How to Download Games to SD Card on Steam Deck
Steam Deck is a handheld gaming device that lets you play your favorite PC games anywhere. It runs on SteamOS, a Linux-based operating system that supports thousands of games from the Steam store. But with so many games to choose from, how can you store them all on your Steam Deck? The answer is simple: use an SD card.
how to download games to sd card steam deck
In this article, we will show you how to download games to SD card on Steam Deck, as well as how to choose the right SD card for your device, how to install and format it, and how to play games from it. By following these steps, you will be able to enjoy more games on your Steam Deck without worrying about running out of space.
What is Steam Deck and why you need an SD card
Steam Deck is a portable PC with a handheld form-factor that promises to deliver powerful performance and a huge library of games. It was developed by Valve, the company behind Steam, the most popular online gaming platform for PC gamers. Steam Deck was released on February 25, 2022, and has been praised by critics and users alike for its innovative design and features.
Steam Deck features and specifications
Steam Deck has a 7-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels, which translates to a 16:10 aspect ratio. It also has built-in controls, including two analog sticks, a D-pad, four face buttons, two shoulder buttons, two triggers, four back buttons, two touchpads, and a gyroscope. It also has a headphone jack, a USB-C port, a microSD slot, stereo speakers, dual microphones, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and a 40Wh battery that can last up to eight hours of gameplay.
Steam Deck is powered by a custom AMD APU that combines a quad-core Zen 2 CPU with eight threads and a RDNA 2 GPU with eight compute units. It also has 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and three storage options: 64GB eMMC, 256GB NVMe SSD, or 512GB NVMe SSD. The SSD models are faster than the eMMC model and also come with extra perks, such as an anti-glare screen, a carrying case, and an exclusive Steam community profile bundle.
How to format an SD card for Steam Deck
Best microSD cards for Steam Deck gaming
Steam Deck SD card installation guide
How to change the default storage location on Steam Deck
Steam Deck storage options and recommendations
How to transfer games from internal drive to SD card on Steam Deck
How to optimize SD card performance for Steam Deck
How to backup and restore games on Steam Deck SD card
How to troubleshoot SD card issues on Steam Deck
How to upgrade your Steam Deck storage with a larger SD card
How to use an external hard drive with Steam Deck
How to manage your Steam library on Steam Deck SD card
How to download games faster on Steam Deck SD card
How to delete games from Steam Deck SD card
How to free up space on Steam Deck SD card
How to check the health and speed of your Steam Deck SD card
How to encrypt your Steam Deck SD card for security
How to recover lost or corrupted data from Steam Deck SD card
How to partition your Steam Deck SD card for different purposes
How to clone your Steam Deck SD card for backup or migration
How to install mods and custom games on Steam Deck SD card
How to access your Steam Deck SD card from a PC or laptop
How to share games between multiple Steam Decks using an SD card
How to stream games from your PC or cloud service to your Steam Deck SD card
How to sync your game saves and settings across devices using an SD card
How to play retro games and emulators on your Steam Deck SD card
How to install Linux or Windows on your Steam Deck SD card
How to dual boot your Steam Deck with different operating systems using an SD card
How to run non-Steam games and apps on your Steam Deck SD card
How to use your Steam Deck as a portable PC with an SD card
How to expand your Steam Deck battery life with an SD card
How to customize your Steam Deck interface and themes using an SD card
How to update your Steam Deck firmware and drivers using an SD card
How to enable developer mode and access advanced features on your Steam Deck using an SD card
How to overclock your Steam Deck CPU and GPU using an SD card
How to cool down your Steam Deck and prevent overheating using an SD card
How to clean and maintain your Steam Deck and SD card slot
How to repair or replace your Steam Deck SD card slot if it's damaged or broken
How to test and benchmark your Steam Deck performance using an SD card
How to compare different models and versions of the Steam Deck based on their storage capacity and speed
How to find the best deals and discounts for the Steam Deck and SD cards online or in stores
How to pre-order or reserve your Steam Deck and get an SD card bundle or bonus offer
How to join the Steam Deck community and get tips, tricks, and support from other users using an SD card
How to watch movies, listen to music, and view photos on your Steam Deck using an SD card
How to use your Steam Deck as a media center or streaming device with an SD card
How to connect your Steam Deck to a TV, monitor, or projector using an SD card adapter or dock
Storage options and limitations
One of the main drawbacks of Steam Deck is its limited storage capacity. Depending on which model you get, you will have between 64GB and 512GB of internal storage. However, this is not enough for many modern games that can take up more than 100GB of space. For example, Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 requires about 125GB of space, while Forspoken needs about 150GB of space.
This means that you will not be able to store many games on your Steam Deck at once. You will have to uninstall some games to make room for others or rely on cloud saves and streaming services. However, there is another solution: use an SD card.
An SD card is a small storage device that can expand the storage capacity of your Steam Deck. You can insert it into the microSD slot at the bottom of the device and use it to store more games. You can also swap different SD cards depending on what games you want to play. Continuing the article: How to choose the right SD card for Steam Deck
Not all SD cards are created equal. There are different types, sizes, and speed classes of SD cards that can affect their performance and compatibility with Steam Deck. Here are some factors to consider when choosing the right SD card for your device:
SD card types and speed classes explained
SD cards come in three main types: SD, SDHC, and SDXC. The type determines the maximum capacity and file system of the card. Steam Deck supports SDXC cards, which can have up to 2TB of storage and use the exFAT file system. SDXC cards are also backward compatible with SDHC and SD devices, so you can use them with other gadgets as well.
SD cards also have different speed classes, which indicate the minimum write speed of the card. The speed class is important for ensuring smooth and reliable data transfer, especially for high-resolution video recording and playback. There are four main speed classes: Class 2, Class 4, Class 6, and Class 10, with Class 10 being the highest and most common for modern SD cards. The speed class is identified by a C symbol surrounding a number on the SD card itself or on its packaging.
There are also other standards for grading SD card speed, such as UHS Speed Class, Video Speed Class, and Application Performance Class, which have higher write speeds than Class 10. The UHS Speed Class has two ratings: U1 and U3, with U3 being faster than U1. The Video Speed Class has five ratings: V6, V10, V30, V60, and V90, with V90 being the fastest. The Application Performance Class has two ratings: A1 and A2, with A2 being faster than A1.
The UHS Speed Class and the Video Speed Class are mainly designed for 4K and 8K video recording devices, while the Application Performance Class is mainly designed for running apps from SD cards on smartphones and tablets. For Steam Deck, you don't need to worry too much about these standards, as long as you have a Class 10 or higher SD card.
Best SD cards for Steam Deck in 2023
Based on our research and testing, we recommend the following SD cards for Steam Deck in 2023:
NameCapacityRead SpeedWrite SpeedPrice
SanDisk Extreme microSDXC1TB160 MB/s90 MB/s$149.99
Samsung EVO Plus microSDXC512GB100 MB/s90 MB/s$39.99
Lexar Play microSDXC1TB150 MB/s90 MB/s$133.99
Samsung PRO Plus microSDXC512GB160 MB/s120 MB/s$79.99
SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDXC400GB170 MB/s90 MB/s$67.99
All of these SD cards are compatible with Steam Deck and offer fast and reliable performance for downloading and playing games. They also have large capacities that can store hundreds of games without running out of space. However, you can also choose other brands and models that suit your budget and preference, as long as they meet the minimum requirements of Steam Deck.
How to install and format an SD card on Steam Deck
Before you can use an SD card on Steam Deck, you need to install it properly and format it using SteamOS. This will ensure that the SD card is recognized by the device and ready to store games. Here are the steps to install and format an SD card on Steam Deck:
Step 1: Insert the microSD card into the slot
The microSD card slot is located at the bottom of the Steam Deck, below the right corner of the screen. To insert the microSD card, make sure it is facing up (with the metal contacts facing down) and push it gently into the slot Continuing the article: ). You will see a progress bar that shows the download status of the game. You can also pause, resume, or cancel the download at any time by clicking on the corresponding buttons.
Step 3: Wait for the download to finish and enjoy your game
Once the download is complete, you will see a message saying "Ready to play". You can either click on Play to launch the game immediately or go back to your library and find the game there. You can also check the storage usage of your microSD card by going to Settings > Storage and selecting the microSD card from the list of devices.
To play a game from your microSD card, you just need to select it from your library and click on Play. You don't need to do anything else, as SteamOS will automatically detect and run the game from your microSD card. You can also remove or swap your microSD card at any time, as long as you are not playing a game from it.
Conclusion and FAQs
In this article, we have shown you how to download games to SD card on Steam Deck, as well as how to choose the right SD card for your device, how to install and format it, and how to play games from it. By following these steps, you will be able to expand the storage capacity of your Steam Deck and enjoy more games on the go.
If you have any questions or doubts about this topic, you may find the answers in the following FAQs:
Q: Can I use any SD card on Steam Deck?
A: No, you need to use an SDXC card that has at least Class 10 speed and exFAT file system. Otherwise, your SD card may not work properly or at all on Steam Deck.
Q: How can I transfer games from internal storage to SD card or vice versa?
A: You can use the SteamOS built-in tool called Steam Mover to transfer games between different storage devices. To use it, go to Settings > Storage and select the device that contains the game you want to move. Then, click on Manage and select the game you want to move. Finally, click on Move and choose the destination device. Wait for the transfer to complete and then you can play the game from the new location.
Q: How can I backup or restore my games from SD card?
A: You can use the Steam Cloud feature to backup and restore your games from SD card. Steam Cloud is a service that automatically syncs your game data and settings across different devices using your Steam account. To use it, you need to enable it in your Steam settings and in each game's properties. Then, whenever you play a game from SD card, it will automatically upload your progress and preferences to the cloud. If you want to restore your game from SD card, you just need to download it again and it will automatically download your data and settings from the cloud.
Q: How can I improve the performance of my games from SD card?
A: You can improve the performance of your games from SD card by using a faster SD card, such as UHS Speed Class 3 or Video Speed Class 30 or higher. These cards have higher write speeds than Class 10 cards and can reduce loading times and stuttering issues. You can also optimize your game settings by lowering the resolution, graphics quality, or frame rate, depending on your preference and device capabilities.
Q: How can I troubleshoot any problems with my SD card on Steam Deck?
A: If you encounter any problems with your SD card on Steam Deck, such as not being recognized, corrupted, or slow, you can try some of these solutions:
Make sure your SD card is compatible with Steam Deck (SDXC, Class 10, exFAT).
Make sure your SD card is properly inserted into the slot (facing up, metal contacts down).
Make sure your SD card is formatted using SteamOS (Settings > Storage > Format).
Make sure your SD card is set as default storage location (Settings > Storage > Set as default).
Make sure your SD card is not damaged or faulty (check for physical signs or test it on another device).
Make sure your Steam Deck is updated to the latest version of SteamOS (Settings > System > Check for updates).
Make sure your games are updated to the latest version (Library > Updates).
Contact Steam support if none of these solutions work.
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