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How to install Proton GE on the Steam DeckFix those missing audio and cutscene problems, maybe
Fix those missing audio and cutscene problems, maybe
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
Proton, the compatibility software Valve uses to help Windows games work on the Linux-basedSteam Deck, is quite the achievement. There are thousands of games originally built without Linux/Steam Deck functionality in mind, but can work more or less flawlessly after passing through the Proton layer. The bad news is that, as some Deck owners are now discovering, not every game makes the jump without technical problems. The good news is that knowing how to installProton GEon the Steam Deck can, potentially, fix them.
Image credit:Rock Paper ShotgunSteam Deck Academybrings together all our guides and explainers on getting the most out of your Steam Deck, no student loans or sweaty dormitories required.
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
Steam Deck Academybrings together all our guides and explainers on getting the most out of your Steam Deck, no student loans or sweaty dormitories required.
Proton GE (Glorious Eggroll – I don’t get it either, but I like it) is a kind of unofficial spinoff of Proton. It adds in new patches, fixes and tools that are either absent from the main, stable Proton release or just haven’t been included yet. In a lot of cases, it can even fix game-breaking issues with missing cutscenes or game audio that Proton can’t, due to the latter’s lack of certain key media libraries. As such it’s an almost essential addition to your Steam Deck, especially if you want to venture outside the Valve-approved list ofSteam Deck Verified games. And you can choose which specific games to use Proton GE with – installing it is nothing as scary as replacing as the whole OS.
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That said, I’ve also seen Proton GE mend a missing audio problem inPersona 4 Goldenwithout fuss, so I still recommend it. In this guide I’ll show you how to install and update Proton GE using an app called ProtonUp-Qt, which dramatically streamlines the whole process.
How to install Proton GE on the Steam Deck
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
Step 2:Once you’re in Desktop mode, open up the Discover app store - that’s the blue shopping bag icon in the taskbar – and search for ProtonUp-Qt. Click “Install” once it shows up in the search results.
Step 3:Once it’s installed, you can just click on the search result again to open its main Discover page, then hit the Launch button in the top-right corner to open it.
Step 4:In the now-running ProtonUp-Qt, click “Add version”. You’ll be presented with ProtonGE as the default compatibility tool for installation – good, we want that – as well as its latest version. Click the Install button and wait a few moments for ProtonUp-Qt to do its thing.
Step 5:Once the installed version of Proton GE appears in the installed tools list, you can close ProtonUp-QTand launch Steam. Find the game you’re having problems with, open up its Properties menu, then head to the Compatibility tab and check the “Force the use…” box. Make sure the latest version of Proton GE is selected, then close the window.
With that done, you’ll find ProtonUp-Qt in Gaming Mode’s Library view, under the Non-Steam tab. Just repeat steps 4 and 5 whenever there’s a new version of Proton GE that you want to use with specific games.
For more tips and help for Valve’s handheld PC, have a peek at ourSteam Deck battery life guideand our picks of thebest microSD cards for the Steam Deck. I’ll also be putting together more specific guides, like this one andhow to take screenshots on the Steam Deck.
