TheSteam Deckis a powerful gaming machine and a handheld device with PC capabilities. The versatile piece of tech can be played as a dedicated gaming device, but there are a lot of features and tools built into the machine to let players get more out of the machine than playing games.
Another way to get more out of Steam Deck is by accessing the machine’s Desktop mode. The device’s Desktop features allow players to access more features on their Deck that aren’t available in the system’s gaming mode.
Updated on August 04, 2025, by Michael Llewellyn:The Steam Deck continues to be updated and the most accessible handheld PC on the market. Whether players purchase the LCD or the OLED version, the Steam Deck is a powerful device with tons of capability. This extends to the excellent PC-based Desktop Mode, which utilizes a version of Linux, giving players a fully functional PC, as well as a handheld gaming device.
How To Access Steam Deck’s Desktop Mode
The Steam Deck has a ton of customization features. However, to fully take advantage of it, players must learn to access and use the system’s desktop mode. Use the following steps to access the device’s desktop mode:
Switching Back To Gaming Mode
Of course, once users are finished exploring Steam Deck’s Desktop mode, Steam Deck users may wonder how to switch back to the system’s gaming mode. Follow these next steps to return the systemto theSteam Deck’s gaming mode:
Peripherals For The Steam Deck
Even though it’s possible to use a Steam Deck’s controls to access and use the Desktop mode, it’s easier to use aBluetooth keyboard and mouse,similar to the Artdeck one pictured above. A keyboard and mouse are a must-have when using search engines and downloading apps to get morefeatures for the Steam Deck.
In Desktop Mode, Steam Deck users treat it like a PC, connect it to a printer, use office packages like Libre, GNU Image manipulation, and more.
