Yes, you can install Windows on the Steam Deck. The Steam Deck is a PC, and Valve provides drivers for both the Steam Deck OLED and the Steam Deck LCD on its Windows Resources page. However, Valve does not support Windows on its hardware, the installation wipes the whole Deck, and dual-boot with SteamOS is not available yet. Here is the process based on Valve’s official page as of 20 October 2026, plus the way back to SteamOS.
What to know before you start
- Valve does not support Windows. It provides the drivers as is and does not offer Windows on Steam Hardware support. If you get stuck, the way back is a SteamOS recovery.
- Installing wipes the Deck. You have to wipe the Deck completely before installing Windows; games, settings and SteamOS are gone.
- No dual-boot yet. Valve says the Deck is capable of dual-boot, but the SteamOS installer with a dual-boot wizard is not ready yet and will ship with it. For now it is either SteamOS or Windows.
If you mainly want Epic or GOG games on the Deck, you do not need Windows. They run on SteamOS too, see our guide to Epic and GOG.
What to prepare
- Update the Deck while still on SteamOS. For Windows 11 the Deck needs the latest system update before installing, because it brings the BIOS with fTPM support.
- Steam Deck OLED: BIOS for Bluetooth. For Bluetooth to work in Windows, you first need the latest BIOS via the SteamOS Beta update 3.6.9 or later. Valve explicitly says to do this before installing Windows.
- A USB-C hub with Ethernet. You need internet during setup to enter your product key. There are no Wi-Fi drivers at that point, so you connect by cable through the hub.
- Installation media and a Windows licence. You provide these yourself; Valve does not.
- Valve’s drivers. They are on the Windows Resources page; the list is also in the table below.
How to start the installation
According to the Windows Resources page, you reach the boot menu like this: power down the Deck, hold Volume Down and press the power button. From the boot menu you start the installation from your prepared media.
Setup runs in portrait orientation, sideways on the Deck screen. That is normal. You can switch to landscape once Windows is installed.
Valve’s drivers for OLED and LCD
After installation, add the drivers. Valve has a separate set for each model. We do not link the downloads directly; always get them from the official Valve page, where the current versions live.
| Driver | Steam Deck OLED | Steam Deck LCD |
|---|---|---|
| APU (graphics and chip) | run setup.exe (version from 15 August 2024) | run setup.exe (version from 17 November 2023) |
| Wi-Fi | qcwlan64.inf → Install | run install.bat |
| Bluetooth | qcbtuart.inf → Install | run installdriver.cmd |
| SD card reader | run setup.exe | run setup.exe |
| Audio | 3 files: cs35l41.inf, NAU88L21.inf, amdi2scodec.inf | 2 files: cs35l41.inf, NAU88L21.inf |
In Windows 11, .inf files show up as Setup Information files. You find the Install option by right-clicking and choosing Show more options.
On the Steam Deck OLED, Bluetooth audio in Windows is currently output only. The Bluetooth microphone does not work yet; Valve is still working on it.
What you can run on Windows
Once installed, the Deck runs regular Windows, so you can add apps that are not on SteamOS. Our guide to the Xbox app explains how it works, and a separate article covers what Xbox Play Anywhere means. Valve says nothing about performance or battery life on Windows, and we do not guess here.
Going back to SteamOS
You return to SteamOS with a USB recovery. It wipes Windows and everything else and installs a clean SteamOS:
- Download the official SteamOS recovery image and prepare a USB drive of at least 8 GB. On Windows, write it with Rufus; on Mac and Linux, use Balena Etcher.
- Power down the Deck and plug in the USB drive, directly or via a hub.
- Hold Volume Up and press the power button. When you hear the chime, let go of Volume Up.
- In the boot menu choose Boot Manager and then EFI USB Device. The screen stays black for a while.
- In the recovery environment choose Wipe Device & Install SteamOS on the desktop or Re-image Device. Both wipe the Deck completely and install a clean SteamOS.
You do not need to disable Secure Boot on the Steam Deck; that only applies to other devices. Valve has the details on its SteamOS Installation and Repair page, and our troubleshooting guide covers the other recovery options.
Join our Discord and ask other players whether they run Windows on their Deck and why: Discord GamersTogether.
FAQ
No. Valve provides the drivers as is and does not offer Windows support on its hardware. If something goes wrong, the way back is a SteamOS recovery.
Not yet. Installing Windows requires wiping the Deck. Valve has not finished the SteamOS installer with a dual-boot wizard, and dual-boot will come with it.
You need internet to enter your product key, and the Wi-Fi drivers are not installed at that point, so you connect by cable.
On Valve’s Steam Hardware – Windows Resources page. There are separate drivers for the Steam Deck OLED and LCD: APU, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, SD card reader and audio.
With a USB drive holding the official SteamOS recovery image. Boot the Deck with Volume Up, choose EFI USB Device in the Boot Manager and select a full wipe and SteamOS install.
Information verified on 20 October 2026. Find more guides in our Steam Deck guides section.