Valve would very much like Steam Deck owners to forget its most recent beta update, largely because this new update is focused on fixing the issues it caused. SteamOS update 3.6.12, titled “We Don’t Talk About Eleven,” has a fairly short and sweet set of patch notes, but what’s included is rather important.
To maintain its reputation as the best handheld gaming PC, Valve gives the Steam Deck operating system regular updates. However, ones such as 3.6.12 are only for those who have opted into the beta update channel. If you haven’t opted into the beta channel, or are part of the stable channel, then this update won’t yet be available to download.
In Steam Deck update 3.6.12, there are nine total changes, four of which are direct fixes for issues caused by update 3.6.11. The changes are split into three categories; general, display, and developer.
Within the general category, there are four total changes, they include:
- Fixing a rare 3.6 issue that could cause filesystem corruption on Steam Deck 64GB models.
- Fixing a 3.6 regression where an already-inserted microSD card would not always be detected on cold boot and would require re-insertion.
- Fixing an issue where updates would sometimes be applied incorrectly if the Steam Deck was powered off abruptly near the end of an OS update.
- Fixing an issue with copy-and-pasting UTF-8 text across applications.
There are also four changes within the display category, they include:
- Improving the frame pacing with variable refresh rate (VRR) on external displays.
- Fixing an issue where the Steam Deck display could be abnormally limited to a lower frame rate after disconnecting an external VRR display.
- Fixing a 3.6 regression where the display would be blank during parts of the boot sequence.
- Fixing a 3.6 regression where the frame limit would not apply properly in specific conditions.
While many of the issues that are fixed only apply to specific situations, this just goes to show how the value of the feedback from Steam Deck owners during the beta window for updates.
Update 3.6.12 is available to download right now, and your Steam Deck will require a restart during the process to properly install it. It’s perfectly normal for an update to release with some minor issues, and it’s important that Valve acted quickly to resolve all the problems. Better still, it even managed to have some fun with the naming of the update.
If you’re looking for something to play on your handheld, check out our list of the best Steam Deck games available right now. We’ve tested every game so you know they will work great.