The popular Steam Deck was released back in 2022, and since then, Valve has continued to improve the handheld with regular updates to the SteamOS device. These updates focus on fixing bugs, adding new features, improving stability, and, most recently, giving more accessibility options.

Recently, Valve released another major update, and this is a big one. The best part is that it’s for the Stable channel, so every Steam Deck owner can download it right now. We’ll be going over some important improvements introduced through the update; a few of these changes were first tested in the Beta channel, but now they’re available for all.

What does the latest Steam Deck update offer?

Accessibility

• Added an accessibility settings page with a Screen Reader, Color Filters, UI Scaling, High Contrast Mode, and Reduced Motion options. Learn more in the announcement and provide feedback here.

General

• Added “SteamOS Compatible” library tab on the Legion Go S.
• Added in-game keyboard shortcuts to open the Main Menu and Quick Access Menu.
  • Default Main Menu hotkey: Shift+Tab
  • Default Quick Access Menu hotkey: Ctrl+Shift+Tab
  • Customizable in Settings->In Game
• Improved steam client update installation speed. In some pathological cases this operation could take minutes to complete, when the expected completion time is seconds.
• Reduced startup times for players with large numbers of non-Steam games added to the client.
• Guided Tour now includes information about Parental Controls.
• Fixed ‘Factory Reset’ failing if the ‘Reset OS’ option was selected.
• Fixed an issue preventing some apps from installing on the Legion Go S.
• Fixed zoom controller chord not working in the Steam Deck interface.
• Fixed an error when displaying game details activity tab for a game that no friends have played but some friends have wishlisted.
• Fixed the “Browse Local Files” option not working for non-Steam games (this is only available in desktop mode).
• Fixed certain startup movies not playing correctly.

Desktop Mode

• Fixed main client window being focused for certain kinds of links opened from chat windows.
• Fixed main client window ordering above some modal dialogs when clicked (e.g. cloud file conflict dialogs).

Steam Input

• Added the ability to bind the paddles and L4/R4 buttons on the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller when connected via Bluetooth.
• Added the ability to bind the paddles on the 8BitDo Pro 2 Controller when in DirectInput mode.
• Added the ability to bind the paddles and C/Z buttons on the FlyDigi Vader series controllers.
• Added the ability to bind the paddles on the FlyDigi Apex series controllers.
• Fixed input when using the latest firmware for the Mayflash GameCube adapter.
• Fixed gyro calibration system rejecting noisy accelerometers too readily.
• Fixed gyro and accelerometer noise meters using the wrong scale.
• Fixed calibration wizard not advancing between stages on Lenovo/Ally.
• Fixed missing glyphs for the Lenovo Legion Go S in Steam Input API games using the TranslateOrigin function, ex: Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered.
• Fixed templates not showing up in the template tab of the choose binding dialog for Legion Go S devices.
• Fixed thumbstick centering range for Nintendo Switch Pro controllers.
• Fixed input in Ratchet and Clank for Legion Go S.
• Fix glyphs for the Legion Go S the Last of Us: Part 2.

Remote Play

• Improved audio resilience to variable network conditions.

SteamOS

• For non-Steam Deck devices running SteamOS (like the Legion Go S), controller support icons are now displayed on game capsules next to SteamOS Compatibility.

Source: Steam

If you want to update to the latest version, simply tap the update notification on the top panel, or press the ‘Steam’ button and navigate to Settings > System > Software Update. You may not have the option to update if you have already installed the relevant patches on the Beta or Preview channels.

One of the biggest highlights of the update is that it has added an accessibility settings page. Through it, users can access and enable features like Screen Reader, Color Filters, UI Scaling, High Contrast Mode, and Reduced Motion.

Aside from that, if you’ve added a lot of non-Steam games to your library, this update will help your Steam Deck boot up faster. Valve has made improvements to reduce the startup time, which will make things feel smoother. They also fixed an issue where the “Browse Local Files” button didn’t work for non-Steam games in desktop mode.

Installing Steam Client updates is now quicker, too. In some cases, it used to take minutes, but now it should only take a few seconds. Other improvements include a better Guided Tour with added info about parental controls and fixes for some errors that used to show up in the game activity tab.

This update is also great for those who use third-party controllers, as support for more advanced buttons on controllers like 8BitDo Ultimate 2, FlyDigi Vader, and FlyDigi Apex series has been added. On top of that, Valve has fixed problems related to controller input for games like Ratchet and Clank and The Last of Us Part II on the Legion Go S. The gyro calibration system has been improved as well. It’s now more accurate and won’t reject sensors for being too sensitive.

For desktop mode, Valve has introduced two important fixes. Clicking on certain links no longer brings up the wrong window, and dialogs like file conflict messages now appear properly in front of the main Steam window.

In other news, the Steam Summer Sale is currently live, and Steam Deck owners can grab plenty of titles for under $10 and under $5. The sale will conclude on July 10, so make sure to grab whatever you want before the discounts disappear.

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

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