Deck’s PIN Reset Logic is Circular/Broken?

[Mr. Owl]

Hey everyone! Pasting this from a Reddit post I made yesterday where they suggested I also post here — I have included two videos documenting this bug, my own recent encounter via Reddit and a user pointing this out via YouTube ~SIX months ago. All credit where it is due.

https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/ypt7q5/glaring_issue_with_steam_deck_pin_resets_please/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJdTPLl5raM&feature=emb_title

***TL;DR: After the Deck forced me to reset my PIN & upon reboot, the device did not recognize the PIN and revealed that the current Steam Deck “Forgot Your PIN?” logic gate is broken — the logic is circular and blatantly defies the PIN reset scripting that states you can reset the PIN with your username and password. THIS CIRCULAR LOGIC BRICKS THE DEVICE!!! Captured on video & not the first time as it has been called out on old Reddit posts I linked below — I do have an ongoing Steam ticket open but they have only suggested reimaging the entire device which I do not think users should have to do***
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[ORIGINAL POST]

Late last night and after having used my Deck seamlessly the entire day, the device prompted for a PIN reset seemingly out of nowhere. I’d designated one when I first received my Deck in Q3 and have been using that PIN with zero issue, so much so that I’ve the muscle memory down PAT in hitting the proper buttons. So I know my PIN. And let me underscore… I LOVE THE FREAKING DECK! But this wildly frustrating.

Anyways: I went along with the prompt to reset it and, wanting to test its password limits and being too lazy to adjust muscle memory, I entered the OLD pin as my new PIN. The Deck allowed me to use the same PIN with no issue.

The device continued to operate perfectly that is up UNTIL its rebooting — WHICH BRINGS US TO OUR VIDEO!!! (Censored clownishly for privacy)

The Deck did not recognize my PIN on reboot & the Steam Deck’s logic for PIN resets is CIRCULAR — it has no SOLUTION and BRICKS THE DEVICE UNTIL YOU REIMAGE IT!!!

You’ll see in the video that Steam offers a, “Forgot Your Pin?” prompt that blatantly states you can reset it by entering your Steam login & password but IT NEVER GIVES YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY. Upon pressing the blue ‘Reset Pin’ button in the video, the machine resets and brings you… right back to the PIN screen. Completely trumping the authority of your login/password and rendering the device useless until reimaging, as previously stated.

This post comes after an ongoing Steam support ticket where support states:

“If you are referring to a Steam Lock Screen pin, the only way to reset it is to reimage the Steam Deck. We have no way to reset it on our end.”

WHICH IS FINE! I UNDERSTAND THAT! THEY GAVE US A PROMPT EXPLICITLY TO DO IT OURSELVES BUT THE LOGIC IS BROKEN!!! ***Users should not have to reimage their entire device just to surpass this!

This is unfortunately NOT a new issue either and precisely the reason I bring it to Reddit again. There are a number of posts throughout post-Deck release citing this issue, some even citing that it’s since been fixed, but… this video was taken today and it is still ongoing.

Some immediate examples, Google Steam Deck PIN issues for more:

• https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/vzrx94/lock_screen_pin_issue/]

• https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/ucegl8/unable_to_reset_pin/]

S’more notes:

-You’ll notice the option to press the Steam menu button does populate and upon pressing the button, you can HEAR the menu come up but nothing happens!

-Yes…I’ve tried turning it off and again

-I have logged into Steam on my desktop and FORCED ALL OTHER DEVICES OFF MY ACCOUNT and this did NOT work

Stick around for more updates!!!

[BonteCowski]

Waiting patiently for an update. I am currently facing the same issue.. I am not willing/able to reimage my device, so I hope a patch will be created to either give me a mobile prompt to unlock the device with the phone app or something

[Mr. Owl]

Originally posted by BonteCowski:

Waiting patiently for an update. I am currently facing the same issue.. I am not willing/able to reimage my device, so I hope a patch will be created to either give me a mobile prompt to unlock the device with the phone app or something

You definitely aren’t alone, friend. I’m in the middle of a move and don’t have the capability to reimage at this time but I’m also of the mind that users shouldn’t HAVE TO just to reset the PIN and want to see this through, stubborn as that might be. The scariest thing I’ve found in my research is a YouTube video from another user that reported this issue SIX MONTHS AGO that I updated my support ticket with:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJdTPLl5raM

[Mr. Owl]

ANOTHER UPDATE: Resetting your ENTIRE Steam profile password doesn’t even work, THE DECK DOESN’T FORCE YOUR NEW LOGIN INFO AT ALL — this SIX DIGIT PIN HOLDS MORE POWER THAN THE PRESIDENT!

[Neosun]

Oof. Glad I found this. Gonna just take my pin off until I hear about any news regarding this.

[Mr. Owl]

Originally posted by Aerosun:

Oof. Glad I found this. Gonna just take my pin off until I hear about any news regarding this.

Better safe than sorry — let my experience serve as a cautionary tale! I am going to keep this thread and the Reddit thread as up to date as possible with any updates.

[Mr. Owl]

Waited a week for this update on the Steam Support ticket:

"Sorry, if you have forgotten your PIN and PIN reset did not work you will need to perform a reimage of the Deck. The development team is aware of potential issues that can lead to this but we do not have an alternative solution at this time."

THIS IS WILD!

[Mr. Owl]

TO ANY STEAM SUPPORT THAT READS THIS, IF YOU ARE OUT THERE: THE ENTIRE PIN RESET FUNCTION IS BROKEN!!! The solution cannot be 'reimage your entire device!'

[Neosun]

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. I'm sorry you had to go through this. Steam Deck team, this is a serious issue. QoL and smaller bug fixes can wait. This needs to be addressed first and foremost.

[Mr. Owl]

Thanks Aerosun, I appreciate you keeping me company in this thread as I traverse the lunacy -- our most recent update:

>>Message from Steam Support on Nov 15 @ 7:14pm | 2 days ago:

""Sorry, if you have forgotten your PIN and PIN reset did not work you will need to perform a reimage of the Deck. The development team is aware of potential issues that can lead to this but we do not have an alternative solution at this time.""

- Steam Support

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>>Message from ME on Nov 16 @ 11:28am | 1 day and 14 hours ago:

The PIN reset didn't just 'not work' -- the PIN reset prompt tells me I can use my Steam username/password to reset it but when the device restarts itself, it is IMMEDIATELY at the PIN screen again with no chance to enter that info. This is broken and users should not have to reimage their devices.

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>>Message from Steam Support on Nov 17 @ 10:59pm | 2 hours ago

""Yes, I agree with you, however, the option at this time to resolve the issue would be to reimage the device. We understand that is not ideal, and I wish we had a better solution for you.""

- Steam Support

[Neosun]

When I was trying to get the Dualsense/DS4 touchpad issue fixed, I kept bumping every post I could find related to it to hopefully bring it to Valve's attention- and seemingly, that worked. As long as this stays up high on the board they're more than likely to look into it.

[potato602]

I also have the same issue right now, the PIN screen is looping (after pressing forgot PIN) even though I know my pin is correct.

[Mr. Owl]

I am sorry to hear it, potato. Reposting Steam Support's official position on this right now in my ongoing support ticket -- the only immediate fix is a reimage of the device:

Mr. Owl (me):
11/16

'The PIN reset didn't just 'not work' -- the PIN reset prompt tells me I can use my Steam username/password to reset it but when the device restarts itself, it is IMMEDIATELY at the PIN screen again with no chance to enter that info. This is broken and users should not have to reimage their devices.'

Steam Support:
11/17

""Yes, I agree with you, however, the option at this time to resolve the issue would be to reimage the device. We understand that is not ideal, and I wish we had a better solution for you.""

I responded to them that reimaging is not a solution so much as it is a bandaid and that I could not close the ticket in good faith until this PIN reset logic is fixed. I have not received any response yet.

[Mr. Owl]

I attempted to escalate the issue via the Steam support ticket and received what felt like the run around... Pasted this verbatim with typos and robotic, bureaucratic language included:

"Hello,

This help request has been escalated to me and I've reviewed the messages.

I'm sorry to hear this is happen and I agree there should be a more elegant solution to this, but unfortunately there is not. The only option that's available no, would be to reimage the device.

I've passed along your feedback about this, so our developers are are. Please feel free to also make a post in the discussions forum. The Deck team at Valve views the forums.

I'm sorry, but that's all the information we have for you."

[Neosun]

Fortunately you have their direct attention now. This is a pretty egregious bug so I'm sure they're looking into sealing it up as quickly as possible.

[BonteCowski]

So why aren't they able to push a bug fix for this that can run behind the pin screen. The device is connected to wifi if it starts up..

This bug is just critical. The solution as stated above cannot be that we would have to lose all our data and progress on the deck and reimage it! This is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ (pardon my french) but if I would take this stance with clients they wouldn't accept, and I myself wouldn't accept.

Maybe test a feature before putting it in the software?