Today's Steam Client Beta update adds accessibility options for players in Big Picture Mode, and on devices running SteamOS (Steam Deck, Lenovo Legion Go S).

These are just the first accessibility features we're making available as we continue our work to improve accessibility of Steam on all devices.

• UI scaling, high contrast mode, and reduced motion features (in both Big Picture Mode, and on devices running SteamOS, which are currently just Steam Deck and Lenovo Legion Go S)

• Screen reader and color filter settings (on devices running SteamOS only)

For now, players who use a screen reader on desktops are encouraged to use Big Picture Mode, which currently has the best support for screen readers as well as being better suited for keyboard-driven navigation.

Accessibility menu: We've added an accessibility section to the main settings drop-down, which players can access when using Steam in Big Picture Mode or on devices running SteamOS.

UI Scaling: Use a slider to make adjustments to text size.

High Contrast Mode and Reduce Motion Setting: Enabling High Contrast Mode makes it easier to distinguish text and buttons from their backgrounds. The Reduce Motion setting lets you disable animations and page transitions.

Screen Reader (only on devices running SteamOS (Steam Deck/Lenovo Legion Go S)):

Turning on the screen reader will read out the item you're currently focused on, letting you adjust pitch, speed and volume.

The screen reader can be enabled and disabled at any time by pressing + .

Color Filter (only on devices running SteamOS):

Change the way colors are displayed on screen, for both Steam and games.

We're continuing to work to improve the accessibility of Steam on all devices.

These new settings are only the first available of the accessibility features we're working on, and we're excited to put even more tools in the hands of our players.

To that end, if you are a player with disabilities, we'd love to hear from you about what Steam can do for you. Your feedback will be extremely important in determining what we focus on. To report issues, or to leave suggestions for accessibility features you'd like to see, post in the feedback thread.

We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel.

Accessibility

• Added an accessibility settings page with a Screen Reader, Color Filters, UI Scaling, High Contrast Mode, and Reduced Motion options. Learn more in the announcement and provide feedback here.

The Steam Client Beta has been updated with the following changes:

Accessibility

• In Big Picture Mode, added an accessibility settings page with UI Scaling, High Contrast Mode, and Reduced Motion options. Learn more in the announcement and provide feedback here.

In-Game Overlay

• Fixed CPU numbers in new Performance Monitor not working for some users on Windows

• Adjusted spacing for FPS Min/Max values in new Performance Monitor

• Fixed regression causing potential crash when using an IME for input in the in-game overlay in this beta

macOS

• Fixed regression causing some client update checks to fail. Users with clients that erroneously report the client is up to date can trigger a client update by force quitting and restarting Steam

  • To force quit, right-click the Steam icon in the dock, hold the Option key, then click the Force Quit entry.

Note: This update is for the Steam Deck Beta and Preview channels, and includes new features that are still being tested. You can opt into this in Settings > System > System Update Channel.

General

• Fixed a WiFi regression with Steam Deck OLED

• Disabled experimental support for Wake-on-Bluetooth for Steam Deck LCD while issues with spurious wake-ups are being investigated

• Fixed a bug where visual corruption could occur with Sharp upscaling with HDR/10-bit applications when interacting with the overlay

• Fixed an issue where the cursor would not be visible in the bottom-right quadrant of the screen when using the magnifier

• Fixed cursor having a line of visual corruption when using Sharp upscaling in certain instances

• Fixed certain overlay key bindings involving Shift, the Super key, Right Alt, or Return/Enter not being able to be triggered

• Fixed input being passed to applications when overlay key bindings are invoked

• Fixed OBS Studio not working with the streaming output provided by gamescope

• Fixed an issue where clicking mailto: links sometimes didn't display the right error

Audio

• Fixed an issue where volume keys would sometimes not properly adjust the volume of the 3.5mm audio connector

• Fixed a SteamOS 3.6 regression causing audio glitches in God of War: Ragnarok

Accessibility

• Added support for optional color filters

• Added Orca screen reader and espeak-ng text-to-speech tools

• Fixed the magnifier producing an incorrect scale and offset when Sharp upscaling was used

Non-Deck

• Fixed an issue where the Legion Go S with SteamOS could lose trackpad functionality after sleep

• Added power button support for some AYANEO, AYN, GPD, MSI, ONEXPLAYER, and OrangePi platforms

We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel.

Steam Input

• Improved detection of FlyDigi Vader series controllers

Remote Play

• Improved audio resilience to variable network conditions

The Steam Client Beta has been updated with the following changes:

In-Game Overlay

• The In-Game FPS counter is now expanded to become the In-Game Overlay Performance monitor. It can display various more detailed information about frame rates, CPU performance, GPU performance, and more. Some data is only available on Windows at the time of this writing, and some information is only available on certain hardware. You will see an FPS counter like you always have at the lowest level of detail, but can adjust detail and appearance in Settings->In Game.

  Learn more in our FAQ, and please provide feedback in the beta discussion group as this is an area we will continue to update.

Steam Input

• Improved detection of FlyDigi Vader series controllers

Remote Play

• Improved audio resilience to variable network conditions

We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel.

General

• Fixed an error when displaying game details activity tab for a game that no friends have played but some friends have wishlisted.

Steam Input

• Improved default gyro calibration for 8BitDo and FlyDigi controllers.

• Fixed gyro calibration system rejecting noisy accelerometers too readily.

• Fixed gyro and accelerometer noise meters using the wrong scale.

The Steam Client Beta has been updated with the following changes:

General

• Fixed game hovers showing incorrect progress percentages for games currently being updated.

Library

• Fixed only local screenshots appearing in the game details page, screenshots uploaded to Steam from other devices should appear as well.

• Fixed missing cloud icon for screenshots that have been uploaded to Steam when browsing media.

• Fixed missing thumbnail for game recordings in the post-game summary box.

In-Game Overlay

• Adjusted FPS counter to more closely match prior appearance

Steam Input

• Improved default gyro calibration for 8BitDo and FlyDigi controllers.

• Fixed gyro calibration system rejecting noisy accelerometers too readily.

• Fixed gyro and accelerometer noise meters using the wrong scale.

Big Picture Mode

• Fixed an error when displaying game details activity tab for a game that no friends have played but some friends have wishlisted.

macOS

• Fixed crash on Apple Silicon machines when collecting information for system report.

Steam's Fishing Fest is on now, with boatloads of deals and demos all week long. From now through June 23rd at 10am Pacific, you'll catch discounts on games that plop you right in those waders for fishing of all kinds.

Commercial fishing? Yep. Casual fishing? You betcha. Navigating sinister waters to find fish? Of course!

Check out the official trailer above, or head straight over to the event now! Steam Fishing Fest, on now through June 23rd at 10am Pacific.

The Steam Client Beta has been updated with the following changes:

General

• Fixed main client window ordering above some modal dialogs when clicked (e.g. cloud file conflict dialogs).

Steam Chat

• Fixed main client window being focused for certain kinds of links opened from chat windows.

• Fixed regression causing friends list window to close when switching from offline to online.

In-Game Overlay

• Styles and font have been updated on the in-game FPS counter when enabled.

• Fixed game notes not refreshing automatically when modified in another session.

• Fixed content in pinned game notes windows shifting when entering and exiting the overlay.

macOS

• Steam Client and Steam Helper apps now run natively on Apple Silicon.

• Fixed icons not being set automatically for non-Steam games.

• Fixed game icon file dialog not allowing correct types to be selected.

SteamOS

• For non-Steam Deck devices running SteamOS (like the Legion Go S), controller support icons are now displayed on game capsules next to SteamOS Compatibility.

We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel.

General

• Fixed zoom controller chord not working in the Steam Deck interface.

• Guided Tour now includes information about Parental Controls.

Desktop Mode

• Styles and font have been updated on the in-game FPS counter when enabled.

• Fixed main client window being focused for certain kinds of links opened from chat windows.

• Fixed regression causing friends list window to close when switching from offline to online.

• Fixed main client window ordering above some modal dialogs when clicked (e.g. cloud file conflict dialogs).

SteamOS

• For non-Steam Deck devices running SteamOS (like the Legion Go S), controller support icons are now displayed on game capsules next to SteamOS Compatibility.

Steam now surfaces information on games with accessibility features as we aim to make it easier for players to find games with the support they need. This update comes after gathering valuable feedback from developers as well as players with disabilities, and over 5,000 applications have added details about their accessibility support (with more developers updating their games each day).

This information is surfaced throughout the store to help players more easily find games with these features, or filter down to games that support necessary features.

Steam users can now search for games with specific accessibility features on the Steam search page

Accessibility features for a specific game are now visible on the right hand side of the store page

Q. Where can I find more information on the Accessibility Tags that Steam uses?

A. You can find more information HERE.

Q. Are developers required to add accessibility tags for their games on Steam?

A. It's not required, but highly recommended because of how much easier it will be for players with accessibility needs to find these games. We've worked to make it as easy as possible for developers to indicate these features are available by using feedback to standardize these options as much as possible.

Q. Can developers still add Accessibility information to their app?

A. Yes, they can always update or add information on accessibility for apps at any time through Steamworks.

We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel.

Steam Input

• Added the ability to bind the paddles and L4/R4 buttons on the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller when connected via Bluetooth

• Added the ability to bind the paddles on the 8BitDo Pro 2 Controller when in DirectInput mode

• Added the ability to bind the paddles and C/Z buttons on the FlyDigi Vader series controllers

• Added the ability to bind the paddles on the FlyDigi Apex series controllers

• Fixed input when using the latest firmware for the Mayflash GameCube adapter

The Steam Client Beta has been updated with the following changes:

Steam Input

• Added the ability to bind the paddles and L4/R4 buttons on the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller when connected via Bluetooth

• Added the ability to bind the paddles on the 8BitDo Pro 2 Controller when in DirectInput mode

• Added the ability to bind the paddles and C/Z buttons on the FlyDigi Vader series controllers

• Added the ability to bind the paddles on the FlyDigi Apex series controllers

• Fixed input when using the latest firmware for the Mayflash GameCube adapter

The June edition of Steam Next Fest is on, with hundreds of free demos available to play between now and June 16th.

We host Next Fest three times a year (February, June, October) as a way to give developers from around the world a captive audience for their demos on games they haven't released yet. If you already have a bunch of genres that are your faves, feel free to search that way. BUT we also encourage you to try something new-- check out the video player at the top of the main Next Fest hub for a new sprinkling of demos each day and perhaps discover your NEW favorite genre or theme!

Several developers are hosting livestreams as well, so be sure to check those out. Play free demos all week, and wishlist your favorites so you can be notified when the full game officially launches at a later date!

Enjoy the June edition of Steam Next Fest, on now through June 16th at 10am Pacific.

• Fix a crash in vrserver that could happen during application launch.
  
• Fix a rare crash in vrserver related to input.
  
• Fixed rendering issue with recenter iconography.
  
• Enable UI animations on all platforms.
  
• Fixed VR streaming bug, where the wireless HMD could sometimes see "invalid streaming key" (see also: the Steam Beta Client update).
  
• Improved auto-added haptics on OpenXR applications (digital actions on analog components)
  
• Fixed OpenXR freeze/crash that happened with some games (e.g. ETS2).

• Moved quick Recenter to system button release, which allows users to power off controllers without recentering.

• Restored recenter button on dashboard toolbar for Meta Quest Link / Air Link

• Fixed some log spam with some OpenXR applications that were constantly making invalid calls.
  
• Moved developer settings from legacy menu to traditional settings interface.

We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Stable channel.

General

• Fixed a rare case that could result in multiple prompts to install the same update.

• Fixed a rare case that could result in re-triggering the out of box wizard.

• Fixed the 'Battery Charge Limit' option showing on devices that currently don't support this feature.

• Fixed events showing blurred images in the library for games with adult content.

We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel.

Note: This update was re-released with the following additional changes:

• Fixed a rare case that could result in multiple prompts to install the same update.

• Fixed a rare case that could result in re-triggering the out of box wizard.

General

• Added in-game keyboard shortcuts to open the Main Menu and Quick Access Menu.

  • Default Main Menu hotkey: Shift+Tab

  • Default Quick Access Menu hotkey: Ctrl+Shift+Tab

  • Customizable in Settings->In Game

• Improved steam client update installation speed. In some pathological cases this operation could take minutes to complete, when the expected completion time is seconds.

• Fixed events showing blurred images in the library for games with adult content.

The Steam Client Beta has been updated with the following changes:

General

• Fixed events not showing spoiler sections when events were being shown in the library.

• Fixed events showing blurred images in the library for games with adult content.

• Fixed links opened from desktop chat opening in Steam browser before opening in desktop browser.

Steam Overlay

• Fixed periodic gameplay lag and freezing in games using Vulkan rendering when running with Steam Overlay disabled.

• Fixed timer continuing to alert after game exit if running in repeat mode.

SteamVR

• Fixed intermittent steamwebhelper crash when exiting VR mode.

Linux

• Improved steam client update installation speed. In some pathological cases this operation could take minutes to complete, when the expected completion time is seconds.

Big Picture

• Fixed X, Y, trigger and other buttons being treated as simulated mouse input on the Steam Store

Note: This update is for the Steam Deck Beta and Preview channels, and includes new features that are still being tested. You can opt into this in Settings > System > System Update Channel.

General

• Fixed a case where the battery level indicator could become stuck

• Fixed VRR frame pacing with the performance overlay on screen

• Fixed game stuttering when using the volume keys

• Fixed Legion Go S joystick lights turning off upon entering desktop mode

• Fixed controller input occasionally disappearing on the Asus ROG Ally

• Fixed grip buttons not registering on the Asus ROG Ally

• Fixed a hang on boot on Strix Point platforms

Developer

• Re-added some btrfs and lvm2 modules to udisks

Steam's Zombies vs Vampires Fest is May 26th through June 2nd and is filled with deals on games with blood and brains! Er, games that have zombies and vampires who typically NEED blood and brains, we mean.

We have discounts and demos on zombie games and vampire games of all kinds, from the gory to the hilarious and everything in-between. Take a look at our trailer if you dare, or just shuffle your way straight to brains-- I mean, the sale-- on the official sale page.

Steam's Zombies vs. Vampires Fest, on now through June 2nd at 10am Pacific!

We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel.

General

• Fixed 'Factory Reset' failing if the 'Reset OS' option was selected.

• Fixed an issue preventing some apps from installing on the Legion Go S.

• Added "SteamOS Compatible" library tab on the Legion Go S.

This is the first release of SteamOS 3.7 to the Stable channel. The below notes are for changes since SteamOS 3.6.24. For changes relative to previous 3.7 beta builds see here.

This update was re-released with additional client changes.

General

• Updated to a newer Arch Linux base

• Updated the Linux kernel to 6.11

• Updated the Mesa graphics driver base

• Desktop mode now ships with Plasma 6.2.5

• Added support for frame limiting with VRR displays (internal and external)

• Added Battery Charge Limit control to Settings->Power

  • This option allows you to set a maximum charge limit for your Steam Deck.

  • Limiting the charge limit to 80% can be beneficial for long term battery health. This can be useful if your Steam Deck is constantly being charged (e.g. docked), or very rarely has its battery depleted.

• Fixed a crash when no displays are connected

• Added official support for the Lenovo Legion Go S

• Improved support for other AMD powered handhelds (like the ROG Ally and original Legion Go)

• Updated the SteamOS recovery image for repairing SteamOS on Steam Deck and Legion Go S. If you would like to test SteamOS on your own AMD powered handheld, you can use this SteamOS recovery image and follow the instructions here.

Controllers and Input

• Add support for the Proteus Byowave controller

• Fixed an issue where Switch Pro Controller gyros might not work on first connection

• Fixed an issue with stuck/hanging controller inputs when exiting Steam

Bluetooth

• Fixed Bluetooth devices still being able to wake the Steam Deck from suspend, even when Bluetooth was disabled from Desktop mode

• Enable HFP/HSP profiles, to allow using the integrated microphone from headsets and earbuds

  • Currently only available to select in Desktop mode

• Added battery level display for supported Bluetooth devices

• Include a bugfix for the Airpods when using the AAC codec

• Bluetooth controllers can now wake LCD units from sleep, previously only available on OLED models

  • Known issue: Bluetooth LE based controllers are not currently compatible with bluetooth wake on LCD models

Steam Deck Dock

• Made compatibility improvements for certain displays including TCL FireTV models and Dell VRR capable monitors

Graphics and Performance

• Enabled AMD P-State CPU frequency control

• Fixed a performance regression for No Rest for the Wicked

Desktop

• Updated to Plasma 6.2.5 (previously 5.27.10) - see the big changes in Plasma 6 here

• Surround sound now works correctly

  • Enabling the setting is currently only available via Desktop mode

• KDE Filelight is now installed by default for disk usage visualization and low disk space notifications

• Speed and robustness improvements when switching between desktop and game mode

  • Fixed a common cause of hangs when switching to desktop mode

  • Fixed some cases where Steam could take up to ninety seconds to exit on shutdown or switch to desktop

• Added 'gocryptfs' support to desktop session to enable use of the Plasma Vaults feature

Misc

• Fixed some cases where "filter-chain" or other virtual sound devices would erroneously appear in the UI

• Fixed cases where applying system updates could fail if certain configuration files were corrupted or malformed

• Various enhancements to System Report functionality for support and troubleshooting

• Fixed compatibility issue with certain DNS servers causing very slow domain lookups

• Improved responsiveness of system when running into out-of-memory crash situations

• Enabled IPv6 Privacy Extensions by default

• Fixed a bootloader crash on certain non-Steam Deck devices, including qemu-based virtual machines

Known Issues

• Super NES controllers can erroneously show up as connected when they are not

Developer

• Updated to a 6.11 based kernel

• Added debuginfod URLs for SteamOS

• Added systemd .socket units to the default list of /etc files preserved across updates

• When running in a VM, system will now default to the desktop session

• Swap file setup now uses standard 'mkswap' functionality instead of shipping an ad-hoc 'mkswapfile' script

• The steamos-readonly command now warns that the status might not be accurate when sysexts are loaded

• Fixed a case that could introduce duplicate boot entries for devices manually setup to dual-boot

• The pacman cache is now cleaned after applying a SteamOS update

  • Fixes stale cache errors working with pacman after switching branches

We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Stable channel.

Additional Client Changes

• Fixed 'Factory Reset' failing if the 'Reset OS' option was selected.

• Fixed an issue preventing some apps from installing on the Legion Go S.

• Added "SteamOS Compatible" library tab on the Legion Go S.

• Rendered viewangle adjustments due to recoil are now calculated per frame.

Note: This update is for the Steam Deck Beta and Preview channels, and includes new features that are still being tested. You can opt into this in Settings > System > System Update Channel.

General

• Added Battery Charge Limit control to Settings -> Power

  • This option allows you to set a maximum charge limit for your Steam Deck.

  • Limiting the charge limit to 80% can be beneficial for long term battery health. This can be useful if your Steam Deck is constantly being charged (e.g. docked), or very rarely has its battery depleted.

• Fixed a case where the performance overlay could spuriously appear and could not be disabled

• Fixed an issue where exiting a game from the overlay could result in the UI getting stuck until a button is pressed

• Desktop mode will no longer erroneously nag the user to install power profiles daemon

• Added support for updating controller and system firmware on the Legion Go S

A new Steam client has been released and will be automatically downloaded.

General

• Improved controller hotplug detection for some third party devices.

• Reduced steamwebhelper memory usage when launching games or switching to/from Big Picture Mode.

• Fixed games failing to connect to the Steam process when the Steam process id contains certain values.

• Fixed game preloads showing 0bps disk activity.

• Fixed rare steamwebhelper crash when switching to/from Big Picture Mode.

Steam Overlay

• Fixed links opened from chat window showing in desktop browser rather than overlay browser.

Big Picture Mode

• Fixed pasting from on-screen keyboard.

Server Browser

• Fixed bug causing bots to contribute to the player count.

Steam Input

• Speculative Fix for rare Dualsense Edge gyroscope related bug.

Linux

• Proton Voice Files speech synthesis data will now be automatically installed when necessary.

• Fixed game recordings containing a green bar on the right side of the image when using HEVC encoding on AMD systems if the game window width was not a multiple of 64.

• Fixed Game Recording and Remote Play video streams showing green frames when capturing Vulkan games on Intel GPUs.

Steamworks API

• GameOverlayActivated_t is now sent to the current VR app when the SteamVR Dashboard is opened or closed.

VR

• Fix a case where the Steam Link VR client would get a key mismatch error on stream start.

• Steam will no longer occasionally reload itself when SteamVR closes.

We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Stable channel.

General

• Moved display dim and suspend timeout settings to Settings->Power.

• Moved 'Show Battery Percentage' setting to Settings->Power.

• Clicking on the battery header icon now navigates to Settings->Power.

• Proton Voice Files speech synthesis data will now be automatically installed based on Steam Deck compatibility testing results.

• Reduced steamwebhelper memory usage when launching games.

• Fixed pasting from on-screen keyboard.

• Fixed controller not working intermittently after Steam restart.

• Fixed games failing to connect to the Steam process when the Steam process id contains certain values.

• Fixed battery percentage not showing in the header when the battery is full.

• Fixed SteamOS compatible devices showing Steam Deck Verified installation warnings instead of the SteamOS Compatible version.

• Fixed transitions snapping backwards in the Welcome Wizard.

Steam Input

• Speculative Fix for rare DualSense Edge gyroscope related bug.

Desktop Mode

• Reduced steamwebhelper memory usage when switching to/from Big Picture Mode.

• Fixed rare steamwebhelper crash when switching to/from Big Picture Mode.

The Steam Client Beta has been updated with the following changes:

General

• Improved controller hotplug detection for some third party devices.

Linux

• Fixed Game Recording and Remote Play video streams showing green frames when capturing Vulkan games on Intel GPUs.

We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel.

General

• Fixed transitions snapping backwards in the Welcome Wizard.

• Updated to the latest version from the Community Workshop (Update Notes).