Three years after its debut, Valve’s Steam Deck has made a significant impact on the portable PC gaming landscape. While the device has garnered praise for its innovative approach to gaming on the go, it has not been without its quirks. One of the more frustrating limitations was the necessity to keep the screen active for game downloads. However, this inconvenience has been addressed with the latest update.
New Download Feature Enhances User Experience
On November 4, Valve announced a noteworthy enhancement to the Steam Deck: the ability to continue downloading games even when the screen is turned off. This update allows the device to enter sleep mode after completing downloads, marking a substantial improvement in functionality.
The new feature is automatically activated when the Steam Deck is connected to a power source. Users can also enable it manually while on battery by navigating to Settings > Power. Once activated, the next time users press the power button during a download, they will receive a prompt asking if they wish to continue downloading with the screen off. The device will also switch to this mode if left idle for an extended period.
While the screen is off, users can still monitor download progress by moving the device or pressing any button, which brings up a status screen displaying a download progress bar. This addition addresses a long-standing request from the community, as many users had sought ways to download games without the screen consuming battery life. Some resorted to dimming their screens or employing various workarounds, but now, the feature is fully supported.
Currently, this highly anticipated feature is available through the Steam Deck beta and preview channels, with expectations that it will soon be rolled out to all users. As Valve continues to refine the Steam Deck, it becomes increasingly clear that the device is evolving to meet the needs of its dedicated user base.
