With the ease and comfort of gaming anywhere and everywhere you want, the Steam Deck remains a popular choice among gamers. Speaking of hand-held consoles, most devices come pre-equipped with Windows, unlike the Steam Deck which has Linux.
No doubt, Linux is a great choice for gaming. However, if you want to make the most of your Game Pass or play some titles from Epic Games, you will need Windows. So, here’s a quick guide on how to install Windows on your Steam Deck.
How to install Windows 11 on Steam Deck?
You need to install Windows 11 on your Steam Deck without messing up its internal system. The way to do that is port the Windows 11 OS to a USB-C SSD which can be plugged into the device whenever required. You won’t have to install the entire operating system on to your Steam Deck.
All you need is a working internet connection, a USB-C SSD, and your Steam Deck.
Download Windows 11 OS
Head to Microsoft’s official website and look up Windows 11. You will be directed to the download page for Windows 11. Scroll down to a section called “Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices”. From the drop-down menu, select “Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO for x64 devices)”. Click on the blue download button. A pop-up will appear asking your preferred language. Select as you wish then proceed. Finally, click on “64-bit download” to begin the download.
Create a portable version of Windows 11
Connect the SSD to your PC. You need to convert it into a bootable drive so that Steam Deck recognizes it.
Download Rufus, it will turn your USB-C SSD into a bootable drive. Make sure you have the latest version. Once done, follow these steps:
- Open Rufus.
- Click on the “SELECT” button on the right side of the screen.
- Find the Windows 11 OS file you just downloaded. Double-click and mount it to Rufus. The application will now verify the files.
- Mark the checkbox next to “List USB Hard Drives”. Now, select your SSD from the “Device” menu.
- After your drive is mounted, click on “Image option” then select “Windows to Go”.
- Finally, hit “Start” to begin the installation process. A pop-up window will appear where you will be asked the version of Windows to install. Select “Windows 11 Home”.
Once the installation is done, your SSD will be ready.
Download Windows drivers for Steam Deck
In order to have the best Windows experience, you need a few additional drivers on your Steam Deck.
Head to the Steam Support page for Windows Resources. Depending on which device you are using, you will need to download certain drivers. Scroll down and look for your Steam Deck. Download every driver listed under it.
The drivers will be downloaded as .zip files. You need to extract them all, compile and place them under a new folder. Move this folder to the root directory of your SSD.
Boot Windows on Steam Deck
Before beginning, make sure your Steam Deck is fully charged.
Firstly, shut down your Steam Deck. Once the system is off, connect your SSD to the Deck. Hold the volume down button and push the power button until the system turns on. This will take you to the drive selector screen. Select your SSD when prompted.
The Windows initialization process will now begin. It will take quite a while so hang in there. Answer the questions as prompted but when asked for Wi-Fi, select “I don’t have internet”.
You will know the process was successful when you end up on the Windows home page.
Align the Windows display
Use the left trigger to right-click and open the drop-down menu. Click on “Display Settings”. Go to “Scale & Layout” then select “Display Orientation”. Change it to “Landscape”.
Install Drivers
Find the folder where you stored your drivers. Use Valve’s driver page to install them on your Steam Deck.
Your Steam Deck will restart for the drivers to take effect. Restart your device and you will be good to go.
That’s it! Follow this guide and you will have successfully installed Windows 11 on your Steam Deck.
About Steam
Steam is a video game digital distribution service by Valve Softwares. It was launched as a standalone software client in September 2003 as a way for Valve to provide automatic updates for their games and was subsequently expanded to include games from third-party publishers. Steam also serves as an online web-based and mobile digital storefront.
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