SteamOS is having a breakout second. The Linux-based working system powers Valve’s well-liked Steam Deck handhelds and the hotly anticipated Steam Machine, and is changing into an more and more essential a part of the broader PC gaming ecosystem. Not like conventional consoles such because the Nintendo Swap 2, Sony PlayStation 5, or Xbox Sequence X, SteamOS gives way more flexibility, combining a console-like gaming expertise with entry to a full desktop working system.
That desktop is constructed on KDE Plasma, supplying you with a well-recognized PC surroundings for shopping the online, managing recordsdata, putting in apps, and way more. Whereas the concept of utilizing a Linux-based system might sound intimidating, SteamOS is surprisingly approachable—even for individuals who have by no means touched Linux earlier than.
Drop Your $99 Steam Controller It Could Wilhelm Scream
Able to discover past Gaming Mode? Press the Steam button, choose Energy > Swap to Desktop, and you may unlock a variety of options that flip your SteamOS system right into a succesful on a regular basis laptop. Listed below are 10 suggestions that will help you get probably the most out of the desktop expertise.
1. Navigate the Desktop With Gaming Controls
Valve’s SteamOS desktop works with the Steam Deck’s {hardware}, the Steam Controller, and different gaming controllers, so you’ll be able to navigate it with no keyboard or mouse. The suitable analog stick or trackpad controls the mouse cursor. The suitable set off button (R2) performs a left-click, whereas the left set off button (L2) performs a right-click. To tug up the on-screen keyboard, press Steam+X. The Steam Deck has a contact display screen, so you may also navigate the desktop with it. The expertise is much like utilizing Home windows 11 on a contact display screen: Dragging your finger to scroll works nicely, as does tapping buttons as an alternative of clicking them. Nonetheless, contact targets will be small and considerably tough to hit on a Steam Deck’s 7.4-inch show.
The on-screen keyboard helps joysticks for textual content enter (Credit score: Valve/PCMag)
2. Browse the Full Net With Chrome or Firefox
The SteamOS desktop comes with a Firefox shortcut pinned to its backside panel. Click on it, and SteamOS will supply to put in the Firefox internet browser from the Uncover app, which is SteamOS’s suggest place to search out and set up desktop purposes. You can too set up Google Chrome or different different internet browsers, comparable to Courageous and Vivaldi, from right here.
Your internet browser of alternative provides you full entry to your entire internet from SteamOS, so it is not less than as succesful as ChromeOS in that respect. DRM is the one drawback you’ll encounter on the internet: Netflix tops out at 720p in Chrome and Firefox on SteamOS and different Linux distributions. That’s ok for streaming movies on a handheld console, however not spectacular on a high-resolution monitor or TV.
SteamOS runs the Linux variations of Chrome, Firefox, and different internet browsers (Credit score: Valve/PCMag)
3. Set up Any App That Runs on Linux
The Uncover app, accessible by way of the Begin menu-like software launcher on the left facet of the panel, permits you to set up desktop purposes in a couple of clicks. It makes use of the Flatpak software format. Yow will discover most Linux-compatible purposes right here, together with Discord, Spotify, and VLC. Proton VPN, our top-rated VPN, can also be obtainable.
The Uncover app is a centralized place to search out, set up, and replace desktop apps on SteamOS (Credit score: Valve/PCMag)
4. Entry the Full File System
SteamOS consists of the Dolphin file browser, and it provides you entry to the total file system. You can too insert microSD playing cards or USB-C flash drives.
The Dolphin file browser opens to your person account’s house folder (Credit score: Valve/PCMag)
5. Join a Dock for a Conventional Desktop Expertise
SteamOS helps exterior shows and peripherals. With a USB-C dock, you’ll be able to shortly join a SteamOS machine to an exterior show, keyboard, and mouse. SteamOS additionally helps Bluetooth for wi-fi mice and keyboards; search for the Bluetooth icon on the panel to attach them. With a bigger monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse, a SteamOS machine delivers a full desktop expertise at your desk or in the lounge.
The Show Configuration display screen within the System Settings app permits you to configure related shows (Credit score: Valve/PCMag)
6. Get Emulators for Retro Gaming
The Uncover app on SteamOS additionally permits you to set up emulators for old-school gaming. SteamOS is a wonderful working system for retro sport emulation; most conventional sport console working methods stop you from putting in emulators. ROM recordsdata containing video games are copyrighted, nonetheless.
SteamOS supplies quick access to emulators within the Uncover app; simply seek for “emulator” (Credit score: Valve/PCMag)
7. Play Video games From Outdoors of Steam
SteamOS would not prohibit you to only Valve’s Steam sport retailer. You possibly can set up video games from elsewhere, together with Battle.web, the Epic Video games Retailer, and GOG, though these storefronts don’t formally help Linux.
Lutris, obtainable within the Uncover app, makes use of the identical Proton compatibility software program that lets Steam run Home windows video games on Linux. This software guides you thru putting in non-Steam Home windows video games in your Steam Deck. Most video games work on SteamOS, though some have anti-cheat software program that runs solely on Home windows.
Lutris walks you thru putting in Home windows video games you personal outdoors of Steam (Credit score: Valve/PCMag)
8. Uncover a Universe of Free and Open-Supply Functions
SteamOS has a complete universe of free, open-source desktop purposes for productiveness past gaming and the online. You possibly can set up the free LibreOffice workplace suite to edit paperwork and create spreadsheets, and way more. Many of those open-source purposes run solely on Linux—not on macOS or Home windows—so that you won’t be accustomed to them. Yow will discover them within the Uncover app utilizing the search field.
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LibreOffice is only one alternative for productiveness on SteamOS (Credit score: Valve/PCMag)
9. Pair SteamOS With Your Cellphone
SteamOS comes with KDE Join, which pairs the KDE Plasma desktop together with your Android or iOS telephone. You possibly can see smartphone notifications, ship SMS messages, and share a clipboard between your SteamOS machine and Android telephone, for instance. To set it up, open the Settings app from the menu, then go to KDE Join. The applying will information you thru putting in the related app in your telephone and pairing it together with your SteamOS machine. The KDE Join app for iOS consists of fewer options than the Android model attributable to Apple’s platform restrictions. Nonetheless, it nonetheless helps file transfers, a shared clipboard, and distant enter to regulate your SteamOS machine out of your telephone.
The KDE Join app works loads like Microsoft’s Cellphone Hyperlink app on Home windows PCs (Credit score: Valve/PCMag)
10. Use a Full Linux Terminal
Past the desktop itself, SteamOS provides you entry to a full Linux terminal. By default, SteamOS makes use of an immutable file system that retains system directories read-only. However you’ll be able to get write entry to your entire system and do no matter you want. Valve doesn’t suggest doing so as a result of system-level modifications won’t stick after SteamOS updates and will trigger system issues in the event you don’t know what you’re doing. Nonetheless, on SteamOS, it’s as much as you.
The Konsole app is included with the SteamOS desktop (Credit score: Valve/PCMag)
Know The place SteamOS Excels—and The place It Does not
The Steam Deck OLED delivers a succesful desktop expertise in my testing, with easy efficiency for internet shopping, gentle productiveness, and media consumption. It might probably run the desktop at as much as 4K decision when related to an exterior show, and its 16GB of RAM is sufficient for fairly a couple of browser tabs. The Steam Deck’s AMD APU is designed for energy effectivity fairly than high-end efficiency, so it isn’t excellent for demanding workloads, comparable to 4K video enhancing.
SteamOS Is Extra Than a Gaming Platform
Valve’s SteamOS is not only a wrapper for taking part in video games. Gadgets working it are bona fide PCs. You possibly can even wipe the SteamOS working system from a Steam Deck and set up Home windows as an alternative, though Valve doesn’t formally help Microsoft’s OS on its Steam {hardware}.
In case you benefit from the SteamOS expertise and need one thing comparable in your different units, you’ll be able to set up a Linux distribution, comparable to Ubuntu, and customise it to suit your wants. Kubuntu comes with the identical KDE Plasma desktop as SteamOS. For a SteamOS-style, gaming-optimized Linux expertise on PC {hardware} not created by Valve, think about the Linux-based Bazzite working system.
About Our Knowledgeable
Chris Hoffman
Senior Author, Software program
Expertise
I have been writing about expertise for greater than 15 years and utilizing it in earnest for over twice as lengthy. As a member of PCMag’s software program workforce, I give attention to Home windows protection, but additionally write about different key desktop working methods and system apps. (I used Home windows 3.1 upon its launch and have adopted each subsequent launch carefully).
Previous to becoming a member of PCMag, I wrote for How-To Geek beginning in 2011, and my articles amassed over a billion web page views. I went on to run the publication as editor-in-chief for 4 and a half years. I’ve additionally contributed to Computerworld, Quick Firm, PCWorld, Reader’s Digest, The New York Instances, and lots of different shops about the whole lot from AI to PC {hardware} to Home windows. I based and ran my very own direct-to-reader Home windows-focused newsletters, Home windows Intelligence and The Home windows ReadMe, working in partnership with Thurrott.com.
