Windows drivers now available for Steam Deck
But there are a few caveats.
Valve has announced that Windows drivers are now available to install on its Steam Deck.
The company posted a short update on its Steam blog saying, "have we mentioned Steam Deck is a PC? Like any other PC, you can install other applications and OSes if you'd like". To have the best Windows experience, users will simply need to download some new drivers (links to these can be found on Steam's Windows resources page).
However, for those who do wish to install Windows onto their Steam deck, there are a few caveats.
First of all, to get Windows running on your Steam Deck you will have to wipe its original OS and perform a full Windows install.
This is because, "while Steam Deck is fully capable of dual-boot, the SteamOS installer that provides a dual-boot wizard isn't ready yet".
Secondly, only Windows 10 is able to be installed (at least for now), as Window 11 "requires a new BIOS".
Valve has assured users this BIOS is in the pipeline and, when it releases, will provide fTPM support. This version of Windows for the Steam Deck will be "shipping soon" although no specific date has been given at the time of writing.
Finally, Valve is currently unable to offer 'Windows on Deck' support. Instead, the company has provided recovery instructions should users wish to go back to the standard Steam OS after installing Windows.
All this said, there are certainly still benefits to getting Windows running on your Steam Deck. Namely, the ability to enjoy a different selection of games that aren't available on Steam's own OS.
As pointed out by Polygon, if users do install Windows on their Deck, they will finally have the chance to run titles such as Bungie's Destiny 2 while on the move.
It also means there is the potential to get Xbox Games Pass for PC running on the Steam Deck. So, in theory, players could maybe enjoy some Halo Infinite on the go - this is one game that was recently revealed to not be supported on the handheld PC's own OS, with Valve stating this was "due to anti-cheat".
But for those who do opt to stick with the standard OS, there are still plenty of gaming options available. Last week, Valve revealed Steam now has over a thousand "verified" games that will play flawlessly on its handheld system.