Steam Deck adds lock screen in recent update

Valve’s handheld gaming computer the Steam Deck has added a lock screen and window switching among others in their recent update.

This was revealed in the latest patch notes as well as a deep dive by Valve into the more significant features including the new lock screen.

The optional feature lets users set a PIN when the Steam Deck wakes or boots up, or when logging in or switching to Desktop mode.

Window switching can now be used on any software that already supports the feature and essentially brings up a handy quick select menu that lets users move swiftly between their games and apps.

Valve also updated the achievements page to make it load faster and easier to navigate, and added the option to compare your achievements with those of friends or global stats.

The last main feature highlighted in the deep-dive is the addition of localised keyboards. Valve has added keyboards for 21 languages and layouts, and multiple layouts can be enabled at the same time through the globe button (similar to Android and iOS).

The new additions don’t include keyboards for Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, but Valve said it was working on those and they’ll appear in the future.

It’s the first major update for a while, but the Steam Deck has already seen some other big additions since launch including the addition of Windows compatibility and Xbox Game Pass support.

You can find the full patch notes below;

Client Update:

• Added Lock Screen feature
  • Lock screen is specific to device, and can be set to show up on wake, boot, login, and/or when switching to Desktop mode
  • PIN can be entered using the touchscreen or controls
• Added localized keyboards for 21 languages and layouts
  • Multiple keyboards can be enabled in Settings > Keyboard > Active Keyboards
  • Use the new globe key on the keyboard to cycle between active keyboards
• Added support for multiple windows within one application or game.
  • Press Steam to view active windows and select which window you would like to view
  • Useful for web browsers or games with launchers
• Updated Achievements page design, making it faster to load and easier to navigate
• New achievements drop down allows players to quickly compare stats against any friend who also plays
• Add Friend and Pending Requests have been combined into a single new page for better handling of friend requests
• Added logic to detect and notify user when a microSD card doesn’t match advertised storage size and specifications, instead of attempting to format (for a very long time)
• Fixed issue where Steam and (…) button couldn’t be used with Remote Play when streaming games from PC
• More performance improvements for players with very large game libraries

OS Update:

• Added messaging when a charger that doesn’t meet the minimum bar is plugged in
• Added uncapped framerate setting in Quick Access menu > Performance
• Added Half-Rate Shading experimental option to Quick Access menu > Performance, forcing 2×2 Variable Rate Shading into existing games for power savings
• Added fTPM support, enabling Windows 11 installation
• Added button combo: hold “…” + “Volume Down” to reset PD contract in the cases where Steam Deck gets stuck due to an incompatible Type-C device
• Updated power LED to dim a few seconds after power supply connection events for better experience in dark environments
• Improved compatibility for a number of Type-C docks and PSUs
• Improved battery life in idle or very low usage scenarios
• Improved stability
• Fixed issues where the touchscreen does not work after some boots
• Fixed compatibility with some SD cards specifically when used as boot devices.
• Fixed extra haptic click when pressing on trackpads
• Fixed ACPI error spew in the kernel