Steam Deck Receives Official Windows 11 Driver Support

To make this possible, Valve released the official drivers required to run Windows on the device. Users now have dedicated drivers for AMD graphics, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, audio, and the SD card reader.

However, choosing Windows instead of SteamOS, Valve’s Linux-based operating system, means SteamOS will be completely removed during installation.

Installing Windows also gives players access to games such as Fortnite, Call of Duty, and Destiny 2, whose anti-cheat systems are not supported on SteamOS. In addition, Microsoft’s operating system turns Steam Machine into a full-fledged PC, allowing users to run Microsoft Office and other Windows applications alongside alternative game launchers such as the Xbox App.

In the release notes, Valve also states that an official dual-boot setup is not yet available, even though the hardware supports it. The company plans to introduce a dual-boot wizard in a future SteamOS update.

There are still some limitations. For example, installing Windows on the Steam Deck OLED requires a recent SteamOS BIOS update for Bluetooth support, while Bluetooth audio microphone support on the OLED model is still under development.

Valve also warns that anyone choosing to install Windows does so entirely at their own risk. The company does not provide technical support for Windows-related issues, meaning users will need to troubleshoot any problems themselves. Those who decide to return to SteamOS can use Valve’s official recovery tools.

Overall, the move reflects a growing belief that device owners should be free to run whatever software they choose on their hardware. Even so, it may take time before other major ecosystem players, such as Apple, embrace the same philosophy.