A handheld gaming gadget and portable desktop PC, the Steam Deck, has arrived. You must have heard of Discord and wondered whether you could install it on your Steam Deck.
There’s no official Steam Discord App, but you may still use it on the Deck. Once downloaded, you can find Discord in your Steam library’s “Non-Steam Games” section.
Even if the Steam store doesn’t have a Discord client, you can still get the most out of your portable PC experience by employing a simple hack. So, for example, you can use Discord on your Steam console using this guide.
To use Discord while playing games on Steam OS, continue reading.
Can You Run Discord on Steam Deck?
Yes.
You will need to hold down the power button until a menu appears to launch applications such as Discord. After the menu has shown, choose “Switch to desktop” from the available options by clicking on it.
After switching to desktop mode, you need to click on the Discover store icon shown on the taskbar to access the desktop version of the store. You will then be required to look for applications such as Spotify, Discord, or any programs you choose to use with SteamOS.
How to Install Discord on Steam Deck?
The official Discord client is not currently present via the Steam store. Fortunately, there are two distinct methods to utilize Discord on the Steam Deck. However, there are some things to bear in mind since not everything will function flawlessly right out of the gate.
In Desktop Mode
To begin, you must ensure that you are in Desktop Mode before installing the Discord client. The following are the procedures to follow to do this:
While holding the power button, pick “Switch to Desktop” from the menu that appears.
Open the Discover app by tapping or clicking the bottom left corner of the screen.
Try searching for Discord (to open the keyboard, hit the STEAM button and the letter X simultaneously).
Tap Install.
It shouldn’t take very long for Discord to finish installing on your computer. After the installation is complete, launch the program and sign in using the credentials you typically use.
Discord will operate on your Steam Deck as it does on your desktop or laptop computer. Nevertheless, while you are in “Gaming Mode,” you won’t be able to use it. But, to your good fortune, there is a straightforward alternative solution!
In Gaming Mode (Steam OS)
Even if you installed it in Desktop Mode, it would not show in your Steam library by default. This problem is because it is not a game. Therefore it seems the reason that it would not appear there.
If you want to use Discord while in Gaming Mode, you’ll need to add it to your library as a non-Steam game.
While in Desktop Mode, open Steam.
Choose Games > Add Non-Steam Game to My Library from the screen’s upper left corner menu.
The Steam Deck needs to provide a menu that lists the many apps downloaded and installed on it. Click the checkbox that is situated next to Discord.
Click the “Add Selected Programs” button to add the programs you want.
To go back into gaming mode, choose “Return to Gaming Mode” on the desktop.
To access your library, choose it from the Steam menu by pressing the Steam button.
Keep scrolling down until you reach the “NON-STEAM” section.
After that, push the “Play” button by selecting Discord.
You can now use Discord even while in the Gaming Mode of Steam OS! Steam now treats this as a game by default. Hence, the only way you can operate anything is via the touchscreen on your device.
The following is a rundown of the steps required to modify the controller layout for the Discord app:
Launch the Discord app, switch to Gaming Mode, and then hit the “STEAM” option.
Press right twice on the d-pad or the left thumbstick, then choose “Controller Settings” from the menu that appears.
It will show the current template used at the very top of the screen. Choose this option to switch to a different template.
To use this, scroll down until you reach the bottom and then pick the Web Browser template.
After completing all the procedures outlined above, you should be able to access Discord while playing games and utilize it like you would on a conventional personal computer. For example, simply pressing the Steam button will give you a list of all currently active applications and games. Hence, you can quickly switch between playing a game and chatting on Discord.
You may also follow the abovementioned methods for other applications, such as web browsers, Spotify, etc.
Benefits Of Using Discord on Steam Deck
Connecting with friends and family who reside in other locations and making new connections with individuals with similar interests is made easier via Discord.
Once connected, you can quickly link your Discord account to your Steam account using the Steam Deck app. You’ll have access to your Discord channels from inside the app itself. You can also use the Steam Deck app to organize and keep track of your game collection and accomplishments.
Discord Not Working on Steam Deck – How to Fix?
Here are some possible fixes to Discord not working on Steam Deck:
Update Discord to the Latest Version
You may not be able to launch Discord if the version you’re using isn’t the most recent one available. However, there are a few different quick solutions available for this problem.
First, ensure that you are running the most recent version of Discord. Then, configure the application to update itself whenever a new version becomes available automatically. Be careful, however, that some customers report “update loops,” in which the newly installed file causes a problem and refuses to update the program. This error is something that you should keep an eye out for.
Update Your OS
If you use Discord, you need to ensure that you’re running the latest operating system version, regardless of whether you’re using Windows or macOS. Keep your operating system up to date to prevent problems while attempting to run programs. If Discord will not launch, check to see that your operating system does not need any upgrades, and then try opening it again.
Close All Other Programs
When started with other apps already active in the background, some users have reported that launching Discord causes it to experience issues. Before starting Discord, you should exit any apps that need many system resources, such as games, software for editing photos or videos, and especially antivirus software.
Some antivirus systems have been reported to prevent Discord from opening and having games in the background while using the application might also create problems. For example, before playing a game, ensure that Discord is running (or that you have it set to run automatically when the computer starts).
Delete All App History and Data
Discord users often complain about experiencing problems with their app data being corrupt. To fix this, you must delete all the associated app data and start it from scratch. To do this, hit the Windows key with the letter R on your keyboard, and then enter “%appdata%” into the box that says “Run.” Press Enter.
Find Discord in the new window that has opened, right-click the folder it’s in, and choose “Delete” from the menu that appears. Repeat this procedure, but this time enter “%localappdata%” instead. Locate the Discord folder once again, right-click on it, and choose “Delete” from the menu that appears.
This option deletes all of the data stored in the server app and the data stored in the local app. After you have completed these steps, you should attempt to restart Discord.
Kill the Background Discord Task
Launch Task Manager, and then go to the “Processes” tab to search for Discord. Select “End task” from the context menu that appears when you right-click. After you have completed these steps, you should restart the Discord client. When running Discord for the first time, it is frequently necessary to terminate the current process and then restart the application to fix any difficulties that may have occurred.
Change Date/Time Settings
Discord does an automated check to determine your device’s current date and time as part of its authentication process. Most of the time, the Discord client will refuse to launch if the date and time on your device do not coincide with the information it gets from its servers.
Open your device’s Date and Time settings, and then ensure the Set Time Automatically option is selected. After you have completed this step, you should make another attempt to start Discord.
Flush the DNS Settings
Errors may be sent by Discord if you have certain internet settings that aren’t optimal. If this does occur, you have the option to “flush” the settings and then reset them. This option will, in the vast majority of instances, fix the issue and enable Discord to boot properly.
To access the command prompt in Windows:
- Click the Start button. You may do this by hitting the Windows key with the letter R, then typing cmd into the prompt that appears.
- After you have completed this step, go to the next step by typing “ipconfig/flushdns” and then press Enter.
- Try opening Discord again after a fresh start and see whether it works this time.
Open Discord on the Web
If you cannot run Discord from your desktop, there may be a problem with the information supplied to you from other sources. Opening Discord in your web browser and logging in will solve the problem quickly and easily.
After successfully joining the desktop version of Discord, you should exit the web browser window where you are currently logged in and relaunch the desktop client. Users have mentioned this as a possible solution to problems while launching Discord; nevertheless, it is important to remember that all data is anecdotal.
Uninstall and Reinstall Discord
There may have been an issue during the first application installation or an update to the software if Discord would not launch. However, performing a thorough uninstallation of Discord and any connected files is one of the simplest approaches to fix this problem.
After you have finished removing Discord from your system, restart your computer. Visit the official website for Discord and download Discord. After that, you will need to reinstall the application. Any issues arising from an error that occurred earlier in downloading or configuring the program will get resolved.
Final Words – How to Use Discord on Steam Deck
It may seem odd to have Discord listed as a game, but doing so is the most efficient way to access the Steam Deck app quickly. After the application has launched, it will continue to operate in the background, allowing you to join voice channels and return to the game you were playing at any time.
You’ll feel like you’re playing on a full-sized gaming PC. Since you’ll have access to the Windows Central Discord server no matter where you are, you’ll be able to talk to other readers and participate in the discussion boards.
Also, you can pick a good gaming mic suitable for voice chat by looking through our list of the Best Gaming Mics for PC gaming.
Hopefully, we answered your search for Steam Deck Discord. You can use this guide for other background music apps like Spotify or any other app.
