Can't Install Games Only Stream? Help.

[Feyawen]

I'm fairly new to SteamDeck and I can't figure out how to install games to the device. Every game wants to Stream from my main PC. But I want to locally install games so I can take the device with me tomorrow on a road trip and be able to play. How do I tell it to install instead of stream?? Thanks.

[Jaunitta 🌸]

No need to install to separate devices.
Install games to Steam on your PC then install Steam to device log in to Steam on device all your games will be there.

[Feyawen]

Originally posted by Jaunitta 🌸:

No need to install to separate devices.
Install games to Steam on your PC then install Steam to device log in to Steam on device all your games will be there.

I don't understand what you mean. I'm going on a road trip and will be hundreds of miles away from my main pc. How is the steamdeck going to reach my pc? My router isn't going to communicate with the steamdeck over that kind of distance. ??

[Feyawen]

Solved.
Going to post my resolution in case anybody else has this issue.
Firstly, I simply turned off my main PC and everything on the Steam Deck switched from "Stream" to "Install." As I was installing some games, I kept looking and finally figured out... Menu, Settings, Remote Play, turn Off "Enable Remote Play." Once that's done, games install normally to the Steam Deck so I can have them to play during the car ride.

Although I didn't understand your answer, thanks for the response Jaunitta.

[WarnerCK]

Originally posted by Feyawen:

As I was installing some games, I kept looking and finally figured out... Menu, Settings, Remote Play, turn Off "Enable Remote Play." Once that's done, games install normally to the Steam Deck so I can have them to play during the car ride.

For clarification, you didn't need to do that. You can have Remote Play enabled and still install games to the Deck just fine.

The issue was that you were trying to install the specific games that you already had installed on your other PC, and that PC was on and on the network, and you had Remote Play enabled, so the default is to assume that you want to stream them. Had you been installing games that weren't already installed on your other PC the default would have been to install them on the Deck. And for the games that were already installed, the Stream button has a drop-down menu to say that you want to install rather than stream.

[ecockpit89]

Thanks for the tips, guys. Turned off Remote Play on my PC, just to be safe.

[ReBoot]

On the library page of every game, there's a drop-down arrow next to the Install/Stream button. Click that arrow, select "Play locally" instead of "Stream", problem solved. Not even need to disable streaming as a whole.

[Feyawen]

Thanks for the information about the Drop Down button... However, there isn't a drop down arrow for me to select "Play Locally". I think it was a compound issue because once I got the button to "Install" it wouldn't install. I also had to go into the Cog, and Compatibly, and Force a specific version of Proton (I always picked the most recent, I don't know why this isn't the default). Maybe the root of the problem is always having to force a specific version of Proton?

[WarnerCK]

Originally posted by Feyawen:

Thanks for the information about the Drop Down button... However, there isn't a drop down arrow for me to select "Play Locally".

It would be specifically called "This Steam Deck" (as opposed to whatever your other computer's name is).

I think it was a compound issue because once I got the button to "Install" it wouldn't install. I also had to go into the Cog, and Compatibly, and Force a specific version of Proton (I always picked the most recent, I don't know why this isn't the default). Maybe the root of the problem is always having to force a specific version of Proton?

You'll have been fiddling with either the desktop Steam client or the dev mode, then. It is the default on the Deck to use Proton for games that lack a Linux build (and for some that do have a Linux build if that's what the Verified testing has selected).

If you've turned off the dev mode toggle (Steam -> System -> Enable Developer Mode), turn it back on, then go to the dev settings (Steam -> Developer). You want "Enable Steam Play for all other titles" to be enabled, and in the dropdown to pick the version you want the current stable version - Proton 9.0-2. You can turn dev mode off again once you're done. Or do the same process in the desktop Steam client.

And, yes, if you've turned off using Proton then installing non-Linux games isn't an option.

[Feyawen]

Thanks for help. I don't know what Developer Mode I would ever need, but I turned it on as per your instructions, followed your settings, and everything is already as you described. At the hotel tonight, I tried installing another game and it just won't install unless I do the "force" specific version. (Oh, the game I installed is Vampire Survivors, since it's definitely Deck Verified).
I'm starting to think I've got a faulty Deck perhaps. I bought it on pre-order when they first released, but it hasn't been used until recently. I mean, I do have games playing on it at least.

[psyhhhh]

Originally posted by Feyawen:

I'm fairly new to SteamDeck and I can't figure out how to install games to the device. Every game wants to Stream from my main PC. But I want to locally install games so I can take the device with me tomorrow on a road trip and be able to play. How do I tell it to install instead of stream?? Thanks.

This type of problem may cause, cuz if your two devices have different OS, For example one is Linux, other is Windows, but some games is available for 1 and not for another