The Steam Deck is basically just a portable PC, and one of its most promising features is the option to install whatever OS you like on it. But while early adopters have technically been able to install Windows on Steam Deck, the results have been sketchy since key Windows drivers for the device have not been available. Today, Valve has changed that.
You can head over to Steam to grab GPU, WiFi, and Bluetooth drivers for Windows on Steam Deck. Valve’s offering instructions for Windows installation at that link, but Valve notes that it’s not officially supporting Windows installs – if you run into trouble, you’re on your own. (If you need to reinstall SteamOS, though, there is a recovery process.)
While these drivers are an important step for Windows functionality on Steam Deck, there are still some important caveats. You can’t currently dual-boot with Windows and SteamOS – that option will come in a future update. You can currently only install Windows 10 – a BIOS update that adds Windows 11’s required fTPM support will also come in a future update. Finally, there are no audio drivers yet – Bluetooth and USB-C audio will work, but you won’t get sound out of the speakers or 3.5mm jack.
Early Steam Deck pre-orders have already landed in the hands of players, but it’s going to be some time before everyone can get their hands on the device. For most of you, that means there’s plenty of time for Valve to work out the last handful of Windows quirks, so that the first generation of Steam Deck can reach its full potential. (A future Steam Deck 2 with even further improvements is a pretty safe bet, too.)