Is SteamOS free?

Although we have made SteamOS freely available for anybody to install, the installation experience is not intended for a non-technical user. Most importantly, SteamOS only supports a certain set of hardware (you can read more in our FAQ).

Can I install SteamOS on my PC?

Thanks to the hard work of a collective group of enthusiasts, it's now possible to install Steam Deck software (SteamOS) directly onto your PC. The best part is that the SteamOS installation is easier than you think.

Is Steam Deck OS free?

The Software contains free and open source software ("FOSS") as well as the proprietary Steam Client (see below II.)

Is SteamOS good for gaming?

SteamOS is the best as far as it goes for gaming on Linux platforms, but Windows is the premier OS for gaming. It's really the one thing at which Windows excels. And it blows SteamOS out of the water, for range of games and for usability. If you do use SteamOS, you are handicapping yourself.

Can SteamOS play all Steam games?

It's a solid device that should run most AAA titles reliably. The Deck stands out in its ability to run a wide range of games out of the box. It comes with the entire Steam catalog of games, so users don't have to wait for popular titles to release for the console.

Windows is in Trouble... SteamOS 3.0 on Desktop

What are the minimum requirements for SteamOS?

What OS can run Steam?

Steam provides support for Windows, macOS, and Linux (SteamOS). You can see platform usage stats from the Steam Hardware Survey to help you make decisions on what platforms you are going to want to support.

How much storage does SteamOS take?

The installation. There are two different ways to get SteamOS installed on your system, which Valve has helpfully outlined on the "build your own Steam Machine" page. The first is a fully automated method that restores the contents of a 2.7GB disk image onto your computer's hard disk drive.

Can you run SteamOS in a virtual machine?

A SteamOS VM can be useful for debugging, development, and generally playing and tinkering with the OS without risking breaking the Steam Deck. Running the SteamOS desktop in a virtual machine only requires QEMU and the OVMF UEFI firmware and should work in any relatively recent distribution.

Is SteamOS better than Windows?

SteamOS has shader cache, better drivers, and better VRAM handling. Windows lacks on all counts. However, with SteamOS, you're almost always translating with Proton. That normally carries a negligible cost, but it is a cost, and depending on the game, might hurt performance.

Where does SteamOS store games?

Can SteamOS play non Steam games?

The Steam Deck is a great handheld for playing PC games away from your desk, but it's also a robust platform that can do a lot more. Thanks to its Linux-based SteamOS, you can download from thousands of non-game apps like Discord, web browsers, email, retro game emulators, and more.

Does Steam cost money?

Signing up for a Steam account is free, and there are no ongoing costs to use the service.

Can any game be put on Steam?

Although you can add almost any game to Steam, you won't have access to social features or achievements. Instead, Steam allows you to connect apps so you can see and launch them from your library page — though it doesn't go through the effort of fetching box art of anything of the sort.

Is SteamOS still supported?

We will add support for newer hardware over time, but we have no plans to add more support for older hardware. Users should not consider SteamOS as a replacement for their desktop operating system.

How many Steam games can you run?

Valve's Steam Deck now supports over 4,000 games.

Can you play fortnite on SteamOS?

The biggest problem of all is that owing to lack of compatibility with Fortnite's anti-cheat technology, the game won't run at all under SteamOS, meaning that you need to install Windows to get it running.

Can Linux run Steam games?

Play Windows Games With Proton/Steam Play

Thanks to a tool from Valve called Proton(Opens in a new window), which leverages the WINE(Opens in a new window) compatibility layer, many Windows-based games are completely playable on Linux through Steam Play.

Is gaming on Linux better than Windows?

If you're playing AAA games with kernel-level anticheat or if you just want the confidence that all games will work out of the box, it's best to stick with Windows. Yes it's a little bloaty and the direction Microsoft is going with it is very questionable, but Windows is still the most supported OS for gaming.

Does uninstalling Steam delete games?

How should I uninstall Steam? Important: This process will remove Steam and any installed game content from your machine.

How do I install mods for Steam games?

The central hub for downloading mods is the Steam Workshop. Login to Steam in a browser or your Steam Client, navigate to the workshop and subscribe to mod. The mod will be automatically downloaded.

How do I refund a game on Steam?

Click on the game you'd like to get a refund on. Then select the reason you want a refund. Choose how you'd like a refund. Select either to refund into your Steam wallet or directly to the original payment method you used.

Is Steam worth installing?

Valve's Steam service is a must-have for any PC gamer. Its great selection, recommendation features, and deals make it one of the first applications to install on any gaming PC. On Steam Deck, it's essential.