Now it would be nice if they could add a download all updates button (if only for Steamdeck)
Going into that download screen and telling 20 games to download now before I'm going on a flight or something is a pain in the arse
this post was submitted on 05 Nov 2025
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I hate having outstanding updates for no real logical reason and it annoys me so much to go into the downloads screen and regularly queue up updates for the way too many games I have installed.
It makes perfect sense if you're a systems engineer.
Downloading games costs bandwidth.
Steam services millions of customers daily.
Valve, correctly, decided to do a bit of load-balancing by prioritizing updates by how recently and frequently you play them, and spreads them out.
This is nicer to their systems, and its nicer to most people who don't live alone and have to share internet with other human beings in their home (or at work).
You'd think it would be no big deal, bandwidth is "infinite" and "free" in most peoples minds. But there is a maximum throughput, and there is a cost in energy, time, performance, and money.
Load-balancing, people. It saves lives.
They could also finally allow you to start games without updating.
Well since they have this now, you can just schedule updates to run at night.
That's not the same unless something has recently changed. The scheduling just stops it from scheduling them during the day, it doesn't make sure everything downloads in a single night.
And even then, that's not a "do all it right now" button
There is definitely an option to have it auto-update. I don't know about scheduling.
still don't know why that is missing. it's such a weird UX
Finally, this is super useful.
Especially if you have slow internet
My imperfect solution of downloading on PC over time and using the network transfer feature might still be better suited for the way my internet speed and quota works, but this is great for small updates and that kind of thing.
Now your Steam Deck can have a black screen while it does the transfer. Everyone wins!
I have been wanting this for ages.
A much needed update. Took them a long time but glad it's here.
I want a screen off mode period. There have been times I’d like to stream a game using the deck to control but have the video on a TV or monitor. Just make turning the brightness all the way down turn the screen off. I’m a bit surprised I have to wish for that.
want a screen off mode period. There have been times I’d like to stream a game
I dock my deck sometimes. In desktop mode you can turn off the deck's display and only use the external. Not sure if this helps.
Maybe there’s a way to use a long cord to achieve what I want in docked mode. But, no, what I’m saying is I want to be able to use the deck as a controller with the screen off basically.
Hopefully this leads to being able to queue game installs remotely without the Deck having to be on. And if it can wake up when charging to do the same, even better!
Screen off ≠ off. The deck will always have to be on and out of sleep mode to do anything like that.
Well obviously.
Even still, it is perfectly feasible for Valve to implement an install queue that we can add to from a phone that starts downloading only when a given Deck turns on. Maybe even put a device's required or scheduled game updates on that interface too for us to manage and for the Deck to pull on wake.
Secondly, the Deck's might not actually have any hardware to turn itself on on a schedule like phones do, but at least if it had a remote download queue, we could automate sending our own Decks WoL packets every now and then and have them automatically install new games.
Plus, the Decks can turn themselves on from S4 when plugging in at least, so maybe even with the current hardware there are things Valve can do here that I can't imagine.
Having a power-saving download mode is only the first step. There's still a lot of useful features we've long been requesting left to do that can be achieved, and I'm hopeful more of them will!
Well obviously.
You may be surprised how not obvious this is to some people, hah. But your suggestions are interesting. I feel like Valve is just constantly adding surprising features with the on-board tech. Would be cool if that stuff got added.
Yeah, like how a docked Switch can have downloads sent to it from the web browser eShop, and it'll periodically wake up from sleep and check for downloads by default.
Honestly, I was hoping this was what Valve was working on in the first place... but what they're giving us is nice to have as well.
And thanks to the Next Fests, I crave this remote install queueing feature more and more lately!
What's the point of this? Genuine question.
It probably supports WoL already?
It does supports WoL. Well, the OLED one supports WoL over WiFi, the LCD doesn't. But it doesn't support queuing an install on a currently offline device.
Even disregarding the tens of minutes it takes for the app to realize that my Deck has come online after I wake it up for me to be able to install a game on it from my phone, i can't really WoL it when I'm not home.
How great life would be if consumer routers came with vpn servers by default.
Seems like a very niche case to me unfortunately and I would be very surprised if they implemented something like this in later models
Finally. This should've been a thing from release
Fuck yes!
This feels weird to know^[I don't have a Steam deck] and hard to understand.
- Steam OS is based on KDE, which, while originally made for PCs, lets all network activity work, with the screen off. You can even set a shortcut key to turn off the screen, which will then turn back on, if you move the mouse or press a keyboard key.
- Steam on Desktop lets you work with the screen off.
- ???
- Steam's mode made for a device that has to tax the battery to keep the screen on, then goes ahead and removes the ability.
What big problem happened that they had to remove it, only to add it separately after years?