Tech

How to install Decky Loader on Steam Deck

If you know what you’re doing, installing Decky Loader on Steam Deck is a rather simple procedure. Fortunately, we are here to assist you with installing this fantastic homebrew program, which allows you to access a staggering amount of useful capabilities on Valve’s portable PC.

An open-source project called Decky Loader on Steam Deck, to put it briefly, adds plugin compatibility to the incredible gaming gadget.

It provides you with access to a plethora of excellent plugins once installed. Some of our favorites are ProtonDB Badges, which rate how well optimized games are on the Deck through an intuitive badge system, Animation Changer, which lets you choose between cool user-made intro videos when you boot up the Deck, and CSS Loader, which allows you to install customized themes.

The necessary steps to install Decky Loader on Steam Deck with the least amount of hassle are outlined below.

Please take note that using peripherals that are not packaged with Steam Deck is advised in the following tutorial. You’ll need a keyboard and mouse to pair with the handheld Decky Loader and a docking station for your Deck in order to facilitate the installation procedure.

How to install Decky Loader on Steam Deck

  1. Dock your Steam Deck 
  2. Connect a keyboard and mouse to your Steam Deck 
  3. Switch to Desktop mode 
  4. Open a browser, then download Decky Loader 
  5. Go back to Gaming Mode 
  6. Press the QAM button, then scroll to the plug icon to update Decky
  7. Open Decky Store and start downloading awesome free plugins  

1. Dock your Steam Deck

The little PC doesn’t come with a stand, so you’ll need a decent Steam Deck docking station to hold your handheld up while you install Decky Loader, which necessitates switching to Desktop mode in Steam Deck. I use this fantastic Sabrent Steam Deck Docking Station. It’s the best Deck attachment I’ve ever purchased, and it’s also reasonably priced and dependable.

2. Connect a keyboard and mouse to your Steam Deck

Using an external keyboard and mouse makes installing Decky Loader on the Deck much simpler, even though you can figure out how to bring up the keyboard on Steam Deck. Should you possess a docking station, it ought to feature USB ports that enable you to connect a wired keyboard and mouse. In my opinion, using a wireless keyboard and mouse with the Deck is the greatest option. To pair your preferred wireless mouse and keyboard, press the Steam button, navigate to Settings, select Bluetooth, click Show all devices, and then press OK.

3. Switch to Desktop mode

To access the Linux-powered operating system of the small device, press the Steam button located beneath the left trackpad, scroll down to Power, and choose Switch to Desktop. In this mode, your Deck essentially serves as a portable computer.

4. Open a browser, then download Decky Loader

To download and install Decky Loader, open a desktop web browser (such as Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome) and go to the Decky Loader GitHub link. On this page, click the green Code button. From the dropdown menu that appears, select Download ZIP.

5. Go back to Gaming Mode

Double click the Return to Gaming Mode icon on your Deck’s desktop after the Decking Loader installation in Desktop mode is finished.

6. Press the QAM button, then scroll to the plug icon to update Decky

Press the QAM button (the one with the three small dots under the right trackpad) to return to gaming mode. Now, locate the plug icon at the bottom of the menu to see your new Decky sidebar. To make sure you’re running the most recent version of Decky, pick the small settings symbol in the top right corner of this page. Next, choose Check For Updates from the General menu.

7. Open Decky Store and start downloading awesome free plugins

Return to the Decky sidebar and select the box symbol by clicking it next to the settings icon that you pressed earlier. After that, a wide selection of plugins will be shown to you, all of which are listed alphabetically. If you know exactly what you’re looking for, you can also use the search bar. All you have to do is click Install on any plugin that seems good to utilize it from the Decky sidebar.


That’s it, too! After installing Decky Loader successfully, you have access to a ton of amazing Decky plugins that you may play with. In addition to the plugins I listed at the top of the post, I’d suggest downloading Volume Boost to increase the loudness of the Deck’s speakers, Game Theme Music to hear the main theme of a game when you select it in your Steam Deck library, and Battery Tracker to view your recent battery usage over the previous seven days. If you ever think to play online slots, I suggest you to check this site out https://bandarmegapro90.com/