How to Transfer PC Games to Your Steam Deck: A Step-by-Step Guide

The Steam Deck is a popular handheld gaming computer that supports both handheld and PC gaming experiences. Transferring files from one PC to another is no longer a daunting task. But can you transfer your PC games to the Steam Deck to play them all on the go?

Don't worry; read on. This article from /Gadgets will guide you through the process of moving your PC games to the Steam Deck in detail.

[[1]](#part1)Can I transfer my PC games to the Steam Deck?

The quick answer is: Yes, you can move PC games to the Steam Deck.

With ongoing updates to the Steam Deck, Valve has provided players with several options for downloading games to their PC or Steam Deck. By updating the Steam client, Valve allows you to copy game installations between different PCs (or Steam Decks). To do this, ensure that you have the latest version of Steam installed on your computer and that your Steam Deck is updated to its newest version as well. Both devices must also be able to find each other on the local network.

If for some reason your game transfer options aren't working, you can also move PC games to your Steam Deck, using the One-Click Migration feature to move your Steam games to the Deck's SSD or SD card.

Please read on for a detailed guide on how to get your game running on the Steam Deck.

How to Transfer PC Games to Your Steam Deck - Two Methods

Here are two methods to transfer games to your Steam Deck. The first method involves using a professional game transferring tool, like Todo PCTrans, to move your games onto the SSD or SD card of your Steam Deck.

Method 2 involves moving it through the Steam client directly. Both methods have their pros and cons:

All in all, the requirements for a direct transfer through Steam are more demanding. The tool Todo PCTrans, on the other hand, offers a more convenient option for game transfers to Steam. Let's check out the steps.

Transferring PC Games to Steam Deck with Todo PCTrans

To transfer games to the Steam Deck's SSD or SD card, you'll need to unmount the drive from the Steam Deck and connect the SD card to your PC using an SD card reader, or connect the SSD directly. Then, on your PC, download and use the Todo PCTrans tool.

This tool will help you migrate your games and associated data to the Steam Deck with just a few clicks:

Step 1: Run Todo PCTrans Tool

Run the Todo PCTrans tool on your Windows 10/8.1/8/7 computer. Switch to the "App Migration" transfer mode, and then click "Start."

Select "App Migration" to transfer the game to the SSD

Step 2: Choose the game you want to transfer

On the left pane, select the drive where the game is installed. Then, find the game you want to transfer and check the box next to it. Since you're planning to move the selected game to the SSD, click the triangle icon and set the SSD as the target location. Finally, click "Migrate."

Step 3: Initiate the transfer process

The tool immediately starts moving the game from the hard drive to the SSD. Wait for the process to complete.

Todo PCTrans is an all-in-one data transfer and recovery tool that lets you:

• It enables you to transfer your games from PC to Steam Deck without losing any data.
• It bypasses the restrictions of the Steam Deck version, allowing for easy data sharing.
• It facilitates fast game transfers.
• It ensures safe transmission even with a large number of PC games.

Moreover, the Todo PCTrans tool lets you move games from Drive C to Drive D and supports quick transfer of videos, photos, and MS Office.

It's one of the best data migration tools out there. If you find it useful for moving your games to Steam, feel free to share this article with others who might need it.

Transferring PC games to a Steam Deck via the internet involves these steps: 1. **Connect your devices to a high-speed internet connection**: - Ensure both your PC and Steam Deck have stable network connections. 2. **Install Steam on your PC**: - If you don't have it, download and install the Steam client from the [official Steam website](https://store.steampowered.com/about/). 3. **Log in to your Steam account**: - Open the Steam client on your PC and sign in with your Steam account. 4. **Add games to your library**: - If the game isn't in your Steam library, click the "+" or "Add Game" button in the top left corner, then choose "Add a Non-Steam Game." - Browse your computer for the game's executable file (.exe or .app) and add it to your Steam library. 5. **Sync the game to the Steam Cloud**: - Right-click the game in your Steam library, select "Properties." - In the window that appears, go to the "Cloud" tab, and ensure "Enable Steam Cloud for this game" is checked. - Launch the game and let it run for a while so Steam can sync your settings and progress to the cloud. 6. **Log in to the same account on your Steam Deck**: - On your Steam Deck, connect to the internet and log in with the same Steam account as your PC. 7. **Sync your game data**: - Upon first login, your Steam Deck will automatically sync your game settings and progress from the cloud. This may take some time depending on your internet speed. 8. **Download the game to your Steam Deck**: - In your Steam Deck's library, locate the game you previously added. - Click on the game and choose "Install" to start the download. Be aware that this may consume significant storage space, so ensure you have enough room. 9. **Start playing the game**: - Once downloaded, click the game icon to begin playing. The Steam Deck will apply the synced settings and progress from the cloud. Keep in mind that not all non-Steam games may run perfectly on the Steam Deck, as they might not be optimized for its hardware or SteamOS. Check the game's system requirements and user reviews before attempting to play.

If you don't want to use any third-party software, you can transfer your PC games to the Steam Deck directly over the internet. To do this, you'll need to:

Make sure both devices are connected to Steam and can see each other on the local network. Both devices should be updated to the latest version. Both Steam accounts must have file sharing enabled. File transfers can only occur when there are no active downloads or games running. The game you want to transfer must be publicly released and accessible to both Steam users. On the PC sending the game files, the game needs to be up to date. Only PCs running in Desktop mode on Steam can send files. PCs in Big Picture mode or using custom launchers cannot perform file transfers over the local network.

Once you understand the requirements for local game transfers to work properly, you're ready to move your PC games over to your Steam Deck. Follow the steps in these three guides for specifics:

Guide 1: Update Steam and Steam Deck

The Steam Deck's local game streaming feature is tied to the Steam Beta. You'll need to enable the Steam Beta on both your Steam Deck and the Steam client on your computer to ensure smooth communication and game streaming between the devices.

Access the Steam Beta on your PC:

Step 1: Open Steam and click the menu in the top-left corner.

Step 2: Look for “Join beta testing” in the Account section of Settings.

Step 3: Select “Steam Beta Update” from the dropdown menu and click “OK”.

Accessing the Steam Beta on Steam Deck:

Step 1. Turn on your Steam Deck, and press the left Steam button.

Step 2. Click on "Settings" in System Settings and check for updates.

Step 3. Select Beta from the Update Channel drop-down menu.

Guideline 2: Allow game progress to transfer between Steam devices

After updating your Steam Deck, make sure both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Then, check the settings to see if you can transfer files from the Steam settings:

Step 1: Open Steam and click on “Settings” in the top left corner of the application.

Step 2: Tap on 'Downloads' in the settings.

< strong > Step 3. In the Transfer game files over local network dropdown, select Allow file transfer.

These settings will also appear on your Steam Deck, so make sure they're updated there as well so you can share files.

Guideline 3: Moving Games to Your Steam Deck

When you update your version of Steam and make sure both your PC game and your Steam Deck are on the same network, Steam will automatically transfer files from your PC to your Steam Deck instead of downloading them from the network:

When local peer-to-peer transfer is available, the client will automatically begin downloading game files from it. If the connection is lost or there is no more content available from the peer, the client will fall back to downloading the remaining content from a public Steam content server.

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Conclusions

Moving PC games to the Steam Deck might sound daunting, but this article offers two straightforward methods. Transferring games through the Steam client requires that your device is up to date and meets several other conditions.

Fortunately, tools like Todo PCTrans bypass these hassles, ensuring a 100% data-loss-free, secure, and swift game transfer. If you're looking to move your PC games to a Steam Deck, this tool offers a wise option.

Frequently Asked Questions on Transferring PC Games to Steam Deck

This article outlines two methods to get your PC games onto the Steam Deck. This section will provide brief answers to some common questions about today's topic. Hopefully, it clears up any further confusion.

**1. How do I move my Steam games to another computer?**

Here are a few ways you can transfer your Steam games to another computer. You can do this quickly and securely through your Steam account, or with the "PC to PC" feature of a tool like Todo PCTrans:

Step 1 Log into your Steam account on your old computer.

Step 2: Choose Steam's backup and restore games feature.

Step 3. Select the game you want to transfer, then click “Next.”

2. Can you transfer Xbox games to Steam?

Of course, you can transfer Xbox games to the Steam Deck. The process simply involves finding where Steam saves your games and moving your Xbox save files into that folder, replacing the Steam saves.

3. How do I transfer my Oculus games to Steam?

You can connect your Oculus Quest VR headset to your PC and download SteamVR, which should allow you to play all your favorite Steam games with the Oculus Quest headset.