The Steam Deck is a versatile portable game console that comes preloaded with SteamOS. While the software on the Steam Deck is generally open and allows for customization without relying on third-party software, there’s always room for more enhancements.
If you own a Steam Deck, you may want to install plugins to enhance your gaming experience. Plugins can add features and functionality that are not available in the standard Steam Deck settings. Fortunately, installing plugins on your Steam Deck is easy with Decky Loader. In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of installing plugins on your Steam Deck using Decky Loader.
What is Decky Loader for Steam Deck?
Decky Loader is a free and open-source tool that can be installed on your Steam Deck. It empowers you to install and manage plugins for Steam games, enhancing your gaming experience by introducing new features, improving graphics, and even modifying game mechanics.
Once installed, Decky Loader allows you to browse and install plugins from various sources. It also provides the convenience of managing your installed plugins, updating them, and uninstalling them if necessary.
Overall, Decky Loader proves to be an invaluable tool for Steam Deck users who seek to personalize and elevate their gaming experience. It enables you to add new functionalities and features to your favorite games, and it’s user-friendly, even for those who aren’t tech-savvy.
How to Install Decky Loader on Steam Deck
Installing Decky Loader on your Steam Deck is a straightforward process, but first, you need to enable Developer Mode.
Enabling Developer Mode on Steam Deck:
- Press the Steam button and scroll down to access the Settings menu.
- Within the settings menu, navigate to the system settings option.
- Look for the “Enable Developer Mode” option and activate it.
- Scroll further down the Settings menu to find the newly added Developer Menu option.
- In the developer menu, enable the setting for CEF Remote Debugging.
- Upon selecting this, the Steam Deck will prompt you to restart the console to apply the changes.
- After the reboot, switch to Desktop mode by pressing the Steam button, scrolling to the Power option, and selecting “Switch to Desktop.”
Downloading and Installing Decky Loader on Steam Deck:
- Once in Desktop mode, open a browser such as Chrome or Firefox.
- Visit the Decky Loader website by accessing the URL: https://deckbrew.xyz/
- Locate the download button in the upper right corner of the website or scroll down to find it. Click on the button to initiate the installation file download.
- Once the file is downloaded, open the Dolphin file manager and navigate to the downloads folder.
- Locate the “decky_installer.desktop” file, and double-click or double-tap it. Select “Run” and then “Continue” to proceed.
- Decky Loader will prompt you to create a temporary password. Choose “Yes” to proceed.
- Select the desired release version of the application on the subsequent screen and click “OK.”
- Once the installation is complete, click “OK” to close the window.
- Return to the Steam Deck interface by tapping or double-clicking the “Return to Game Mode” icon on the desktop.
- Access the quick access menu by pressing the button with three dots beneath the right trackpad. You should now see the Decky menu icon.
- If everything went smoothly, the Decky menu will be visible. Even if it currently appears empty, congratulations! You have successfully installed Decky Loader on your Steam Deck.
How to Install Plugins Using Decky Loader on Steam Deck
Now that you have successfully installed Decky Loader on your Steam Deck, installing plugins using this program is a breeze. Simply follow the steps below to install plugins on your Steam Deck via Decky Loader:
- Access the quick access menu by pressing the Options button. You will see a new menu icon resembling a plug, which represents the Decky plugin menu.
- In the Decky plugin menu, click on the icon in the upper right corner that resembles a store. This will open the plugin store for Decky.
- Upon selecting the plugin store icon, you will be presented with a list of plugins available for download.
- Choose the plugin you desire and click on the “Install” button. The plugin will be downloaded and applied automatically.
- All the plugins you download through Decky will be displayed in the Decky plugin menu. From there, you can manage each plugin individually.
- You can also access Decky’s settings to check for updates and adjust other configurations while managing the plugins from the plugin settings menu.
Install Plugins on Steam Deck Using Decky Loader
Now that you know how to install various plugins on your Steam Deck using Decky Loader, your gaming experience will be greatly enhanced. By utilizing plugins to customize settings or change the theme of the Steam Deck interface, you can breathe new life into your SteamOS experience on the Steam Deck.
Feel free to experiment with different plugins to find the ones that best suit your preferences. If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the Steam Deck, please leave them in the comments below.
FAQs
- What types of plugins can I install on my Steam Deck using Decky Loader?
Decky Loader supports a wide range of plugins, including custom themes, custom controllers, and performance-enhancing plugins. - Can I install plugins on my Steam Deck without using Decky Loader?
Technically, yes. You can manually install plugins on your Steam Deck by copying the plugin files to the appropriate directories. However, this method is more complicated and can be prone to errors. - Is Decky Loader safe to use?
Yes, Decky Loader is completely safe to use. It is an open-source tool developed by the community and has been thoroughly tested. - Can I uninstall plugins using Decky Loader?
Yes, you can uninstall plugins using Decky Loader. Simply select the plugin you want to uninstall in Decky Loader and click the “Uninstall” button. - Where can I find plugins for my Steam Deck?
There are many websites where you can find plugins for your Steam Deck. Some popular websites include Steam Workshop, Nexus Mods, and GitHub.
