Find out how to set up Home windows 11 and 10 on the Steam Deck

Home windows 11 and Home windows 10 work on the Steam Deck now that Valve has formally launched drivers for Microsoft’s working system. It is not so simple as hitting a obtain button, although. On this information, we’ll present you easy methods to set up Home windows on the Steam Deck, each to the inner solide-state drive (SSD) and from a microSD card.

Home windows is not excellent on the Steam Deck, however putting in the OS (or booting from it with a microSD card) will help flip the Steam Deck right into a laptop computer substitute. We will present you to do a full set up to the SSD, in addition to easy methods to boot to Home windows from a microSD card. The latter will preserve the unique SteamOS set up intact.

Earlier than diving in, remember the fact that Home windows 11 is not technically supported on the Steam Deck. Home windows 11 requires TPM, and the Steam Deck would not have that enabled. You possibly can nonetheless set up Home windows 11 with the directions beneath, however it’s possible you’ll not obtain Home windows updates.

Boot from a microSD card or USB drive

Earlier than truly putting in Home windows on the Steam Deck, I like to recommend you boot from a microSD card or USB drive first. That is fully reversible, so you’ll be able to check out Home windows with out erasing something in your Steam Deck. Home windows is not excellent on the Steam Deck, and reinstalling SteamOS is a giant job by itself.

I am utilizing a microSD card, however any UHS-1 microSD card (verify the label) or USB 3.0 drive with at the least 32GB of storage will work. The Steam Deck helps Home windows 10 and Home windows 11, and the method is identical no matter which OS you employ. I am utilizing Home windows 10 right here.

Step 1: Head to Microsoft’s web site and obtain the Home windows 10 media creation instrument. If you wish to use Home windows 11, obtain the Home windows 11 creation instrument (below Create Home windows 11 set up media).

Step 2: Obtain Rufus, which is what is going to help you create a bootable model of Home windows in your microSD card or USB drive.

Step 3: Obtain the Home windows drivers for Steam Deck from Valve. Put all of them in a folder collectively on a spare USB drive for entry later.

Step 4: Open the Home windows Media Creation Instrument and choose Create set up media. On the subsequent web page, select ISO file, and select a spot to retailer it in your PC. Wait till the method is finished, and ensure to maintain a observe about the place you saved the ISO.

Step 5: Plug in your microSD card or USB drive and open Rufus. Observe: Persevering with right here will erase all information in your microSD card/USB drive. In Rufus, choose your microSD card or USB drive below Gadget. Then, select Choose subsequent to the Boot choice part. Navigate to your Home windows ISO that you just created earlier.

Beneath Picture possibility, choose Home windows To Go. Then, select MBR below Partition scheme. Rename the drive in order for you, and choose Prepared to begin the flashing course of.

Step 6: As soon as it is executed, eject the microSD card and insert it within the Steam Deck. Flip off your Steam Deck fully, after which maintain down the Quantity down button as your energy it on. It will enter the boot supervisor.

Step 7: Choose your SD card in addition into Home windows. It’ll boot in portrait mode on the Steam Deck.

Home windows would not truly set up right here, so proceed via the setup course of as regular by deciding on your language, keyboard structure, and so forth. A keyboard and mouse assist lots right here, however you will get via setup with simply the touchscreen.

Step 8: When you’re in Home windows, head to Settings > System > Show and discover the Show orientation possibility. Choose Panorama to flip the display screen to the right orientation.

Step 9: Lastly, plug in your USB drive that you just saved the Home windows drivers on. Plug it in utilizing your USB-C hub (in a roundabout way into the Steam Deck) and set up the drivers.

That is it. While you reboot your Steam Deck, it would return to SteamOS, however you’ll be able to at all times boot into Home windows supplied you undergo the boot supervisor.

Do not combine up this course of with twin booting. The Steam Deck would not assist twin booting in the meanwhile, so you may want to decide on both Home windows or SteamOS in order for you a everlasting resolution.

Find out how to set up Home windows on the Steam Deck’s SSD

If you would like Home windows solely on the Steam Deck, you’ll be able to set up on to the SSD. You will have to erase all the information on the SSD to take action, although, together with your video games, settings, and SteamOS itself.

It is doable to revive SteamOS on the Steam Deck, however it is a bit of a problem. When you simply need to experiment with Home windows, use the strategy above. When you’re keen to dive into the total expertise and do not thoughts deleting your information, proceed on.

Step 1: To begin, it is advisable to create a Home windows set up drive. We define how to do this in our information on easy methods to set up Home windows 11, however the course of is easy.

Obtain the Home windows media creation instrument and create an installer in your USB drive. You will want a USB drive with at the least 16GB of storage, however the instrument will stroll you thru the steps in any other case.

Step 2: Energy down your Steam Deck fully and join your USB drive with a USB hub. Though you’ll be able to join the drive straight, I strongly suggest connecting it with a USB-C hub to keep away from any points. A keyboard and mouse are good for set up, too, and a USB-C hub will help you join these peripherals.

Step 3: Energy on the Steam Deck whereas holding the Quantity down button to enter the boot supervisor. Choose your USB drive with the Home windows installer to proceed.

Step 4: Like earlier than, Home windows will boot in portrait mode. Choose the Home windows model you need after which select Set up now. I extremely suggest connecting a keyboard and mouse right here. You will get via set up with the touchscreen, however the Steam Deck’s keyboard and the touchpads will not work.

You will be requested to activate Home windows after. Enter your product key when you’ve got it, or select I haven’t got a product key to proceed.

Step 5: On the next display screen, select Customized: set up Home windows solely. You will have to delete partitions on the Steam Deck in an effort to set up Home windows.

Vital: It will delete all of the info in your Steam Deck, together with your video games, settings, and any saves/media that have not been uploaded to Steam Cloud. It is doable to revive SteamOS later, however you may have to reinstall your whole video games and reconfigure your settings.

Step 6: Select a partition you need to delete and choose Delete. I like to recommend selecting the biggest of how ever many partitions you will have. The 512GB mannequin, at the least, comes with eight partitions.

Step 7: Select the partition you deleted, which ought to present up as Unallocated house, and choose Subsequent. Home windows will start putting in on the drive.

Step 8: After a little bit of time and an automated reboot, you may load into the traditional Home windows setup. Proceed as you’ll above, deciding on your keyboard structure, and language, and skipping the Wi-Fi part.

Step 9: Home windows is put in at this level, so all you want is a little bit of cleanup. Head to Settings > System > Show and swap Show Orientation to Panorama.

Seize one other USB drive with the Home windows drivers for Steam Deck, and set up them as effectively. SteamOS is gone now, so you may want to revive it if you wish to return.

Find out how to get better SteamOS on the Steam Deck

When you put in Home windows on the Steam Deck’s SSD and also you need to return, you’ll be able to. Valve gives a Steam Deck restoration picture that may get SteamOS again in working order — supplied you are OK with manufacturing unit resetting your Steam Deck as soon as once more.

Step 1: To begin, obtain the SteamOS restoration picture from Valve.

Step 2: Obtain Rufus on a separate Home windows PC and insert a USB drive. Write the SteamOS restoration picture to the USB drive and eject it out of your PC.

Step 3: Energy down the Steam Deck fully and join the USB drive utilizing a USB-C hub. Maintain the Quantity down button whereas powering on the Steam Deck to enter the boot supervisor. Choose your USB drive from there (it needs to be “EFI USB Gadget”).

Step 4: After a while, you’ll boot into the restoration setting. There are just a few choices right here that may try and protect your information, however I like to recommend utilizing the Re-image Steam Deck possibility.

When you’re coming from Home windows, you may have to manufacturing unit reset the Steam Deck to get it working. Trying the opposite choices will not preserve your video games should you’ve already put in Home windows, and so they may result in some nasty file system conflicts.

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