Imagine you're in the middle of an epic battle in Elden Ring , but you need to quickly look up how to defeat that one foul boss in the wiki. Or you want to chat with your friends on Discord while playing a casual game of Stardew Valley . Normally, that means quitting the game, switching to desktop mode, restarting, and hoping you don't lose track. Pretty inconvenient, right?
What if I told you there's an elegant, built-in solution that hardly anyone knows about? Your Steam Deck has an ace up its sleeve that could change your gaming experience forever: the Nested Desktop . A feature so useful, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.
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Nested Desktop is a feature of SteamOS that allows you to launch your Steam Deck's full KDE Plasma desktop mode directly from Gaming Mode—as if it were a game. Instead of a complete system reset, the desktop simply opens as another application. This means you can seamlessly switch between your game and the desktop without having to quit your game.
Instructions: How to activate the desktop in gaming mode
Don't worry, you don't need to be a Linux guru or run any crazy scripts. The developers made it amazingly easy for us. Just follow these steps:
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Switch to desktop mode: Press the
STEAMbutton, go to Power, and select Switch to Desktop.
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Find the "lost" application: Open the Start menu (the icon at the bottom left) and search for the "Lost and Found" category. There you'll find the "Nested Desktop" application.
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Add to Steam: Right-click (simply press the Steam key + the left trigger
L2) on “Nested Desktop” and select “Add to Steam” from the menu.
- Back to Gaming Mode: That's it! Now click the "Return to Gaming Mode" icon on your desktop.
If you now go to your Steam library, you'll find a new entry under the "Non-Games" category: Nested Desktop . You can launch it like any other game.
Pro tip: Set up a community controller configuration for the Nested Desktop that simulates a mouse and keyboard. This makes navigating with the trackpads and buttons a breeze.
Why you'll love this feature: The benefits
The most obvious advantage is pure multitasking . The days of having to add each external application like Discord, a browser, or a music player individually as a "non-game" are over. Simply launch Nested Desktop, and you'll have access to everything you've installed in desktop mode.
Here are a few use cases that will make your life easier:
- Check out guides and wikis: Stuck on a puzzle? Pause your game, launch Nested Desktop, open your browser, and find the solution without closing your game.
- Manage Mods: This feature is invaluable for tinkerers. You can customize game files, download, and manage mods while the game essentially waits in the background.
- Communication: Run Discord or another messenger to stay in touch with friends.
- Background downloads: Download files or updates while you play a game.
Essentially, Nested Desktop keeps your game library clean and makes using desktop applications infinitely more convenient.
Is there a catch? A few small restrictions
The feature isn't perfect (yet). There are a few things you should know:
- No second Steam instance: Since the Steam client for Gaming Mode is already running in the background, you cannot start Steam again in Nested Desktop.
- Restricted file access: In some situations, file access may be restricted. However, for most everyday tasks, it is perfectly sufficient.
However, these minor flaws hardly detract from the brilliant overall impression. The benefits far outweigh the disadvantages.
Conclusion: Your Steam Deck can do more than you think
The Nested Desktop is one of those ingenious features that transform the Steam Deck into a true handheld PC. It's the perfect bridge between the clutter-free console experience of Gaming Mode and the infinite freedom of the Linux desktop.
So, if you're one of those gamers who likes to tinker, optimize, or simply multitask comfortably, give Nested Desktop a try. It only takes a few minutes to set up and will significantly improve the way you use your Steam Deck.