Valve has released an update for the Steam ⁣Deck that⁣ allows users to continue downloading games and other content even when the device’s screen is turned off. This addresses a⁢ common concern among users who previously had to leave their steam⁤ Deck’s screen on during lengthy downloads, impacting⁤ battery life and⁤ perhaps ‍causing screen burn-in.

How the New Feature Works

When ⁤the update is installed, pressing the power button while a⁤ download is in progress will now present a dialogue box. This box asks the user ⁢if they want⁤ to continue the ⁢download with the screen off. Selecting “Continue” puts the Steam Deck into a low-power mode optimized for downloading.

While in this low-power mode, pressing any button or moving⁤ the Steam Deck⁣ will display a new status screen showing the download progress. From this screen, users can ⁢either fully wake the ⁣device or allow the download to continue uninterrupted with ⁢the screen remaining off. Valve announced the feature⁢ on The verge, detailing⁢ its functionality.

Power and‍ Battery Considerations

The⁤ download-while-off‍ feature is ‍enabled by default when the ⁣Steam Deck is connected ⁤to a power⁣ source.⁢ users can also enable it while running on battery ⁢power ⁢through the device’s settings. Though,if the battery level⁢ drops below 20 percent,the Steam Deck will⁣ automatically enter full sleep⁢ mode to conserve power.

This‍ tiered approach ensures downloads⁢ aren’t interrupted ⁢by a completely drained battery,while still offering the convenience of background downloading when plugged in.