Steam Deck: How to Enable Desktop Mode

Any desktop fan or power user needs to know how to Enable Desktop Mode on Steam Deck. If you switch from the SteamOS layout you see when you first turn on your device to the PC layout Desktop Mode, you can do a lot of things you couldn’t do before. As far as most people are concerned, the Steam Deck is a Linux PC. The SteamOS operating system from Valve is based on Linux, and the hardware of the deck is basically just a small computer with all the parts you’d find in a laptop.

This means that once you get out of the limited default Gaming Mode, which pretty much limits you to just the standard Steam App, you can use your deck to do what you’d do on a normal PC. In Desktop Mode, you’ll see a PC-style interface where you can browse the web, download files and install software, run and emulate games, and even type up documents if you want to. As long as your hardware and software are compatible, you can pretty much do anything. here are the ways how to Enable Desktop Mode on Steam Deck.

What is Desktop Mode?

Valve, a company that makes, publishes, and sells video games and digital games, officially announced Steam Deck in August 2021. Steam Deck is a handheld gaming PC that can run almost every Steam game in the palm of a user’s hand. Gamers quickly learned that Steam Deck, which is full of useful features, can also be used as a PC desktop.

Steam Deck runs a fork of Arch-Linux that was built from the ground up. It lets you do almost everything you can do on a regular PC. Even though Steam Deck’s desktop mode isn’t as easy to use as Windows, it can do everything a user would expect and more. It lets people do office work, make quick notes, watch movies, listen to music, browse the internet, and do many other things.

How to Enable Desktop Mode on Steam Deck

Turning On Desktop Mode Using the Power Button on Steam Deck

1. Press the power button to turn on your Steam Deck.
2. Once Steam Deck has loaded up to the main menu, press and hold the power button to bring up a menu.
3. Choose Switch to Desktop from this menu, then press the A key.
4. This will take you to the Linux-based Steam Desktop and user interface.
5. Once you turn on desktop mode on your Steam Deck, you can use it like a normal desktop computer, with a taskbar and a full desktop environment.

Turning On Desktop Mode Using the Steam Button on Steam Deck

1. Press the power button to turn on your Steam Deck.
2. Press and hold the power button to bring up a menu once Steam Deck has started up and the main menu UI has appeared.
3. Scroll down and choose “Power” at the end of the list. Then press A to start it.
4. The power menu will come up. Choose Switch to Desktop from this menu and press A to do it.
5. This will take you to Steam Desktop, an operating system and user interface based on Linux.

The Benefits of Using Desktop Mode

1. Flexibility: Desktop Mode lets users use their Steam Deck as if it were a full desktop. This means that you can install and use a lot of different software and apps, not just games.
2. Productivity: With Desktop Mode, it’s easy to use tools like office suites, web browsers, programming environments, and more to get work done. Because of this, the Steam Deck can be used for both work and play.
3. Multitasking: Desktop Mode lets you do more than one thing at once, so you can have multiple apps and windows open at the same time. This is especially helpful when you need to switch between programs or keep an eye on more than one thing at once.
4. Customization: In Desktop Mode, you have more control over how the user interface of your Steam Deck looks and how you want it to work. You can change the settings and arrange your apps however you like. You can also change the background of your desktop.
5. Compatibility: Many programs and games are made for desktop operating systems like Windows or Linux. By using Desktop Mode, you can get to a bigger collection of apps and use them better with a wider range of programs.

Exploring the Features and Functionality of Desktop Mode

1. Launch and Run Applications: In Desktop Mode, you can access and run a wide range of applications, not just games. This includes software like web browsers, media players, and programs that help you get work done. Just move around the user interface and start the app you want to use.
2. Multitasking: Desktop Mode makes it easy to do more than one thing at once. You can have more than one program open at the same time, switch between them, and put them in different windows. This lets you work on different projects or enjoy different kinds of entertainment at the same time.
3. File Management: In Desktop Mode, you can take care of your files and folders. This includes organizing your files, making new folders, copying, moving, and deleting files as needed. You can also add external storage devices to increase the amount of space you can use.
4. Customization: Desktop Mode lets you change things to make your Steam Deck experience more your own. You can change the background of your desktop, choose different themes or visual styles, and adjust settings to your liking.
5. System Settings: Getting to the system settings is important if you want to change how your Steam Deck works and how it works. In Desktop Mode, you can go to the system settings menu and change things like how the screen looks, how the network is set up, how power is managed, and more.

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