XLibrary on Steam DeckAlpha

Deck mode and Deck shell mode

• Settings → Controller → Deck mode: Automatic, Always or Off. It makes focus and button hints larger.
• Settings → Controller → Deck shell mode (Alpha): XLibrary becomes the Gaming Mode shell, and Steam keeps running in the background. It applies after you leave Gaming Mode and enter it again.
• “Add to Steam” creates a non-Steam shortcut for a game, so it shows up in Big Picture and Gaming Mode.

In the Deck shell

• In-game overlay with volume, brightness, Steam downloads and Wi-Fi sign-in pages
• On-screen keyboard that types through Steam Input
• Trackpad cursor for games that expect a mouse
• Steam Input layout editor with a controller schema and a gyro calibration wizard
• Downloads pause while you play and while on battery. Both can be turned off in Settings

Controller navigation everywhere

The whole interface works with a controller on every platform, with rumble when focus moves.

On a Mac

XLibrary runs on Macs with Apple Silicon (M1 or newer). There is no Intel build, and one is not planned.

Windows-only games run through CrossOver or Whisky. XLibrary can set up Steam inside CrossOver for you, and a new install of a Windows build gets CrossOver right away if you chose a bottle in Settings.

On Linux

AppImage, .deb or .tar.gz. Windows games run through Wine, Proton, UMU or Bottles.

Other launch tools

Locale Emulator and Sandboxie on Windows, Ruffle, DOSBox and ScummVM. Launch settings carry over when a game updates.

Known limitations

• Deck shell mode is in Alpha. The overlay, keyboard and layouts can change between releases.
• Deck shell mode applies only after you leave Gaming Mode and enter it again.
• This website can't tell a Steam Deck from a Linux PC, because the Desktop Mode browser reports Linux. Use the Linux AppImage.