If you’re looking to play games from other retailers, or if you want to be sure that your Windows games will run without any Proton compatibility concerns, installing Windows is a good option. ..
If you’re looking to play Xbox Game Pass games on your Steam Deck, you’ll need to be a member of that service. Windows 11 and 10 can be installed on the Steam Deck, although they are constrained by the Steam Deck’s specifications. ..
Steps to install Windows 11 and 10 on Steam Deck
Step 2: Open the Windows 11 installation media tool and follow the on-screen instructions. When the tool finishes, you will have a USB drive with Windows 11 installed on it.
The Windows 11 installation media tool will download and create a Windows installer on the USB drive. This can take some time depending on the speed of your Internet connection.
Step 2: Once the Windows 11 installation media tool has finished, remove the USB drive from your drive and connect it to the Steam Deck.
It is recommended that you use a USB hub for this, rather than connecting directly to the Steam Deck’s USB-C port, as you may need to connect a keyboard and mouse as well.
Step 4: Remove any screws that hold the Steam Deck in place. Step 5: Lift the Steam Deck off of the motherboard.
When the Steam Deck is off, hold the volume down button and press the power button. Continue to hold the volume down button until the Steam Deck boot screen appears. This will launch Steam’s Boot Manager.
To boot from a USB drive, select it from the list of boot options. ..
Windows installation will start. You will be asked to choose your language options, then tap next.
Step 6: Choose the Install Now button.
Step 7: Activation will appear. If you have a Windows product key, enter it then select Next. Otherwise, select I don’t have a product key. ..
Windows 11 Home is the recommended Windows version for you. If you have a previous Windows 10 installation, then you should also choose Windows 10 Pro.
Next, you will be asked to accept the license agreement. If you do not agree, please select Cancel.
Windows 10 provides an option to install a new version of Windows, or to upgrade from a prior version of Windows. ..
Delete the largest partition on Drive 0 to make room for Windows. ..
Step 12: Select Drive 0 Unallocated Space, then select New. A partition size field will appear. There is no need to change the size, so select Apply. ..
Step 13: You should now see Drive 0 Partition 9 available. Select it, then tap Next.
Windows installation will begin. This process may take some time, depending on your computer’s speed and resources. The Steam Deck will reboot as part of this process.
Step 16: You will now see the details for your new region. The first thing you’ll see is the name of your new region. This is your region’s name, which you can change if you want. The second thing you’ll see is the time zone of your new region. This is how long it will take for your computer to get to the correct time in your new region. The last thing you’ll see is the language of your new region. This is what languages are available in your new region and how they are related to each other.
Step 17: The layout will be saved and you will now be able to use it.
Step 17: If you want to use a different keyboard layout, you’ll be asked to choose one. Most people won’t need to do this for the Steam Deck, so select “Skip.” ..
In this step, you’ll need to connect to a network. Select a wired or wireless network and then tap Next.
Windows will automatically reboot the Steam Deck after installation. ..
Once Windows 11 installation reappears, you’ll need to set up your account. This involves entering a username, password, security questions, and privacy settings. Proceed through these steps. ..
Windows will complete some final installation updates, which may take a few minutes, and again reboot the Deck.
The Windows desktop is still vertically oriented, so we’ll need to fix that.
That’s it! Windows is now installed on your Steam Deck. You can download programs, including Steam, and install them just as if using Windows on any other PC.
Final Words
Windows on the Steam Deck is currently in its early stages. Regular updates and new drivers will be released. Just switch off your Steam Deck, remove the SD Card, and update every file before reinstalling it. Of course, you may also install them directly from the Steam Deck.
