How do you show the Menu, Quick Access Menu, or Steam Overlay in Handheld Mode while playing a game using a keyboard in mouse

[A Tiny Old Lady]

CTRL+1/CTRL+2 will bring up the Menu and Quick access Menu when not playing a game, however CTRL+1/CTRL+2 does not work in game to bring up either menu. Shift + Tab is the key to access Steam Overlay in Windows, but that does not work on Steam OS. I've searched around for an answer, but I could not find anything.

If this is not in SteamOS, I feel like it's a QoL feature that needs to be added.

[BenignLarency]

I feel much agree. Needing a controller when you're using MK is the same level of annoyance of needing M/K when using a controller.

Shift + Tab has been the standard for years, and it should continue to at least open the steam menu.

[OsoiJiji]

Originally posted by BenignLarency:

Shift + Tab has been the standard for years, and it should continue to at least open the steam menu.

Agreed. Valve have made some absolutely terrible decisions regarding the Deck. If I knew what I know now, I'm not sure I'd have bought one.

[Prezidentas]

just use desktop mode if you are playing with mouse and keyboard.

[OsoiJiji]

Originally posted by Prezidentas:

just use desktop mode if you are playing with mouse and keyboard.

Yeah that works, sure, but you shouldn't have to.

Just include the bloody hotkeys that have always been there.

[Prezidentas]

Originally posted by OjiiOsoi:

Originally posted by Prezidentas:

just use desktop mode if you are playing with mouse and keyboard.

Yeah that works, sure, but you shouldn't have to.

Just include the bloody hotkeys that have always been there.

it's a controller UI, why would you even play with a KB+M on it? mouse doesn't work properly anyways, it will get reset into a corner after inactivity.

[That Fish Guy]

Originally posted by OjiiOsoi:

Originally posted by Prezidentas:

just use desktop mode if you are playing with mouse and keyboard.

Yeah that works, sure, but you shouldn't have to.

Just include the bloody hotkeys that have always been there.

You shouldn't have to Necro a thread to add a "lol steam deck bad" comment, do you think there aren't enough of them?

But you denigraters need to do your things.

[OsoiJiji]

Originally posted by That Fish Guy:

Originally posted by OjiiOsoi:

Yeah that works, sure, but you shouldn't have to.

Just include the bloody hotkeys that have always been there.

You shouldn't have to Necro a thread to add a "lol steam deck bad" comment, do you think there aren't enough of them?

But you denigraters need to do your things.

Don't you think perhaps I came here looking for answers/solutions? And sure as ♥♥♥♥ didn't "lol" when discovering that there are none to be had.

The original post will lose it's relevance as soon as there's a solution to the problem it tables. What kind of smooth-brained corporate fanboy troglodyte blames consumers for the design flaws they're troubleshooting?

[OsoiJiji]

Originally posted by Prezidentas:

Originally posted by OjiiOsoi:

Yeah that works, sure, but you shouldn't have to.

Just include the bloody hotkeys that have always been there.

it's a controller UI, why would you even play with a KB+M on it? mouse doesn't work properly anyways, it will get reset into a corner after inactivity.

- Docks exist.

- There's no button on controllers used while docked (xbox etc.) to access the '...' menu. You have to be using the deck in handheld mode for that.

- Currently you must push the guide button on controller and then ctrl+2 on kbm, having to use two different input devices

- Using a dock and a controller which lacks the deck's touchpad inputs is no good for kbm games. Eg. Death Roads Tornament. You're going to have a bad time tying to play such games with a thumbstick.

Shift + Tab (or custom binding) is still very much a necessary feature and I can't for the life of me understand why they would remove said feature or why anyone would defend the decision to do so.

[tintingaroo]

^ With a controller try Guide + LB - think they changed that to be the default chord to open QAM.
(I don't own a Steam Deck. On Windows PC I see Guide + LB and the old bind Guide + A)
If you hold the controller's guide button while in game mode you'll see the chords listed. Or could check the Guide Button Chord Layout if holding guide turns off your controller (Menu > Settings > Controller > Guide Button Chord Layout > Edit > View Layout).

Regarding keyboard unable to open the overlay in Game Mode, any difference if you change the open overlay shortcut to something else? (As you mention custom binding, perhaps you already tried this...)
If that doesn't solve anything (or even if it does), I'd say post a bug report - maybe they address things.

[OsoiJiji]

Originally posted by tintingaroo:

^ With a controller try Guide + LB - think they changed that to be the default chord to open QAM.
(I don't own a Steam Deck. On Windows PC I see Guide + LB and the old bind Guide + A)
If you hold the controller's guide button while in game mode you'll see the chords listed. Or could check the Guide Button Chord Layout if holding guide turns off your controller (Menu > Settings > Controller > Guide Button Chord Layout > Edit > View Layout).

Regarding keyboard unable to open the overlay in Game Mode, any difference if you change the open overlay shortcut to something else? (As you mention custom binding, perhaps you already tried this...)
If that doesn't solve anything (or even if it does), I'd say post a bug report - maybe they address things.

When holding the guide button the listed shortcut for Quick Access Menu is Guide + A. I tried Guide + A and Guide + LB and neither seemed to work. Possibly because I'm using an 8bitdo SN30 Pro+, not an Xbox controller. However, had that worked it still wouldn't be practical when playing keyboard and mouse games when you're not using a controller. Shift + Tab followed by Ctrl + 2 WOULD be.

I'm not able to change the shortcut to something else: because they have gutted that functionality entirely. The Steam Deck introduces something called "Gaming Mode" (as opposed to desktop mode). Gaming Mode is basically like Big Picture mode on PC; but there are some differences. The most exceedingly painfully one I've discovered so far is the inability to bring up the Steam Overlay using keyboard. Honestly, I'm fuming.

I don't think bug reporting will help because it isn't a bug, it's a design choice. But sure, why not? Maybe I can waste some of Valve's time like they've been wasting mine having to search for solutions.