Valve has added a long-requested power-management feature to the Steam Deck: a display-off, low-power download mode that lets the handheld finish game and update downloads with the screen turned off before going to sleep. The change is available now in SteamOS’s Beta and Preview channels and will be optional on battery power, with safeguards to protect battery life and device safety.
What the feature does
- When active, the Steam Deck completes all queued downloads in a new low-power state with the display off, then automatically enters sleep.
- The mode is enabled by default when the Deck is plugged into power. Users can enable it on battery via Settings > Power, but the device will drop to full sleep if battery falls below 20% while downloading.
- There are two ways to trigger it: press the power button while downloads are running to see a prompt offering “continue downloading with the screen off,” or let the Deck hit its idle timeout and switch into the mode automatically.
- If you press a button or move the Deck while it’s in display-off mode, a status screen appears showing download progress. From there you can fully wake the device or let it continue undisturbed.
- Install the latest SteamOS Beta or Preview client to try the feature now. Look under Settings > Power to toggle the option on or off.
- While the display-off mode is the headline change, the recent Beta client also includes other fixes such as addressing SteamOS updates not respecting HTTP proxy settings and restoring a performance graph regression that affected streaming displays.
- The feature is rolling out in Beta/Preview first, so expect telemetry and user feedback to guide tweaks before a stable release. Based on Valve’s usual cadence, a wider rollout could follow within weeks.
- On battery, the 20% automatic sleep threshold means very large downloads may not complete without plugging in. Users who routinely download massive titles should keep that constraint in mind.
Why players asked for it
Handheld owners have long asked for a console‑style rest mode that allows background downloads without keeping the screen on. Modern consoles and the Nintendo Switch offer similar functionality; Switch owners, in particular, have been able to download with the screen off for years. Steam Deck users, especially owners of the OLED model, have been concerned about leaving a bright display powered for long downloads (burn‑in risk) or needlessly wasting battery.
The new mode addresses those concerns while preserving convenience: you can queue large updates or games overnight or while you’re away without the device idling with the display lit.
Valve’s caution and safeguards
Valve previously flagged power and heat concerns tied to leaving the Deck running during downloads. As hardware engineer Yazan Aldehayyat explained in earlier conversations, the company was mindful of how much power the device consumes while downloading and the potential for users to unintentionally leave a warm device in a bag. The new implementation appears to respond to those worries: the default-on behavior for plugged‑in use, the battery cutoff at 20%, and visible status feedback when the Deck is moved all act as protections against overheating, battery drain and accidental misuse.
How to access it and other changes
Reactions and practical benefits
Players and reviewers have greeted the addition positively as a quality‑of‑life improvement that brings the Deck closer to console norms. For competitive players worried about bandwidth while online, the mode lets downloads finish in the background without interrupting a match or hogging the Deck’s radio while you’re actively gaming. For OLED owners, it reduces the risk of burn‑in and unnecessary display wear.
Limitations and what to expect next
By adding display-off low-power downloads, Valve has checked off one of the Steam Deck community’s most requested items while balancing convenience with hardware safety. The change doesn’t reinvent the handheld, but it smooths an everyday pain point and brings the Deck more in line with the resting-download behavior that console and Switch owners have enjoyed for years.