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 > System Update Channel.
These notes contain all changes since the current stable SteamOS 3.7 release, with the new changes since the previous 3.8.3 Beta noted below
New in 3.8.4
Fixed a regression causing certain VRR-capable TVs to fail to work via a connected dock
Fixed a rare bug where switching to desktop mode may hang indefinitely
Fixes for experimental nested desktop mode
Even more stability and security updates
Even more support for upcoming Steam Machine hardware
General
Fixed a case where WiFi performance could become degraded until the device was put to sleep or manually reconnected
Fixed excessive trackpad sensitivity on certain early Steam Deck LCD models
Initial support for upcoming Steam Machine hardware
Added support for waking from sleep via connected Steam Controller
Updated Arch system base
Updated graphics driver with performance and stability fixes
Fixed a case where per-app performance settings would intermittently fail to apply when launching a game
Substantially improved speed of future OS updates on high-speed connections
Improved support for the screencasts in Game Mode (e.g. OBS/Discord)
Fixed dropdown menus not appearing in some games
Improved VRR frame pacing
Fixed FSR badge remaining off in the performance overlay, even if it was actually active
Improved support for games that attempt to open PDF files in external viewers
Added missing graphics features needed for titles such as "Crimson Desert"
Fixed an issue affecting certain titles (such as "SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide") where the game window could have an incorrect position
Fixed closing certain titles (such as "STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor™") and Starfield resulting in a session crash
Improved support for certain USB racing wheels and USB devices that boot in a non-standard mode
Frequently these are devices that appear as USB storage devices with a driver installer, and must be switched to their normal mode by the OS
Steam Deck controller firmware updates now display update progress on the splash screen
Fixes issue on specific Steam Deck revisions where firmware updates could render the left controller inoperative for that session
Numerous stability and security updates
Bluetooth
Re-re-enable Bluetooth Wake for Steam Deck LCD
Fix for more spurious wake issues that were present in earlier attempts
Audio
Detect HDMI channel count and expose surround configuration if available
Add a setting to allow using Bluetooth headset mics (Bluetooth playback quality will be worse while capture is active)
Restore internal audio device on reboot if set to "Off" in desktop mode
Increase suspend timeout for HDMI devices so initial audio isn't cut off after a few seconds of inactivity
Fixed a bug with switching input devices when a wired headset is plugged in
Fixed an issue where audio underruns could be experienced after sleep/resume
Accessibility
Added an option to force mono audio output
Desktop Mode
KDE Plasma updated to version 6.4.3 from 6.2.5, and now uses wayland by default
Fixes several cases of reduced performance in Desktop Mode compared to Game Mode
Improved support for rotated displays
Better scale factor out of the box on TVs
Adds support for external HDR displays
Adds support for VRR displays
Adds support per-display scale factor
For more information, see Plasma release announcements
Steam Controller launched on May 4th, and while we were happy to see such a high level of interest, the experience for a lot of you trying to buy it was incredibly frustrating. We plan to continue replenishing stock as we get more in, but in the meantime wanted to share changes we're making to improve the purchase experience and to limit reseller activity:
Beginning May 8th at 10 am Pacific, we're opening a reservation queue for Steam Controller. Once you reserve, your place in line will be saved. When we go back in stock, order emails will be sent in the same order that reservations were made.
Here are the details on how we're hoping to improve the experience overall while also taking steps to limit reseller activity:
Reservation details:
Reservations will be limited to one Steam Controller per user.
Once you receive an order email, you have three days (72 hours) to make your purchase on Steam.
For now, customers who have already purchased a Steam Controller are not yet eligible to reserve another Steam Controller.
Additionally:
Your account must be in good standing on Steam
You must have made a purchase on Steam prior to April 27, 2026
Replenishment of inventory will vary from region to region. We will start fulfilling reservations next week in the US / Canada, and UK / EU / AU in the following weeks.
Note: this beta was re-released on 5/7 with additional fixes
We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel.
General
Fixed a case where the Steam Controller firmware update dialog could reopen after a successful update
Fixed streamable games showing when "Ready to Play should include Streamable games" is toggled off
Steam Input
Fixed an issue where config selections could fail to save for the new Steam Controller
Fixed compatibility issues in games when a Steam Controller is docked to the charging puck
Fixed a localization bug in the Configuration browser screen
Updated Steam Controller firmware to fix a bug that caused some left trackpads to have issues registering touches on the left side of the pad when connected wirelessly
Note: this beta was re-released on 5/7 with additional fixes
The Steam Client Beta has been updated with the following changes:
General
Fixed a case where the Steam Controller firmware update dialog could reopen after a successful update
Fixed streamable games showing when "Ready to Play should include Streamable games" is toggled off
Steam Input
Fixed an issue where config selections could fail to save for the new Steam Controller
Fixed compatibility issues in games when a Steam Controller is docked to the charging puck
Fixed a localization bug in the Configuration browser screen
Updated Steam Controller firmware to fix a bug that caused some left trackpads to have issues registering touches on the left side of the pad when connected wirelessly
Greetings! We have exciting news to share for those of you who want to hack, mod, or design accessories for the Steam Controller and Puck.
Today we're making the CAD files for the external shell (surface topology) of Steam Controller and Puck available for download under a Creative Commons license. This includes an STP model of each, an STL model of each, and an engineering drawing with critical features/keep outs for each.
Sure, a fest all about deckbuilders might sound straightforward. But even just a quick glance at Steam Deckbuilders Fest (or even at the official trailer, above) tells you not all deckbuilders are the same.
Build a formidable deck and use it to lure humans into a haunted mansion. Restore a crumbling library in the 1930s. Collect mystical cards, build unique decks, even use your deck alongside dice: there's a deckbuilder for you no matter what kind you're looking for.
Steam Controller is now available on Steam. Check out our handy overview and quick-start guide in the video we made (above). You can also read through the many capabilities of Steam Controller in our blog post from April 27th.
Steam Controller is made for you to play all your games on Steam, however you like to play them. It has all the inputs you'd expect from a gamepad (including next-gen magnetic thumbsticks), plus advanced options like trackpads, gyro, Grip Sense, and grip buttons. There are even ways to customize these features for your experience, which we highlight here. (And it comes with a Puck!)
Follow the Steam Hardware blog for future updates and additional guides for getting the most out of Steam Controller and its features, including trackpads, gyro, Grip Sense, and virtual menus coming soon.
Steam Controller launches May 4th at 10 am Pacific on Steam. Ahead of that (and beyond!), we'll be using the Steam Hardware Blog to share a closer look at different ways to utilize the full potential of Steam Controller; starting with Steam Input Configurator.
The Steam Input configurator is a set of tools provided by Steam that allows you to fully customize your Steam Controller experience for each individual game (and it also works with other controllers too).
The Steam Input configurator lets you:
Rebind/remap buttons for a game, and customize the way those buttons work
Save/export your own layouts and import your favorite community made layouts
Enable/disable advanced inputs like trackpads, gyro, and grip buttons
Adjust the sensitivity and modes of the advanced inputs like trackpads and gyro
And much much more!
These configurations are saved per game; if you find one you like, you will need to apply it for each game. That said, Steam also provides tools to make this easier by allowing you to save and export your favorite layouts (more on that below).
Read on for step-by-step guides on how to use the Steam Input configurator.
Accessing the configurator
We save configurations per game, so game detail pages or while in-game are the best place to find it.
Starting in the Steam Desktop App
Navigate through your library to the game for which you'd like to edit the configuration
Click on the controller icon
The configurator home screen will open
Starting while in-game when launched from the desktop app (not in Big Picture Mode)
While inside a game, press the Steam button on your Controller
Click on the controller icon on the bottom of the screen, and the configurator screen will open
Reminder:When using the Steam Controller in desktop mode, the right trackpad can be used to control your mouse cursor. Pushing in the right trackpad will provide a left mouse click. When the configuration tool is open you can control using traditional gamepad inputs.
Starting in Big Picture Mode
If you are outside of a game, you can access the configurator in the same way you can in the Desktop App when outside a game. Navigate to the game's page in your library and select the controller Icon below the game artwork.
Starting inside a game when launched from Big Picture Mode
While in a game in BPM, hit the Steam button on your controller, the controller settings will open.
Navigate to and click on the Controller Settings box (Note: you can also navigate directly to the input you want to modify from this screen, but it will take you to the Edit Layout screen - which we will discuss below)
Configurator home screen
The configurator home screen has two main sections.
The Button Layout Section - this section is where you can find templates and view/edit your current layouts
The Quick Settings Section - this section is where you find quick access to commonly modified settings
Layouts
In the layout section there are buttons that help you easily:
Search for Controller layouts provided by the developers, Valve, the community, and yourself!
Quickly view the applied layout
Edit your current layout, remap/rebind keys, and much more
Export your current layout for yourself to use in other games or even the community to use!
Searching for and applying layouts
To get into the layout menu, click on the box shown in item 1 above. The layout window will open.
The default layouts, shown in the recommended tab, will be controller layouts set by the developer (or Valve if none was provided). You can navigate left/right to move through the tabs:
Your layouts - layouts for the current game created by you
Templates - generic layouts created by Valve (and you, if you have exported a layout template) that can be applied to any game
Community layouts - layouts for the current game created by the community
To apply a layout, select it from the layout menu. A quick view of the layout will show.
Press X, or click on Apply Layout, to apply layout.
Editing your layout
To get into the layout editor, click the box labeled "Edit Layout" (item 3 in the image above). The layout editor will open. It will show all inputs that Steam recognizes for your controller.
In this editor, you have the power to remap all of the controller inputs as well as change their behavior. It's an incredibly powerful tool that you can use to customize your gaming experience. Each section will have some combination of these four items:
Behavior drop down - this is where you choose the high level behavior of that button (or button cluster)
Behavior settings - this is where you can fine tune the behavior (e.g. adjusting sensitivity on a trackpad, turning haptics on/off for button presses, etc.)
Button mapping - this is where you assign inputs to buttons
Button settings - this is where you fine tune the specific input (e.g. put a button into "turbo mode" - simulate a rapid press when it is being held down, etc.)
For the majority of remappings, you will not need to go into the settings menus (items 2 and 4). However if you want to fine tune the experience further or something is not quite behaving how you expect, we recommend digging in that menu to see if you can find what you're looking for. There is a lot that you can do in these menus. We will have a more detailed post covering how those work in the future.
Simple button remapping
To remap a button, navigate on the side bar to the group of inputs you want to remap. In the instance of simple buttons it would be the Buttons or DPad section. Then navigate in the main page to the button you want to remap. Click/select the box. A screen will open up showing all the different buttons/inputs you can apply to that button. You can use left/right or L1/R1 to navigate between the screens, which each show a different set of selections.
While navigating the input selector, the current assigned input will be shown in blue. Navigate to the input you'd like to remap the button to (it will highlight as white), and select with A.
In this example we've remapped the A button to DPad Down.
Triggers
For the Steam Controller, the default trigger settings will be set to work as a normal analog trigger. To get extra utility out of your triggers, you can add inputs for:
Full pull - a pull of the trigger that fully bottoms out
Soft pull - a pull of the trigger that does not fully bottom out, the threshold is adjustable by clicking on the gear next to the behavior drop down
An example of when this could be beneficial is to use a soft pull to aim down the sights and then full pull to shoot in an FPS. In what is shown below, when partially pulling the right trigger, the left trigger will activate, which will cause the character to aim down sights. Once the right trigger is fully pulled, it will fire.
Joysticks
For the Steam Controller, the default joystick settings will be set to work as a normal joystick with click.
To get extra utility out of your joysticks, you can add inputs for:
Touch - the thumbstick has a capacitive sensor in it and will sense when you touch it, you can use this to have it send a command like a button press. Commonly used to activate Gyro.
Outer Ring Command - this will assign a command to activate when the thumbstick is deflected far out towards the edge. For example, you can map Outer Ring Command on left thumbstick to Left Stick Click to make your character sprint when you fully deflect the thumbstick (see example below)
In the Joystick behavior settings menu (gear) you will find many ways to adjust the Joystick behavior including sensitivity, axis inversion, deadzones, and more.
In the Joystick behavior drop down, you will find many other alternate behaviors for the Joystick, which we will go into much further detail with a later post.
None - the Joystick will be turned off
Joystick Mouse - set Joystick will emulate a mouse, where the deflection of the joystick will determine the speed of the mouse motion in that direction
Flick Stick - turns a deflection of the Joystick into a rapid, predetermined amount of pixel rotation. Typically used for rapidly turning around (180 degrees) in competitive games, or large scale adjustments when using another input for fine aiming (trackpad or gyro)
Mouse Region - set the Joystick to emulate a mouse, but only in a circular subsection of the full screen. This can be useful if a game you are playing has a key UI HUD located in the same place the whole game.
Joystick - the Default
Directional Pad - sets Joystick to be a configurable DPad
Scroll Wheel - set the Joystick to send a command when rotating it clockwise or counter clockwise. Great way to emulate the scroll wheel on a mouse to zoom in and out in a RTS game.
Create Radial Menu - the Joystick will pop up an on screen menu over the game that can be customized to include whatever output you like.
Create Touch Menu - similar to Radial Menu, except it provides selections in a grid format.
Create Hotbar Menu - creates a virtual hot bar, deflect the joystick down to bring it up, deflect right or left to cycle through options and then deflect up to select the item.
Gyro
Gyroscope control allows you to move the controller physically as an input. Think turning the controller left/right to steer a car, you know, like you used to do as a kid, nearly making yourself fall off of the couch. For the Steam Controller, the default Gyro will be set to off, unless a game specifically activates it. Like Joystick, there are many behaviors for the Gyro. In this article, we will only discuss the Gyro to Mouse behavior as well as some key adjustments you could make to improve Gyro to Mouse performance. The rest of the behaviors will be covered in a "How to make the most out of Gyro" deep dive. To enable Gyro to Mouse, click the behavior drop down and select Gyro to Mouse.
Click on the behavior settings (gear next to "Gyro To Mouse") to enter the Gyro to Mouse settings menu. You will see many options on this page, for this brief overview, we will focus on the critical items.
Choose Gyro Buttons - this is the button that will enable/disable gyro when pressed down. By default it is set to the touch sensor in the right trackpad and the touch sensor in the right thumbstick. As long as your finger is touching one of those things, the gyro will be enabled. Click in the box to see a list of many possible options (see image below this list)
Gyro Enable/Suppress/Toggle - by default the button you chose for item 1 will turn Gyro ON while the button is activated. You can set it to Suppress - meaning Gyro is always on UNLESS the button is currently activated. Or you can set it to Toggle, which will switch Gyro from on to off (or vice versa) on an activation.
Gyro Sensitivity - the higher the value for sensitivity, the more mouse motion you will see for a given controller physical movement. Adjust this if you think you need to move too much (or too little) for the resulting in game motion.
Invert Y/X Output - toggle these to invert your output.
Trackpads
Like Joystick and Gyro, Trackpads provide a ton of powerful input behaviors, most of which we will highlight in a "How to make the most out of Trackpads" article. For the Steam Controller, Trackpads will be defaulted to whatever is selected by the developers. Typical defaults are "None", "As Mouse", "Joystick", "As Joystick", and (for left trackpad specifically) "Directional Pad" so we will focus on those for this article. To change Trackpads to one of these behaviors, you can either select the drop down on the Quick Settings section of the Configurator home screen, or you can navigate into Edit Layout like other buttons and modify it there.
Quick Settings of the Configurator Home Screen:
Edit Layout screen:
Note: if you select the drop down in the Quick Settings section of the Configurator home screen, you will only see a subset of possible trackpad behaviors. Please go to the full Layout Editor to see all options if there is something you cannot find in Quick Settings.
None - The Trackpad is off
As Mouse - The Trackpad will emulate a mouse, like on a laptop, but more responsive. Note: If you select "As Mouse" and the game you are playing begins flashing controller glyphs and keyboard glyphs rapidly, or even crashing, please try "As Joystick" (see below).
Joystick - the trackpad will emulate a joy stick, touch the top part of the trackpad and the output will be like a fully deflected thumbstick pressed up.
As Joystick - the trackpad will emulate a mouse, but provide an output like a thumbstick. Great for games that do not handle mouse input and gamepad input at the same time.
Directional Pad - the trackpad will emulate a DPad. You can set each direction of the trackpad to whatever output you want, but default is the DPad directionals.
As Mouse Selecting "As Mouse" for trackpad behavior will allow you to set a command for clicking the trackpad (full press) and touching the trackpad (just resting your finger on it). The defaults for these two are unbound, feel free to add whatever you'd like. We will quickly highlight a few settings that may be immediately helpful. Click the behavior setting gear to access the settings menu for Trackpad As Mouse:
Sensitivity - the higher the value for sensitivity, the more mouse motion you will see for a given swipe on the trackpad. Adjust this if you think you need to swipe too much (or too little) for the resulting in game motion.
Vertical Sensitivity - Changes the sensitivity ratio between horizontal and vertical motion on the trackpad. In most FPS games, you can turn horizontally forever, but vertically only until looking fully up or down. Because of this, you might prefer much more sensitivity on the horizontal axis than the vertical axis.
Invert X/Y output - toggle these to invert your output.
Trackball Mode - in trackball mode, when you swipe and let go, the swipe will have momentum (like a ball rolling) and will continue to move the mouse in that direction for a while. If you prefer the mouse to stop as soon as you release your finger, turn this off.
As Joystick
"As Joystick" is a great way to get similar behavior to "As Mouse" in games that do not allow simultaneous gamepad + mouse/keyboard input. If you're seeing weird behavior (flickering glyphs, input not working, etc.) in a game when your trackpad is set to "As Mouse", try "As Joystick" instead. In the behavior settings menu you will find similar ways to fine tune the trackpad.
Saving and exporting layouts
Once you have a layout you like, it will remain applied for that controller/game combination unless you modify it or apply a new layout. If you use a new type of controller, it will revert to the default as well. You can save that layout so you can reapply it later on a different computer, Steam Machine, etc for this game. You can also export it so that you can use it on any game. Finally, you can export it for the community to use as well. To do any of these things, open up the export menu by clicking on the gear icon in the Button Layout section.
This will open the layout options menu
Export Layout - this will bring you to a menu focused on saving the layout for personal use
Share Layout with Community - this will bring you to a menu focused on publishing the layout for the community to try out!
To save the layout for personal use, click "Export Layout". The Save New Layout menu will open up
Here you can give the layout a name and a description. There are a few different export types which you can access by clicking the drop down:
New Personal Save - this will save the layout for THIS game. Use this when you are saving a layout that is really only appropriate for the current game (like down + attack for Hollow Knight: Silksong being mapped to one button)
New Shareable Personal Save - this will save the layout for THIS game and generate a link for you to directly share with others. You can access that link by clicking on Layout Details within the Layout Options menu and send to friends to use. It is not searchable and only those with the direct link will be able to use the layout. (Note: if you want the layout to appear for all steam users and be searchable, use the Share Layout with Community option in the Layout Options menu)
New Template - this will save this layout to be used with ANY game. Use this when you've created a template for general controller use. For example, if you've found a trackpad mode you really like that apply for most deck builders, use this option.
To share your layout with the community, click on "Share Layout with Community" instead of "Export Layout". The Save New Layout menu will look identical except the "export type" drop down will be removed. Fill out the information and confirm to upload to the Steam Layout database.
Learn more about Steam Controller on its product page, and keep an eye on the Steam Hardware Blog for future how-to guides and closer looks. We also have this video on our official YouTube channel that takes you on a quick-start tour of Steam Controller.
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 > System Update Channel.
These notes contain all changes since the current stable SteamOS 3.7 release, with the new changes since the previous 3.8.2 Beta noted below
New in 3.8.3
Fixed a regression causing the Steam on-screen keyboard in desktop mode to produce the wrong keys in certain IME modes
Substantially improved speed of future OS updates on high-speed connections
Added missing graphics features needed for titles such as "Crimson Desert"
Fixed a regression causing crashes in certain titles (such as "Sushi Ben")
Fixed multiple regressions causing crashes in desktop mode
Fixed a regression causing the Steam overlay to malfunction while streaming
Fixed spurious wake-ups when using a Logitech Bolt receiver
Improved support for upcoming Steam Controller hardware
Even more support for upcoming Steam Machine hardware
Even more security and stability updates
General
Fixed a case where WiFi performance could become degraded until the device was put to sleep or manually reconnected
Fixed excessive trackpad sensitivity on certain early Steam Deck LCD models
Initial support for upcoming Steam Machine hardware
Updated Arch system base
Updated graphics driver with performance and stability fixes
Fixed a case where per-app performance settings would intermittently fail to apply when launching a game
Improved support for the screencasts in Game Mode (e.g. OBS/Discord)
Fixed dropdown menus not appearing in some games
Improved VRR frame pacing
Fixed FSR badge remaining off in the performance overlay, even if it was actually active
Improved support for games that attempt to open PDF files in external viewers
Fixed an issue affecting certain titles (such as "SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide") where the game window could have an incorrect position
Fixed closing certain titles (such as "STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor™") and Starfield resulting in a session crash
Improved support for certain USB racing wheels and USB devices that boot in a non-standard mode
Frequently these are devices that appear as USB storage devices with a driver installer, and must be switched to their normal mode by the OS
Steam Deck controller firmware updates now display update progress on the splash screen
Fixes issue on specific Steam Deck revisions where firmware updates could render the left controller inoperative for that session
Numerous stability and security updates
Bluetooth
Re-re-enable Bluetooth Wake for Steam Deck LCD
Fix for more spurious wake issues that were present in earlier attempts
Audio
Detect HDMI channel count and expose surround configuration if available
Add a setting to allow using Bluetooth headset mics (Bluetooth playback quality will be worse while capture is active)
Restore internal audio device on reboot if set to "Off" in desktop mode
Increase suspend timeout for HDMI devices so initial audio isn't cut off after a few seconds of inactivity
Fixed a bug with switching input devices when a wired headset is plugged in
Fixed an issue where audio underruns could be experienced after sleep/resume
Accessibility
Added an option to force mono audio output
Desktop Mode
KDE Plasma updated to version 6.4.3 from 6.2.5, and now uses wayland by default
Fixes several cases of reduced performance in Desktop Mode compared to Game Mode
Improved support for rotated displays
Better scale factor out of the box on TVs
Adds support for external HDR displays
Adds support for VRR displays
Adds support per-display scale factor
For more information, see Plasma release announcements
We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Stable channel.
General
Added a setting to enable 'Switch To Desktop' in the login screen. It can be found in System Settings.
Added a low battery level toast for wireless gamepads.
Added a battery indicator to the header for wireless gamepads.
Updated the Store main menu option to navigate to the Steam Store home page instead of the Great On Deck hub.
Improved compatibility with WiFi captive portals.
Improved client performance when there are many unread account notifications pending.
Fixed a case where opting into the 'Preview' channel could silently fail.
Fixed subtle sizing issues with the Recently Played carousel.
Fixed the Voice chat tab of the QAM not being hidden after exiting all active voice chats.
Fixed spell check not working in certain browser views.
Chat
Moved Steam chat into the quick access menu, making it easier to access while in-game.
Introduced new quick chat feature for Steam Deck and Big Picture Mode.
When in a chat, press and hold the view button to bring up quick chat options.
Move thumbstick and release view button to send a quick chat.
Quick chats can be edited in Settings > Keyboard.
Focus will no longer jump to room effect replay buttons when scrolling through chat history.
Fixed a bug that would sometimes prevent chat history from loading when scrolling up.
Downloads
Added Remote Downloads Management. This allows you to manage downloads on Remote Steam Clients from the downloads page. You can select different clients by pressing Y on the downloads page.
The App Details page now has the same options and statuses for remote clients as the local client.
Both the local and remote clients must be updated to enable this feature.
Game Recording
Fixed the instant clip shortcut not working for non-Steam games when using a gamepad.
Fixed a bug which affected taking a screenshot from a game recording clip.
Remote Play
Added feedback if capture can't be started on the remote computer.
Cloud
Fixed an issue which could lead to data loss when uninstalling, reinstalling, and playing a game without restarting the client in between.
Steam Input
Revised controller settings to reduce clutter and to make them work better with gamepads.
Changed controller settings to use a menu and details structure instead of tabs to list the connected controllers.
Fixed a case where radial menus would fail to dismiss after releasing the joystick on Steam Deck.
Fixed a case where the controller calibration screen could fail to load the correct values the first time it is opened.
A new Steam client has been released and will be automatically downloaded.
General
Added a low battery level toast for wireless gamepads. Battery notifications for Xbox controllers on Windows are temporarily disabled.
Added System Report button to the Help section on Windows.
Improved client performance when there are many unread account notifications pending.
Fixed spell check not working in certain browser views.
Big Picture Mode
Moved Steam chat into the quick access menu, making it easier to access while in-game.
Introduced new quick chat feature for Steam Deck and Big Picture Mode.
When in a chat, press and hold the view button to bring up quick chat options.
Move thumbstick and release view button to send a quick chat.
Quick chats can be edited in Settings > Keyboard.
Added a battery indicator to the header for wireless gamepads.
Updated the Store main menu option to navigate to the Steam Store home page instead of the Great On Deck hub.
Fixed the Voice chat tab of the quick access menu not being hidden after exiting all active voice chats.
Fixed an issue with the "use the gamepadui overlay when a controller is connected" mode where desktopUI chat windows could open and block the Big Picture overlay.
Downloads
Added Remote Downloads Management. This allows you to manage downloads on Remote Steam Clients from the downloads page.
The App Details page now has the same options and statuses for remote clients as the local client.
Both the local and remote clients must be updated to enable this feature.
Remote Play
Enabled streaming while Remote Desktop is active on Windows.
Added more flexible options to the Advanced Host Options for selecting primary display, resolution, refresh rate, etc. while streaming from a Windows computer. This will also allow setting whether HDR is enabled while streaming.
Added support for the SudoVDA virtual display driver on Windows. If you have the SudoVDA driver installed and select this as your primary display in the Advanced Host Options, Steam will automatically create a virtual display to match the client display settings.
Added support for streaming 7.1 surround sound.
Added a workaround for an AMD driver bug causing stream corruption and lockups on Windows. This bug is also fixed in the latest AMD drivers, version 26.3.1.
Added feedback if capture can't be started on the remote computer.
Fixed launching with surround sound audio when streaming a game from the library.
Game Recording
Fixed the instant clip shortcut not working for non-Steam games when using a gamepad.
Fixed a bug which affected taking a screenshot from a game recording clip.
Cloud
Fixed an issue which could lead to data loss when uninstalling, reinstalling, and playing a game without restarting the client in between.
Steam Input
Revised controller settings to reduce clutter and to make them work better with gamepads.
Fixed a case where radial menus would fail to dismiss after releasing the joystick on Steam Deck.
Fixed a case where the controller calibration screen could fail to load the correct values the first time it is opened.
Windows
Updated CPUID SDK used for CPU Temperature in in-game overlay performance monitor when enabled.
macOS
Fixed soundtrack playback not working on Apple Silicon machines.
Steam Next Fest is a week-long celebration featuring hundreds of FREE playable demos as well as developer livestreams and chats. Players try out upcoming games on Steam pre-release, developers gather feedback and build an audience ahead of their Steam launch, everyone wins!
You can officially start adding Steam Controller to cart on May 4th, and we're excited for folks to get their hands on it (pun intended). You can learn more about Steam Controller (and bookmark it for when purchasing opens) on the official product page, but we thought it would be fun to do a quick intro here as well.
This controller is packed with a ton of capabilities, so we wanted to take a moment to introduce you to what we think makes it so great.
First, the basics
Steam Controller is designed with all the inputs for you to play all your games on Steam, however you like to play. PC? Check. Laptop? Check. Steam Deck, Steam Machine, and Steam Frame? Check, check, and check. All the inputs you’d expect for a typical gamepad are right where you’d expect them, and we spent a lot of time ensuring they feel comfy in your hands for extended play session. And all the extra inputs? Ready and waiting for you when you want to use them.
Upgrades!
The Steam Controller uses next-generation magnetic thumbsticks with TMR technology. Designed for an improved feel, responsiveness, and long-term reliability, they also support capacitive touch for motion controls.
Also, it comes with a puck. The Steam Controller puck has two jobs: it provides a fast and stable connection as a wireless transmitter and serves as your main charging station, connecting magnetically to your Controller with a super-satisfying click.
Advanced Inputs for gaming flexibility and performance
We wanted to make sure to highlight the advanced inputs in this controller that really give you the power and flexibility to play how you want:
Trackpads
Gyro
Grip Sense
Grip buttons
We're highlighting some of the main features of Trackpads, Gyro, and Grip Sense below; but we'll also provide a more in-depth look for each of them in the coming weeks as we share their user guides, as well as details on ways you can customize these features for your experience.
Why trackpads?
Many games on PC are intended to be used with a mouse (think FPS, puzzle games, point-and-click adventures, and deck builders, in addition to a lot of older games). The trackpads on Steam Controller provide an enormous amount of flexibility for playing, especially in their ability to act as a mouse replacement for these kinds of games. They're highly precise and customizable, which allows you to dial them in whether for a cozy puzzle game or a highly competitive shooter.
Besides just using them as a mouse, in Steam Input you have the option to map them as many other things as well, like button clusters, joystick, virtual menus, and more.
Gyro seems cool; what does that mean on Steam Controller?
Gyroscopes and accelerometers aren't new to gaming (nor to Valve devices), but more recently the growth of the gyro gaming community (specifically those who really "dial it in" for competitive games) has helped drive the technology forward. The gyroscope is a highly precise sensor that detects the rotation of the entire controller, meaning as you're gaming with your Steam Controller you can find yourself aiming, controlling cameras, steering wheels, and flight yokes with the tilt of the wrists.
We have a whole step-by-step guide for getting the most out of the gyro on Steam Controller that we'll be sharing soon on the product page. You should check it out!
But first-- we can't talk about gyro on Steam Controller without talking about Grip Sense.
Wait, what is Grip Sense?
Grip Sense is what we're calling the new input that uses capacitive touch sensors to sense if you're holding the handles. There is one sensor in each handle of the Steam Controller. The primary use for this is to enable/disable Gyro quickly so you can reset your position when you get to the edge of your comfortable zone (called "ratcheting"). Kind of like when you reach the end of your mousepad and pick up your mouse to recenter it.
You can even map Grip Sense like any other button! We love using it to pull up menus, weapon wheels, and even pause the game when you put the controller down.
Grip Buttons
Grip buttons give you 4 extra, easy to use buttons for you to map whatever you want to. They are most especially useful when mapped to ABXY: you never have to move your thumb off the right stick or trackpad, allowing you to maintain precision at all times.
Powered by Steam Input
The Steam Controller and Steam Input would swipe right on each other if they could. (That's a terrible pun that just means they're a great match.) Using all the customization tools we provide in Steam Input Configurator, you can customize the Steam Controller however you want. The possibilities are limitless! (Well technically there is a finite amount of possibilities but it’s a really big number – it lets you do some crazy things)
Bonus cool factor with this? Steam Controller will be pre-populated with community configurations for thousands of games out-of-the box, and a good chunk of that is thanks to the hard work done by developers and the community for Steam Deck. You can also make and share your own!
More to come
We'll have more posts leading up to launch and beyond including how to guides, deeper looks at how we arrived at some of the features we did (including Grip Sense), and tips for things like traveling with your Steam Controller, different connectivity modes, and more.
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