The Valve Steam Deck offers an incredible handheld PC experience, but staying in touch with friends while gaming often requires voice chat integration. Installing Discord on your device allows you to join voice channels, stream gameplay, and communicate seamlessly across communities. Following daily gaming news can help players discover new tips and software optimizations to keep their handheld setup running smoothly.
Switching to Desktop Mode for Installation
To begin the installation process, power on your Steam Deck and press the physical STEAM button to open the main menu. Select Power, then choose Switch to Desktop to exit Gaming Mode and access the Arch Linux desktop environment. Once in Desktop Mode, locate and open the Discover Software Center icon on the desktop taskbar.
Installing Discord via Discover Software Center
Inside the Discover application, use the search bar at the top-left corner to search for Discord. Locate the official flatpak version of Discord in the results list and click the Install button next to it. Wait for the download and installation to finish completely before closing the Discover application.
Adding Discord to Your Steam Library
To launch Discord easily within Gaming Mode, open the desktop Steam client and click the Games menu at the top. Select Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library to open a pop-up window listing installed software. Check the box next to Discord, then click Add Selected Programs to ensure it appears in your Steam library interface.
Configuring Background Voice Chat and Audio Settings
Return to Gaming Mode by double-clicking the Return to Gaming Mode icon on the desktop. Launch Discord from your Non-Steam library tab to log into your account and configure your input microphone settings. Once set up, you can press the STEAM button while in-game to switch between your active game title and Discord voice channels effortlessly.
