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1.6 Steam Deck Tools Setup

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baldsealion edited this page Feb 22, 2023 · 16 revisions

LEGACY wiki -- DEPRECATED--

Effective 2-22-2023

Please use the new HTML-based guide https://baldsealion.github.io/Steam-Deck-Ultimate-Windows-Guide/

This wiki will no longer receive updates

Overview

NOTE: If you already have completed the Section 1.4 (New) Controller Setup, then you don't need to download or install anything and can skip to the How to Use section near the bottom

These tools(along with RivaTuner Statistics Server-RTSS for short) will let you have an On-Screen Display functionality that can do the following:

  • Layout options including Battery, FPS, GPU/CPU, etc
  • Change Brightness
  • Change Volume
  • Change TDP
  • Change Refresh Rate
  • Change Frame Limiter
  • Change Fan Control(see Disclaimer) to SteamOS, Max(as in maximum fan speed) or Default(Windows normal setting)
  • Change Resolution by using GPU Scaling

If you like the software, please donate to the developer! https://ko-fi.com/ayufan

Disclaimers

!!WARNING!! Anti-Cheat Games require Kernel Drivers to be disabled!

If you use Steam Deck Tools with Kernel Drivers enabled, you can be banned from online games with anti-cheat functionality! To disable this, follow the steps below (or you can skip to it here, Disabling Kernel Drivers for Anti-Cheat)

DO NOT use on anything besides a SteamDeck

This software accesses kernel level functions from memory addresses, specific to the SteamDeck. This overlay and none of these programs are meant to be used on any other hardware besides the SteamDeck. Attempting to do so could result in a potential brick of your hardware if it is NOT a SteamDeck!

Steam Deck Fan

To use this app, make sure that you have a supported BIOS(you will get a prompt letting you know if your version is not compatible). Below are the current compatible BIOS versions:

  • F7A0107
  • F7A0110

You can check your version by holding Volume + & Power at startup, then go to Setup Utility and it's at the top of the Main page

If you want to upgrade your BIOS, please make sure that SteamOS is fully up to date. NOTE: there is a manual upgrade process using a BIOS flasher in Windows(there also is a method in SteamOS/Linux), while I have used it myself, it is not recommended due to risk involved and will not be covered here.

Installation Guide

  1. Download the latest release from Ayufan's Github(and please donate if you like the software!):

  1. Run the installer, leave all defaults checked

  2. You may receive a command prompt asking to agree to source terms like below, type Y and press Enter

How to use

  1. All options can be changed from right-click menu, or while in-game, by holding the 3 dots button

  2. All changes to resolution, refresh rate and TDP can be reset by holding the 3 dots + all back buttons(R4 + R5 + L4 + L5)

  3. If this is not working, make sure that in Riva Tuner Statistics Server(RTSS) that "Show On-Screen Display" is set to "On"

  4. (If you are using 1.4 (OLD) Controller - aka SWICD) Make sure that if you are using SWICD, that you have the Button actions for the 3 dots + d-pad added but not set to anything -- See https://github.com/baldsealion/Steamdeck-Ultimate-Windows11-Guide/wiki/1.4-(OLD)-Controller-Setup#button-actions

  5. If you want more information about Hotkey commands and other setup information, please visit the main page https://steam-deck-tools.ayufan.dev/

Disabling Kernel Drivers for Anti-Cheat

  1. In your System Tray, right-click the Performance Overlay app and uncheck Use Kernel Drivers

  1. In your System Tray, right-click the **Steam Deck Fan"" app and set it to Default if not set already (SteamOS or Max mode enables Kernel Drivers)

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