This update is for the SteamOS Beta and Preview channels, and includes new features that are still being tested. You can opt into this in Settings > System > System Update Channel.

These notes contain all changes since the current stable SteamOS 3.8 release, with the changes added since the previous 3.9 preview releases noted below

New in SteamOS 3.9.5

General

  • Security and stability updates

  • Improved idle power consumption on Steam Deck when no audio is playing

Developer

  • Actually reintroduced support for Android binder IPC for real this time

SteamOS 3.9

General

  • Updated Arch Linux base

  • Updated Desktop Mode from Plasma 6.4.3 to Plasma 6.7.3

  • Improved support for Steam Frame wireless adapter

  • Fixed a bug causing hidden WiFi networks to fail to connect on the first attempt

  • Fixed Steam Remote Play not working on Steam Machine when booting with no external display connected

  • Fixed “Disable Frame Limiter” toggle not working when VRR is enabled

  • Fixed the frame limiter incorrectly applying to VR titles when streaming from Steam Machine to Steam Frame

  • Fixed loss of input if a launcher window is accidentally dragged around in Game Mode

  • Fixed an issue causing frame limits to result in lower than intended FPS on certain external displays

  • Fixed issues with suspend/resume on systems with RDNA1 or RDNA2 based dedicated GPUs

  • Fixed audio issues on hotplug of certain monitors in a multi-monitor setup

  • Fixed an issue causing firmware updates to occasionally fail to apply on Steam Machine

  • Fixed a system crash when launching Forza Horizon 6 on Legion Go 2

  • Added preliminary support for Legion Go 2 brightness control

  • Fixed an issue causing certain games (incl. ELDEN RING and DARK SOULS™ III) to fail to run on recent Panther Lake Intel CPUs

  • Fixed performance issues in STAR WARS: Galactic Racer on resume from suspend on Steam Machine

  • Fixed an issue that could lead to GPU errors in The Crew Motorfest

  • Worked around a firmware issue on some ASUS devices causing excessive fan speed upon waking from sleep

  • Fixed boot screen corruption on Intel PTL+ devices

  • Fixed a bug wherein changing the timezone could prevent switching to Desktop Mode until a reboot

  • Security and stability updates

Misc

  • Updated the bootloader to improve compatibility with certain motherboards

  • The Desktop Mode lockscreen is no longer prevented from being explicitly enabled in settings (but remains off by default)

  • Fixed logging in to Desktop Mode via RDP with system users when enabled

Developer

  • Switched WiFi backend to wpa_supplicant by default, improving compatibility with various WiFi networks

    • Enhanced wpa_supplicant to support fast WiFi reconnect on resume from sleep, previously only available in the iwd backend

  • Linux kernel rebased on Linux 7.2

  • Added preliminary support for hibernation, not yet exposed in Game Mode UI

    • Enhanced Linux kernel hibernation support to enable interrupting hibernate requests and fixed various driver issues

    • Not yet enabled on Steam Deck due to an outstanding driver bug

  • Various scripts and packages have been renamed from `steamos-` to `holo-`, with aliases to the former names where appropriate

  • Improved support for running SteamOS as a VM guest with accelerated graphics (virtio-gpu, venus)

  • Updated included renderdoc version

  • Reintroduced support for Android binder IPC