there is a layout that better suits your playing style. Besides, you can always switch back to the default settings.
#3 Desktop mode of the Steam Deck
A Steam Deck offers incredible features. This is enhanced by the fact that the device’s user interface is based on Arch Linux. You can also easily connect a mouse and keyboard via a USB-C hub, allowing you to use the handheld as a portable PC.
If the offerings from Steam itself aren’t enough, you can also install apps on the Steam Deck that are designed for Linux. You do that through the Discover app in desktop mode. Super convenient!
#4 Play games outside the Steam Library
Practically every game available on Linux can also be played on the Steam Deck. For example, you can use the Heroic launcher to play games from the Epic Games Store and GOG.
Another option is the launcher Lutris. This allows you to play games from Origin and Ubisoft Connect on your Steam Deck in addition to the Epic Games Store and GOG. The possibilities are endless. That’s exactly what makes the Steam Deck so great!