Because with a lock screen, I feel like my Steam Deck is a little more protected. While it might be easy to bypass for people that know what they’re doing, it can at least prevent some people from picking the Steam Deck up and attempting to use it without permission. The nice thing is that the lock screen is also designed as a 6-digit PIN, where many devices seem to use 4-digit PINs. So this also feels like a little bit of extra security should you decide to set the lock screen up. Speaking of which, if you’re reading this guide, then you’re likely doing so because you want to know how to set up the lock screen on the Steam Deck. And that’s what this guide will explain.
How to set up the lock screen on the Steam Deck
Before you can set up the lock screen on the Steam Deck, you’ll first need to make sure that you’re on the latest software. Valve sent out the update on Monday April 25. Chances are if you use your Steam Deck daily, then you already have the update downloaded and installed. But if you haven’t powered it on in a few days, then you probably need to update it. You can easily update the software by hitting the Steam button, then going into settings and scrolling down to the System tab. In the System menu, updates will be the first thing in the list. Click the check for updates button and if there’s an update available it’ll tell you. Then just hit apply update and restart the machine when it’s finished.
Hit the Steam button and enter the settings menu
Now that you’ve got the software installed, you need to go back to the settings menu. So start by hitting the Steam button to bring up the system menu. Then scroll down to settings and click on it.
Click on security settings
Once you’re in the settings menu, navigate to security settings which is towards the top. In this menu, the only options are tied to the Steam Deck lock screen. You have a brief description of the new feature along with three toggles you can enable. These toggles include on system wake up, before showing the login screen, and last but not least when switching to desktop mode. You can choose to toggle all three if you’d like the most security possible. Or you can choose to toggle only one or two. Obviously, the choice is up to you. But we’d recommend all three. Once you select your first toggle to turn on, you’ll be asked to set up your new PIN.
Set up your new PIN
The last step here is to set up a new PIN. Once you select your first lock screen toggle to enable, you’ll be taken to the PIN creation screen. Each available value corresponds to a button on the Steam Deck. And once you have what you want, you’ll need to re-enter the PIN to confirm it. After that, your PIN is ready to go and you’ll need to enter it based on the toggles you selected. Plus, if you ever want to change it, you can always erase your PIN and start fresh with a new one. You do however have to remember what your current PIN is. So don’t forget it.
