One of the best things about the Steam Deck – and one of the big reasons why it stands out among its peers (in our opinion) – is the fact that Valve regularly releases new updates to improve user experience and support. Some updates introduce major features, while others focus on fixing bugs and improving performance across SteamOS and connected devices.

Valve has released another Steam Deck Client update on the Stable channel, bringing several fixes for controllers, downloads, networking, and Steam Input. For those who don’t know, ‘Stable’ is the default update channel on the Deck, reserved for final and production-ready updates. In other words, every single Steam Deck owner can now download this patch without any hassle.

What does the update offer?

General

• Improved the layout of the pair controller screen on Steam Deck.
• Fixed an issue with joystick LEDs not working correctly on Legion Go in some cases.

Downloads

• Fixed a bug which may have impacted download performance on some networks.

Remote Play

• Fixed doubled input when the Steam Controller is connected via a puck.

Steam Controller Firmware

• Controller FW update to address potential charging issue.
• Added support for dimming the LED via settings in Steam.
• Reduced internal deadzoning on the lower-range of the triggers.

Steam Input

• Added support for dimming the Steam Controller’s LED.
• Added a potential workaround for an issue on Linux where gamepad emulation would break for Steam Controllers.
• Reverted changes to trackpad momentum tracking that caused a deadzone around the edges of the Steam Controller trackpad.
• Fixed some cases where returning to the “Edit Layout” screen from changing a binding or navigating from the “Preview” layout view could focus the wrong input.
• Fixed an issue displaying the paired device serial on the Steam Controller Puck info page.

SteamNetworkingSockets

• Fixed a bug causing connections to drop with the error “stop_waiting past sentinel gap”.

Source: Steam

One notable fix outside of the Steam Deck addresses an issue with joystick LEDs on the Lenovo Legion Go. The latest update ensures the lighting behaves as expected. Valve has also made improvements to the controller pairing experience on Steam Deck. The layout of the controller pairing screen has been updated, making it easier for users to connect and manage their devices.

Download performance has also received attention in this update. Valve fixed a bug that could negatively impact download speeds on some network configurations. While not every user was affected, those who experienced slower-than-expected downloads may notice better performance after updating. For Remote Play users, Valve has fixed an issue that caused doubled inputs when a Steam Controller was connected through a controller puck.

Steam Input received several improvements as well, as users can now adjust Steam Controller LED brightness through the settings. Valve also added a possible workaround for a Linux issue that could break gamepad emulation on Steam Controllers. In addition, changes that previously caused a deadzone around the edges of the controller’s trackpad have been reverted.

Several smaller fixes are included. These include correcting focus issues within the “Edit Layout” menu and fixing an error that prevented paired device serial numbers from displaying correctly on the Steam Controller Puck information page. Valve also resolved a networking bug that could cause connections to unexpectedly drop, giving users a rather cryptic error message.

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.