Various notes about setting up my Steam Deck, in addition to anything useful to know.
Complete all steps below to setup my Steam Deck.
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Install all updates
- Press Steam button
- Scroll down, then select Settings
- Select System
- Click on Check for Updates
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Test the device and adjust deadzone of joysticks
- Press Steam button
- Scroll down, then select Settings
- Select Controller
- Click on Begin Test next to Test Device Inputs and try out all inputs
- Once done with Test Device Inputs, click on Open for Calibration & Advanced Settings
- Set deadzones around 3200 - 3600 depending on the joysticks
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Calibrate the battery if needed
Sometimes, the battery doesn’t seem properly calibrated from the factory, and your Steam Deck might report a significantly lower battery health percentage than what is actually correct. I had this problem as my Steam Deck displayed a maximum battery capacity of 82 per cent the first time I booted it instead of the usual expected 100. If you have similar issues, keep reading.
Before you panic, one way to solve this issue, if it is indeed a simple calibration issue, is to, well, properly calibrate it. Here’s what you need to do:
- Play a game until your Steam Deck turns off. If the power LED blinks three times, you need to plug the charger in for the next step. Otherwise, the Steam Deck won’t turn on.
- With the Steam Deck turned off, hold the volume up button while pressing the power button. This will boot into the BIOS menu. You want to stay on this menu until the Steam Deck turns off. Then, repeat it once or twice until the Deck turns off before you're able to reach the BIOS menu. You might briefly plug the charger in to make it this far. (Briefly, you don’t want to charge the Steam Deck. Only enough for the Deck to turn on, then unplug immediately.)
- Next, we want to charge the Steam Deck overnight while being turned off. If the Steam Deck automatically turns on, immediately unplug the charger and plug it back when the Steam Deck turns off again.
- After around 8 hours on the charger, it should be fully charged. Turn it on and check your battery health in the taskbar. For this, you need to switch to
Desktop mode. - To boot into
Desktop mode, click the Steam button, go down toPower, and thenSwitch to Desktop. Wait for the Deck to reboot. - Back in
Desktop mode, you’ll find the battery health in the taskbar. It should be above 90%, but not necessarily at 100% (though it can be at 100%). There’s always a little margin of error.
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Set lock screen
- Press Steam button
- Scroll down, then select Settings
- Select Security
- Enable all Lock Screen options
-
Insert and format MicroSD card
This can be long...
- Press Steam button
- Scroll down, then select Settings
- Select System
- Click on Format SD card
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Set time format and show battery percentage
- Press Steam button
- Scroll down, then select Settings
- Select General
- Enable 24 hour clock
- Enable Battery Percentage
-
Disable UI sounds
- Press Steam button
- Scroll down, then select Settings
- Select Audio
- Toggle off Enable UI sounds
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Customize Home screen
- Press Steam button
- Scroll down, then select Settings
- Select Home
- Disable Show personalized store content on my Home
- Enable Only show product updates in What's New
-
Pair my Xbox One wireless controllers
- Press Steam button
- Scroll down, then select Select
- Select Bluetooth
- On the controllers, press Start + X, then the Pair button on top of the controller
- On the Steam Deck, click on the Xbox One Wireless Controller controllers and they should be paired shortly after
- Samsung EVO Plus MicroSD card 512 GB
- Spigen Steam Deck Case Rugged Armor
- Spigen Steam Deck Case Rugged Armor Pro Sleeve
- Hold the Steam button to see the Steam button shortcuts to take a screenshot, increase/decrease the screen brightness and more!
- Setup rclone to run for Emudeck files