We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel.
General
Fixed an issue where the Steam Workshop would download an older version of an item if there were multiple versions of the item that were marked valid for game beta branch the user opted into.
Fixed Steam html surfaces failing to render in some games (e.g. motd in Team Fortress 2).
Steam Input
Fixed FlyDigi Vader 5 Pro in enhanced mode
Steam Controller: Triggers and Grip Sense Activators now pulse the Rumble Haptics instead of Touchpad Haptics
Steam Controller: if Grip Sense is used with an Activator slot, or as one of the Gyro Enable Buttons, default Haptics Level to low. This is to help confirm activation in the absence of true physical response. To disable, set the Haptics setting to "Off" in Grip Sense activator settings, or if used as a Gyro Enable Button, set Haptics to "Off" in the Gyro mode settings.
Fix: "Reset Camera To Horizon" action was inconsistent in different engines - turn commands chunked into 2 to improve consistency.
Fix: Quick Settings Left Trackpad points to correct settings, instead of toward Gyro.
Steam Controller: Minor improvement to gyro micro stutter (ignore clone packets)
Gyro to Joystick Camera: Defaulted Gyro Deadzone Speed and Gyro Precision Speed to 0 to aide tuning the correct Minimum Joystick Output - these settings would swallow the micro movements needed to check the minimum response to gyro movements. Also: added Minimum Joystick Output slider on the Configurator Quick Settings list.
Fixed not being able to use Grip Sense to activate Touch Menus.
Steam Controller Firmware
Additional fixes for trackpad 'dead zone' issues experienced by some Steam Controllers.
The Steam Client Beta has been updated with the following changes:
General
Fixed an issue where the Steam Workshop would download an older version of an item if there were multiple versions of the item that were marked valid for game beta branch the user opted into.
Fixed Steam html surfaces failing to render in some games (e.g. motd in Team Fortress 2).
Linux
Fixed firmware updates failing on systems where libhidapi was not installed.
Steam Input
Fixed FlyDigi Vader 5 Pro in enhanced mode on Linux and macOS
Steam Controller: Triggers and Grip Sense Activators now pulse the Rumble Haptics instead of Touchpad Haptics
Steam Controller: if Grip Sense is used with an Activator slot, or as one of the Gyro Enable Buttons, default Haptics Level to low. This is to help confirm activation in the absence of true physical response. To disable, set the Haptics setting to "Off" in Grip Sense activator settings, or if used as a Gyro Enable Button, set Haptics to "Off" in the Gyro mode settings.
Fix: "Reset Camera To Horizon" action was inconsistent in different engines - turn commands chunked into 2 to improve consistency.
Fix: Quick Settings Left Trackpad points to correct settings, instead of toward Gyro.
Steam Controller: Minor improvement to gyro micro stutter (ignore clone packets)
Gyro to Joystick Camera: Defaulted Gyro Deadzone Speed and Gyro Precision Speed to 0 to aide tuning the correct Minimum Joystick Output - these settings would swallow the micro movements needed to check the minimum response to gyro movements. Also: added Minimum Joystick Output slider on the Configurator Quick Settings list.
Fixed not being able to use Grip Sense to activate Touch Menus.
Steam Controller Firmware
Additional fixes for trackpad 'dead zone' issues experienced by some Steam Controllers.
Fixed IMU failures when using extended rumble.
Remote Play
Alt-Enter toggles windowed mode
Added a windowed mode toggle and 1:1 resize button to the mouse/keyboard overlay menu
Window mode, position, and size are saved between sessions
Today we've made some changes to the set of official store tags available on Steam, adding 17 new tags, removing 28, and merging/updating a handful of others. These changes are made with the goal of helping players identify the games that best fit their interests, and helping Steam generate appropriate recommendations.
Each year, we typically add a few new tags based on community feedback, but it has been a while since we last did so (Most recently in 2024 when we added Dice, Dwarf, Boomer Shooter, and Elf tags). In the time since, we've built up a list of tags to add, remove, and update.
Store tags support recommendations and exploration
Tags help developers better describe their game to players, but also help Steam understand what kind of game it is and show it accordingly to players via recommendations. Tags are also the foundation upon which each of the store hubs are built, allowing players to find all of the games tagged with their favorite genre, theme, style, or other relevant context.
Tags can be applied to a game by the developer, by players with non-limited accounts, and also by Steam moderators. This means that a game's tags can shift over time as more customers play the game and contribute their perspective on what tags are most relevant for each game. Over time, the types of games that exist and the way customers look at games changes too - so today, we have a list of changes to our current set of tags. Read on for specifics.
New Tags
New tags are added when there are enough games on Steam that the tag could apply to, and when we think it helps establish a connection between games that couldn't already be attained through other combinations of tags. Some of these are content-specific, such as "Wolves" and "Zoo". Others represent broader genres such as "Bullet Heaven" and "Desktop Companion". And some tags cover specific game mechanics such as "Organizing" and "Decorating".
Here is the full list of tags added today:
Bullet Heaven - The opposite of Bullet Hell; Focus on upgrades while automatically attacking hordes of enemies
Desktop Companion - Games that only use part of your screen and keep you company while you do other things
Organizing - Tidy up, de-clutter, or unpack, carefully placing items in virtual spaces
Cleaning - Satisfying removal of grime and dirt from stuff
Decorating - Creative placement of furniture and other objects
Wuxia - Historical fantasy adventure featuring martial arts, competing sects, and inner qi
Xianxia - Fantasy adventure focused on cultivating supernatural powers and strength
Falling Blocks - Arranging, rotating, and placing blocks from above
Espionage - Spying or secretly securing valuable intel
Samurai - Japanese warriors best known for katanas, loyalty, and self-discipline
Zoo - Care for and display a park full of wild animals
We haven't often removed tags from Steam, so we've built up quite a list. The set that we've removed today are done so because they no longer serve a good purpose for establishing connections between games or describing unique and useful elements of content in the game. Many of these tags have alternative options on Steam that better describe the content, and already have a high degree of overlap in application.
For example, both the "NSFW" tag and the "Mature" tag have a very high degree of overlap with more descriptive tags such as "Gore", "Violent", and "Sexual Content".
Some of the other tags that we are removing today are perhaps too subjective like "Well-Written" and "Masterpiece", resulting in disagreements and inconsistent application. Some tags just don't apply to very many products, such as "Drama" and "Ambient".
And lastly, there are a number of tags that apply to specific intellectual property, an attribute that community-sourced information like tags is not well suited for. These collections of intellectual property are typically already covered by the developers and publishers setting up franchise pages to collect together officially all the content shared by that IP.
Here is the full list of tags being removed:
3D Vision
Ambient
America
Blood
Crowdfunded
Cult Classic
Documentary
Drama
Dungeons & Dragons
Electronic
Experience
Feature Film
Foreign
GameMaker
Games Workshop
Illuminati
Kickstarter
LEGO
Masterpiece
Mature
Movie
Narration
NSFW
Roguevania
RPGMaker
Warhammer 40K
Web Publishing
Well-Written
Modified Tags
We also have a set of tags that we've renamed or merged together to clean up some redundancy or to explain the content more clearly.
"Clicker" has been renamed into "Incremental" to capture the broader essence of games that focus on numbers going up.
"Conversation" has been renamed to "Dialogue Heavy" for clarity
We've made a few tags plural to match other tags: Dogs, Foxes, Vampires, Elves, Dwarves, and Assassins
"Pool" was humorously applied to games with a swimming pool, so we've renamed this to "Billiards", which is the overarching term for all games played with cue sticks anyway
Merging "Jet" into "Flight", as the term "Jet" was not unique enough.
Merging "Unforgiving" into "Difficult" since these terms mostly overlap in usage and intent
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What do I do with this information?
A. If any of the newly added tags are of interest to you, feel free to explore the new store hubs to explore the relevant games. If you are aware of a game that should have one of these new tags and doesn't already, you can apply it yourself to help that game get categorized properly.
Q. How are tags applied to games?
A. User tags are applied by game developers in the process of preparing for release, and can also be applied by users to help fill in the gaps where games may be missing useful metadata. To add your own tag to a game, just visit the store page for a game and click the little "+" (Plus) symbol next to the list of tags that appear near the top of the page.
Q. What if I see a game tagged with something that is wrong or inaccurate?
A. Letting customers tag games directly adds a bunch of valuable data to the store. But yes, sometimes people deliberately mis-tag a game. If you see that, feel free to report it to Valve or the game developer- it's quick and easy for a developer to remove a tag if they need to do so. To report a tag you see, just visit the store page for a game and click the little "+" (Plus) symbol next to the list of tags that appear near the top of the page. That will open a pop-up with a list of tags. Just click the little flag that appears next to the tag you wish to report.
Q. What if I had marked as 'excluded' one of the tags that got merged or updated?
A. Your excluded tag should migrate with any changes, so that you're still ignoring the thing that you wanted. (FYI for those not familiar with excluding tags: You can exclude specific tags to filter them out of most places across the Steam store. Just visit your store preferences and scroll down to "Tags To Exclude")
Q. Why isn't my favorite tag on this list?
A. We are not all-knowing, so we sometimes miss stuff. Let us know in the comments. We also don't agree with the appropriateness of every tag that the community advocates for, so we may be unable to add every tag that y'all want.
Q. What are the most common tags on Steam?
A. The "Singleplayer" tag wins by being applied to over 98,000 games (about 62% of all games on Steam). The runner up is the "Indie" tag, which is applied to more than 82,000 games (about 53% of all games on Steam). Then "Action", "Casual", and "Adventure" in that order.
Do you get seasick? No? Great! Wait, yes? Also great—because being on or under the water during Steam Ocean Fest keeps you in the safety of your gaming chair the whole time.
You'll find discounts on games from adventurous to relaxing, and everywhere in between: Ocean explorations and shark encounters; pirate adventures and maritime battles; even underwater shooters and cozy tourist towns by the sea.
Join us now for Steam Ocean Fest, on through May 25th at 10 a.m. Pacific on Steam.
The Steam Client Beta has been updated with the following changes:
General
Fixed a rare case where the Steam Controller welcome dialog could appear while updating the controller's firmware.
Remote Play
Fixed the client disconnecting after a short period of time when doing non-local streaming
In-Game Overlay
Fixed a case where Performance Monitor could over report frame rate if a game erroneously calls NVIDIA APIs to get new frame tokens at a much higher rate than their actual Present frame rate
Fixed cases where the overlay may not immediately cover the entire screen when first invoked
Fixed cases where the Big Picture mode overlay notifications may be positioned incorrectly until the overlay is first invoked
Steam Input:
Fixed several small styling regressions from the previous beta client
Steam Controller Firmware:
Fixed an issue where continuous rumble would sometimes break Gyro input
We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel.
General
Fixed a crash related to the Steam Controller.
The 'Legacy Steam Runtime' compatibility tool is now an optional standalone download instead of being bundled with the Steam client.
Library
Improved EULA scrolling behavior when using a controller
Settings
Updated the layout and styles for client settings across desktop, Big Picture and controller configuration to improve readability and organization.
Notification settings has been updated to allow changing e-mail, client, and mobile notification preferences in one place
Directly navigating to a specific settings page (i.e by activating the network icon in the header) will now focus the first setting in that section instead of the settings navigation menu.
Friends & Chat
Friend status will now update much more quickly after waking your device from sleep or toggling network connectivity
Steam Input
Removed several configuration options from incompatible inputs. Digital Buttons can no longer be set Press types that require Analog input and Gyro can no longer be set to incompatible Radial Menu or Hotbar. These options will still be available for all compatible inputs.
Fixed Gyro to Joystick Camera timing issue - should appear smoother across all controllers.
Added an extra option to Gyro to Joystick Camera - Angle Catchup can be active while gyro ratcheting.
Fixed micro-stutter in Steam Controller gyro
You can now turn off "Track Pad locking" - by default each trackpad is disabled while the corresponding joystick is either deflected or the joystick's capacitive sensor has been activated. This is to avoid accidental track pad touches when using a joystick. Find the setting in: Settings->Controller->Details->Calibration & Advanced->Trackpad Lockout.
Fixed Grip Sense sensor page Grip Range slider, and adjusted explanations.
Desktop Mode
Fixed a case where dropdown windows and profile hover windows could get stuck on screen.
The Steam Client Beta has been updated with the following changes:
Settings
Updated the layout and styles for client settings across desktop, Big Picture and controller configuration to improve readability and organization.
Notification settings has been updated to allow changing e-mail, client, and mobile notification preferences in one place.
Linux
The 'Legacy Steam Runtime' compatibility tool is now an optional standalone download instead of being bundled with the Steam client.
Fixed a case where dropdown windows and profile hover windows could get stuck on screen.
Fixed a crash related to the Steam Controller on Linux
SteamRT3 Beta
Fixed a failure to start the client and proton games on systems where SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER doesn't include the x11 or windows options.
Steam Input
Removed several configuration options from incompatible inputs. Digital Buttons can no longer be set Press types that require Analog input and Gyro can no longer be set to incompatible Radial Menu or Hotbar. These options will still be available for all compatible inputs.
Fixed Gyro to Joystick Camera timing issue - should appear smoother across all controllers.
Added an extra option to Gyro to Joystick Camera - Angle Catchup can be active while gyro ratcheting.
Fixed micro-stutter in Steam Controller gyro
You can now turn off "Track Pad locking" - by default each trackpad is disabled while the corresponding joystick is either deflected or the joystick's capacitive sensor has been activated. This is to avoid accidental track pad touches when using a joystick. Find the setting in: Settings->Controller->Details->Calibration & Advanced->Trackpad Lockout.
Fixed Grip Sense sensor page Grip Range slider, and adjusted explanations.
Available in beta starting today, we're releasing major updates to the Steam Community Market to improve item pages, listings, and search/filters. The Community Market enables Steam players to buy and sell in-game and Steam Community items to each other. Over the past few years, the number of games participating in the Market has grown significantly. More than 13,000 games now have Steam Community items available on the Market, and more than 700 have in-game items. These game economies have outgrown the Market’s existing browsing and discovery tools, so it's time for an upgrade. Our newly expanded tools provide the Market with a deeper understanding of item data from games - so it's easier to learn about the unique features of items listed for sale, directly on Steam.
Since Counter-Strike items are popular in the Community Market (and a game we work closely with) we’ve used them to experiment and build out this extensive item integration, but we look forward to other games leveraging these same new features.
Here are some noteworthy upgrades:
Bigger, Better Listings
Sometimes you just need a bigger view, and now you get it! Listings can now feature more images, item descriptions, and callouts for listing specific information such as wear/float, pattern template, applied accessories, etc.
Counter-Strike players will immediately notice the new images generated specifically for that listing, rather than generic images, to showcase each item's unique features. No more having to fire up the game in order to make your purchasing decision. (Not just new listings! As part of our internal testing we generated over 27,000,000 unique images to backfill existing Counter-Strike listings.)
Once you narrow down to the desired item, you now get a larger listing view, and you can flip through all the matching results, making it easy to compare the variants of a skin in place.
Showcasing New Game-Specific Data
The Market now leverages all these new item details for better filtering, grouping, and visibility, making it easier for you to find what you want.
Accessories
With a better understanding of attached items like stickers and charms, we link directly to their Market listings. Additionally, we surface that information to show better images and current values.
Unique Properties
Games can now feature unique item properties on their listings. For Counter-Strike skins, that means a better view of things like pattern template, wear/float, and charm template.
(This additional data from Counter-Strike goes a long way toward making listings more accurate, but it's extra useful when bubbled up into the filter options. All games using Steam’s Inventory system — which includes most games on the Market — will automatically benefit from dynamic filters based on item data, with no additional work required from developers. Read more about dynamic filters below.)
Grouping Like Items into One Page
Many Market items are simply variations of the same base item, and we think it's easier to make your selection when you can easily compare them. For some Counter-Strike skins there might be 10 different versions of an item that vary based on one characteristic. When a game decides to group their items together you'll find a set of tabs that let you filter them quickly. For Counter-Strike skins you can use the tabs to get a price overview. Hover over the tab to preview that wear level, then click it to filter both the listings and the graph below.
General Improvements
Many of today's changes require no additional game-specific data to make the Market a better experience for all users and games. We think these updates will feel great across the board, whether you've come to window shop or you know exactly what you are looking for.
Item Pages
All the data mentioned above gets shown off on the updated item pages - which have a new, wider layout to accommodate a full-width grid of items for sale.
Here you can take advantage of additional category links, better graphs, and new dynamic filters.
Scroll down to see the new listing cards with larger images, as well as asset and accessory info.
Improved Graphs
Graphs have also received an overhaul. In addition to many general usability and performance fixes, graphs now display volume data alongside price and can display multiple datasets for grouped items.
Making search more robust with dynamic filters
If you've used the Market lately, you've probably seen the new dynamic filters we've been beta testing. Those will now appear on both item pages and search pages alongside the new listing cards. Plus you'll see price filtering and new sorting options like popularity, price, quantity, etc.
These filters are built from existing item data, so you can filter (and sometimes search) against anything we know about. We've made searching and filtering faster - changing a filter immediately updates the displayed results (plus they automatically load more when you scroll.)
Steam Community Items
Now it's easier to switch between in-game items and Steam Community items. Buying and selling Steam Community items such as emoticons, trading cards, or profile backgrounds has been possible on the Market for years, but the relevant filters were hard to find.
While you're browsing Trading Card Booster Packs, you might also notice we're starting to introduce cross-linking between containers and contained items.
These changes are available now, along with smaller quality of life updates such as automatic loading of listings while scrolling, broader access to advanced search from more page headers, breadcrumb navigation, and text entry support across long lists.
All of this work builds upon other features we've released over the past year including support for Trade Protected Items, game specific filters, price filtering, search autocomplete, and improving overall reliability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find the changes?
Today we're updating the Community Market's item pages and search results. We're learning as we go and this is a great point for us to gather feedback from players and game developers.
How can I join the beta?
You don't need to! We're enabling the Market beta for everyone. If you need to opt out, there's a button at the top of the item and search pages.
We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel.
General
Fixed streamable non-Steam games showing in Library when Remote Play is turned off
Fixed the "View friends list" link in the Big Picture home page opening the older non-QAM version of the friends list
Steam Input
Fixed an issue where Steam Controller grip thresholds were loaded incorrectly in the device calibration screen
Fixed an issue preventing the Steam button chord configuration from being edited for the Steam Controller
Fixed an issue with doubled input when the Steam Controller is charging on the puck
Track Pad Locking - You can now turn off the Joystick vs Trackpad Locking behavior in Settings->Controller->Details->Calibration & Advanced->Trackpad Lockout. This feature is intended to avoid accidental touches on the touchpad while using a Joystick, but it can now be turned off.
A new Steam client has been released and will be automatically downloaded.
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
Fixed occasional cursor corruption while streaming on Windows
Added setting to enable or disable controller battery notifications.
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
We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Stable 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 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
Log in
In this example we've remapped the A button to DPad Down.
