Steam Deck Beta Client Update Adds Long-Awaited Display-Off Low Power Downloads
Valve has rolled out a new Steam Deck Beta Client update, introducing one of the most requested features from the handheld’s community: display-off low power downloads. The update went live on November 4, and according to the official update notes, this feature allows the Steam Deck to continue downloading games and updates while the display is turned off, reducing power consumption significantly.
This new functionality enables users to complete all active downloads in a special low-power state before the device automatically goes to sleep. The feature is enabled by default when the Steam Deck is plugged in, but users can manually toggle it on or off by navigating to Settings → Power.
Valve also detailed how this mode can be accessed in two convenient ways. The first method is by pressing the power button while content is downloading, which triggers a dialog asking if the user wishes to continue the downloads with the screen turned off. The second method is automatic, as the system will enter this mode after a set idle timeout period. Once in this state, pressing any button brings up a status screen showing download progress, with options to either fully wake the device or let it continue downloading quietly in low-power mode.
In addition to this highly anticipated improvement, the update addresses a few other issues. It fixes an error where SteamOS updates failed to respect HTTP proxy configurations and resolves a regression bug that caused the performance graph not to appear while streaming.
This new addition is part of Valve’s ongoing commitment to improving the Steam Deck experience, which has evolved considerably since its debut in 2022. The handheld PC has played a pivotal role in popularizing portable gaming systems and continues to receive steady updates refining its usability, performance, and feature set.
What other features would you like Valve to add to the Steam Deck in future updates? Share your thoughts below.
