Steam Machine · Guides
How to Install Decky Loader on Steam Machine
Summary
Decky Loader follows the usual Desktop Mode install path on Steam Machine, but current support remains community-reported rather than officially documented.
GameSpot's Steam Machine walkthrough follows the same Desktop Mode path as Decky's installer. Valve does not make Decky Loader or support it. Neither, officially, does the Decky project: its FAQ says Decky is intended only for the SteamOS installation provided on Steam Deck, and that other SteamOS distributions are not officially supported. A request for official Steam Machine support was opened on the project's GitHub on July 19, 2026, and remains open at the time of writing.
In practice, community reports suggest it works, and both devices run the same SteamOS base. Just know that community reports are the basis for that, not a commitment from the project. Decky's installer code warns that systems it identifies as non-Deck may not get full functionality. We have not tested this workflow on Steam Machine hardware.
Before you install
You need a Steam Machine running current SteamOS, an internet connection, and a keyboard and mouse or another comfortable way to use Desktop Mode. It is unofficial homebrew. Valve does not support it, and the Decky project itself does not list Steam Machine as officially supported. Expect to troubleshoot it after some SteamOS updates.
Decky's installer needs admin access. It can offer a temporary Decky! password when the desktop account has no password, then remove it after installation. If that option does not appear, cancel the installer, open Konsole, and run passwd. Our Steam Machine Desktop Mode and sudo guide explains what that local password is and why it is separate from your Steam account password.
Choose a password you can enter during installation. Valve's Desktop FAQ explains that no password exists until you set one.
Install Decky Loader
- In Gaming Mode, open the Steam menu, choose Power, then Switch to Desktop.
- Open Decky Loader's official README and download decky_installer.desktop.
- If the browser adds .download to the filename, remove that ending.
- Double-click the installer and allow it to run.
- Enter your sudo password, or accept the temporary password option if the installer offers it.
- Choose Latest Release on stable SteamOS. Use Latest Pre-Release only when you are testing a beta or troubleshooting a known update break.
- When installation finishes, use Return to Gaming Mode on the desktop.
Check the plugin menu
Open the quick-access controls in Gaming Mode. Decky should add a plug icon near the bottom. Open it, then use the store icon to browse plugins.
Install one plugin at a time at first. Decky loads third-party code, and a broken plugin can look like a problem with Decky itself.
Known issues
- Community reports around the SteamOS 3.7-to-3.8 transition include Decky's `plugin_loader.service` failing after an update. A June 2026 Decky issue documents a break on SteamOS 3.8.11, while a Preview 3.8 issue records the service failing to start automatically. If the plug icon vanishes after a major update, re-running the official installer repairs the existing install rather than starting fresh.
- Decky needs port 8080. The project's README warns that Syncthing may claim the same port and prevent Decky from working. Change Syncthing to another port if needed.
- Decky's own FAQ notes that multiple people reported successfully returning a Steam Deck under warranty after disclosing Decky use in their support ticket. That is not a guarantee, and it is Deck-specific.
If Decky does not appear
Return to Desktop Mode and run the installer again with Latest Release selected. Decky's README recommends reinstalling after a SteamOS update when the loader stops appearing. Restart Gaming Mode before changing release channels.
The installer warning matters here: a Decky feature or plugin that works on Steam Deck may behave differently on Steam Machine. Treat the setup as experimental until the project documents complete support.
Remove Decky Loader
Run the same desktop installer and choose its uninstall option. This removes Decky Loader, but plugins may leave their own settings or files behind.
Sources to verify
Decky's official FAQ and the open GitHub support request were confirmed directly. Steam Machine support status should be rechecked before each update to this article, since an official position could change. Current stable release at last check was v3.2.6, June 24, 2026.