How to install Windows 10 and 11 on a Steam Deck
Turning it up to 11 on the go
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Valve’sSteam Deckhas already been a success for users who commute on the train for jobs and family, with the ability to use theirSteamlibrary on the go being very enticing.
However, a new update has been released that enables users to installWindows 10orWindows 11on the handheld, which can allow other apps to be used on the Deck, not just Steam games.
Yet, this isn’t a simple affair – it’s easy to get lost in the steps required in order to get Windows onto the handheld, which is why we’ve put together this guide to help you.
Quick steps
The Steam Deck is truly an impressive machine in need of more advanced software. Though it is slowly getting to the right place, you may want to get there quicker. Here is how to installWindows 10and 11 on Steam Deck and some information you should really know before you do so.
In this guide, we’re going to go over how to install Windows with a MicroSD. This is not the only way to do it but, with the software still updating and changing, having a separate drive to boot up Windows from makes sense for long-term use. This will allow you a little more wiggle room - at the expense of some boot-up speed.
Tools and Requirements
How to install Windows 10 and 11 on Steam Deck
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Boot Manager
What should you do after you install Windows?
You should flip the screen orientation to landscape first. Left-click with the left trigger and then click on “Display Settings”. If you can’t get this working, go into the start menu and find it in settings. Then, scroll down to display and change it to landscape.
After this is done, you won’t have access to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and some other things so go into your file explorer and find them in your SD Card (We put them in there in the prep part of this guide) extract them all and install them to get everything up and running. After the GPU driver is installed, it may flip the screen back to portrait mode. Change it back to landscape and you’re ready to go.
Final Thoughts
The important thing to note about Windows on the Steam Deck is that it’s still early on. New drivers and updates will come out all the time. Just turn off your Steam Deck, take out the SD Card, and update all the files, then install them again.
You can, of course, install them straight from the Steam Deck too. As of right now, it is still missing an audio driver so you may have to set up your Steam Deck with a BlueTooth speaker to get the best experience.
James (he/they) is a freelance games journalist with over 500 pieces published at outlets including GamesRadar, NME, Prima Games, VG247, and God is a Geek.
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