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Typing with a joystick or a D-pad on a pop-up keyboard isn’t the fastest or the most efficient, whether you’re doing it with a controller or the controls of the Steam Deck. So, it is better to type with your fingers just as you do on your mobile phone.
That being said, bringing up the keyboard on Steam is very simple, but if you can’t figure it out or it isn’t accepting the relevant input, we’re here to help. In this article, we’ll take you through the steps of bringing up the keyboard and how you can troubleshoot the issue.
Quick Answer
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Bringing up the keyboard on Steam Deck
Step
Turn on the Steam Deck
First, ensure that the Steam Deck is fully charged and turn it on.
Step
Press the relevant keys
Locate the “Steam” and the “X” key on the Steam Deck and press and hold them down together, simultaneously. After a second or two, the virtual keyboard should pop up, and you can now quickly type using it.
Essential shortcuts
Once the keyboard has popped up, you might be wondering how to close it or how to move around efficiently. Thankfully, there are some shortcuts you can use with the combination of the Steam button and D-pad.
- Tab: Steam button + Down
- Escape: Steam button + left
- Enter: Steam button + right
- Close the keyboard: B button
FAQs
Why won’t my keyboard pop up on Steam Deck?
The keyboard on your Steam Deck might not be popping up due to several reasons, but a fix for that is to check whether you have the Steam Application launched in Desktop mode or not. If you haven’t, try launching that, and then see if the keyboard pops up.
If that doesn’t work, you always have the option of connecting an external keyboard, but besides that, try rebooting the Steam Deck, as that can resolve plenty of issues as well.
Conclusion
This was a quick journey, but we’ve reached the end. Hopefully, you were able to access the virtual keyboard on the Steam Deck using these easy-to-follow instructions. If you run into any issues or the commands don’t work, try restarting your Steam Deck. If that doesn’t work, look for updates and reboot your device.
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