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 reports a working install through the same Desktop Mode path as Decky's installer, but it is not a support commitment. Valve does not make or support Decky Loader. Decky's FAQ says the project is intended only for the SteamOS installation provided on Steam Deck and does not officially support other SteamOS distributions. 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.
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. At this article's August 23, 2026 review, Decky's current stable release was v3.2.6, released June 24, 2026.
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. Major SteamOS updates can still require Decky troubleshooting.
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.
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.