Confused on Steam Play and Proton? Be sure to check out our guide.
We do often include affiliate links to earn us some pennies. See more here.

Valve are closing in on the final stable release of SteamOS 3.6 for Steam Deck, with SteamOS 3.6.12 Beta out now as the first release candidate.

The release announcement doesn't mention that it's an RC, but this was confirmed via developer Pierre-Loup Griffais on X / Twitter. Here's all that's changed:

General

  • Fixed a rare 3.6 issue that could cause filesystem corruption on Steam Deck 64GB.
  • Fixed a 3.6 regression where an already-inserted SD card would not always be detected on cold boot and would require re-insertion.
  • Fixed an issue where updates would could sometimes be applied incorrectly if the unit was powered off abruptly near the end of an OS update.
  • Fixed an issue with copy-pasting UTF-8 text across applications.

Display

  • Improved frame pacing with VRR on external displays.
  • Fixed an issue where internal display could be abnormally limited to a lower frame rate after disconnecting an external display with VRR enabled.
  • Fixed a 3.6 regression where the screen would be blank during part of the boot sequence.
  • Fixed a 3.6 regression where the frame limit would not apply properly in specific conditions.

Developer

  • Split package reinstallation step out of `steamos-devmode` command and into new `steamos-unminimize` command. `steamos-devmode` now simply enters read-write mode and initializes the pacman keyring for use, and is much quicker.

To access the update you need to opt into either the Beta or Preview channels via Settings > System > System Update Channel.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
10 Likes
About the author -
author picture
I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly checked on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. You can also follow my personal adventures on Bluesky.
See more from me
All posts need to follow our rules. For users logged in: please hit the Report Flag icon on any post that breaks the rules or contains illegal / harmful content. Guest readers can email us for any issues.
3 comments

Some day I hope to have a gaming laptop running SteamOS. Being able to tune fps, resolution, watt, etc. And having a full desktop.
Linas Sep 7
View PC info
  • Supporter Plus
Fixed a rare 3.6 issue that could cause filesystem corruption on Steam Deck 64GB.
I got hit by this just last week. Thought my SSD is dying. Had to wipe it completely and reinstall from the recovery image.
"Fixed a rare 3.6 issue that could cause filesystem corruption on Steam Deck 64GB."

That explains it! I've had the Deck die on my 3 times in the last couple of months, and couldn't figure out why.
While you're here, please consider supporting GamingOnLinux on:

Reward Tiers: Patreon. Plain Donations: PayPal.

This ensures all of our main content remains totally free for everyone! Patreon supporters can also remove all adverts and sponsors! Supporting us helps bring good, fresh content. Without your continued support, we simply could not continue!

You can find even more ways to support us on this dedicated page any time. If you already are, thank you!
Login / Register