How to Navigate in Desktop Mode on Steam Deck

Before 2022, any device rarely offered a PC-like experience on your Palm. But Valve Corporation (Steam’s Parent Organization) made it possible and offered all Steam PC games on their newly introduced device, Steam Deck. With this device, we can get the PC games to experience on our smartphone, and we can easily switch between desktop and game modes.

Steam deck, however, has acceptable technical specs, including AMD APUs with 4-15W and 16GB LPDR5 RAM. The user still wants to switch to desktop mode. The reason is that switching to desktop mode becomes more similar to a PC. A few PC-like features, such as a right trackpad, allowing you to control your mouse. But users need to learn how to enable it. We will let you know here.

How to Navigate in Desktop Mode on Steam Deck

Being a demanding feature, many ways exist to activate desktop mode on Steam deck. It depends on which one you try. However, the way you enable it makes a lot of sense. Even though there are many ways to switch to desktop mode, you may cause technical problems. Here we will discuss the simplest way to enable desktop mode and how to use it to make things clear. So, let’s start with the guide.

The power button method takes only three steps to switch to desktop mode. But if you take any step beyond what is required, you will get stuck. Enabling desktop mode by pressing the power button is the easiest and fastest way, but special care is also needed. Here, we need to hold down power for specific seconds, and if it goes for more than the required time, the other menu will open. So, for a quick refresher, here are the steps to enable desktop mode.

• Turn on the steam deck.
• Then hold down the power button for 2-3 seconds.
• Following this, a drop-down menu opens, showing power as the main head.
• Under there, scroll down and select the “Switch to desktop” option.
• Now, to get into desktop mode, press the A button.
• That’s it, and Steam Deck is now in desktop mode.

Now you have enabled desktop mode on your steam deck. That means you are on the PC-type screen on it. As I mentioned, it changes the overall Steam default settings for things like navigation and options after getting into desktop mode. You can see that change. Now the big question is how to use/navigate there. So, below, we are sharing a few ways in which you can navigate in Steam deck’s desktop mode.

Using touchpads

In this way, you can use Steam Deck even without a keyboard and mouse. Here right-click touchpad can be used as a primary key, while the left-click is for secondary keys. To make it easier, you can bring up an on-screen keyboard through Steam + X. This is perceived up to a certain point in time. Just a few days ago, a majority of Steam deck users complained their touchpad right-click was not working. However, restarting the Steam client and checking for updates can fix this issue. These are not permanent issues, and developers have yet to find a solution.

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class="wp-block-heading">Using the touchscreen

This is the most common way to navigate on Steam Deck, even in desktop mode. Since it is a touchscreen device, you can use it in the same way that you use your smartphone. You can get into any menu and option by just tapping on it. This is the most effective way to navigate, but note that to open any application, here you need to double-tap on it.

Using triggers

We often use the triggers in gaming mode for multiple purposes at the same time. Although, when it comes to desktop mode, the concept is going to change. The steam deck has merely two triggers: L2 and R2. A left click can be simulated with R2 Trigger, while a right click can be simulated with L2 Trigger. In this way, you can navigate Steam Deck’s desktop mode even through triggers.

Using the keyboard and mouse

As of now, we are trying to navigate through different options without the support of a physical keyboard and mouse. For a physical keyboard, we have told you to get a virtual keyboard. However, it is working perfectly, but somewhere we need keyboard shortcuts. Using a USB cable, Steam deck can connect an external keyboard and mouse. After this, you can access keyboard shortcuts and more navigation tricks through the mouse.

Some Important Components of desktop mode

When you switch to desktop mode, there are many changes to the software arrangement. These new things are the Taskbar, Application launcher, and Dolphin file manager. There are some components that people need to be made aware of, but if you get to know them, you can maximize your efficiency when using Steam deck on your desktop. Now let’s take a closer look at each component.

The taskbar

This component works the same as what you see on your computer. It includes numerous tools that you can quickly access. In addition, you can add more transparency in terms of usage. To add or remove anything from the taskbar, you can do whatever you want. This component helps you customize your deck in accordance with your needs. From there, you can instantly open any window you want.

Application manager

A component such as this allows you to manage all the settings and tasks related to applications. There is an icon at the bottom of the screen for the Steam deck. Once you tap on that, the deck shows you a list of applications installed there. In the end, you can open any application, delete any application, or do whatever you want. The application manager works like any other application manager on a smartphone.

Dolphin File Manager

Due to the fact that you can manage multiple game files downloaded from Steam on Steam deck. For that, the device itself has a file manager called Dolphin File Manager, shown as a blue rectangular box on the taskbar. By clicking that icon, you can manage your game files, such as deleting, copying, moving, etc. In addition, this component is similar to the file explorer on your smartphone.

In addition, you can use the left-side touchpad to scroll down.  Then you can do that by enabling that touchpad to scroll. It can be done through the deck’s control settings.  Now that you’ve read all this, you can do a lot of things even in Steam Deck’s desktop mode. You can exit desktop mode or return to gaming mode. Then all you need to do is select and double-tap the Return to Gaming Mode icon at the top left of the screen. Following that, you will again be in Gaming mode, even after explaining all that; if any user has a query, then ask them all below.

Frequently Asked Questions