This new Steam Deck update has so many fixes we don't know where to start

Valve has just released its latest Steam Deck Client update for Steam Deck and Legion Go S, with the release including a quite incredible number of bug fixes and tweaks to SteamOS. Most are relatively small in scale, from improving the visibility of the onscreen keyboard when in desktop mode to fixing newly-made accounts showing no new games even after purchase, but they make for an essential download when combined.

Valve regularly releases updates for its Steam Deck client, SteamOS, including beta releases that let you try new features and fixes ahead of a full release. However, most of these include just a handful of changes to the software that runs on what our best gaming handheld guide will tell you is still the go-to option, despite so many competing handhelds now being available.

Each release is logged on Valve's website, so you can find the full list of changes and fixes here. Most of the list is so nitty-gritty as to hardly be worth an individual mention. However, if you've experienced crashes when the SteamOS Manager service restarts, or found your Deck getting sluggish when you have a large library of non-Steam games, this update is for you.

Another important update is the addition of accessibility options when a SteamOS device is used in desktop mode, such as when it's plugged into a TV or monitor. This menu provides access to a high-contrast mode, reduced motion settings, and UI scale controls.

Meanwhile, if you've already grabbed a Lenovo Legion Go S - currently the only gaming handheld to also run SteamOS, other than the original Steam Deck LCD and Steam Deck OLED - you'll be glad to know this update also brings with it joystick LED controls, which can be found in the Settings menu under Customization.

While it's great to see Valve so readily and steadily supporting the SteamOS family of handhelds, we can't help but wish for a little more news regarding a Steam Deck 2. With the likes of the Legion Go S now using SteamOS and other handhelds, such as the Xbox Ally, really starting to give the Steam Deck a run for its money - as we experienced in our Xbox Ally hands on - Valve could find itself left behind.

For now, though, don't delay in grabbing this latest SteamOS update to get the most from the hardware you already own.

To discuss this update and anything else Steam Deck-related, be sure to join us on our community Discord server, where we chat about all things PC hardware.