Valve continues to support Windows on Deck performance with an open-minded attitude as it delivers a series of driver and BIOS updates for the Steam Deck OLED, the latest of which dropped on August 15, 2024 . There isn't anything particularly revolutionary, and the WinDeck experience won't suddenly become any better than it was, but drivers loaded with bug fixes are always welcome. Downloading each file might also be tedious, but it's worth it for stability.
Nope. Not officially, anyway. Valve still explains that migrating to Windows 11 on your Steam Deck, whether the price-dropped LCD model or new OLED refresh, requires a complete wipe of the internal storage. The importance of a first-party dual-boot wizard doesn't seem that high for Valve, as it was supposed to emerge alongside SteamOS 3, and we're currently on version 3.5.19, so I wouldn't hold your breath for the opportunity to install Microsoft's operating systems alongside Valve's default fork of Arch Linux .
We might eventually see dual-boot support with the fabled Steam Deck 2 , especially since Valve appears to be opening up official SteamOS support for third-party gaming handhelds like ASUS' ROG Ally.
No matter how much support Valve gives for Windows 11 on Steam Deck, I can't envision a future where most portable gamers choose it over the default SteamOS. Not even the recent Compact Mode update to the Xbox Game Bar is enough to convince me to format the internal storage of my OG Deck, and the prospect of permanently switching just for a light handful of games isn't matching the convenience of Valve's in-house operating system.
Still, I keep a bootable version of Windows 11 on a microSD card for the times when Linux just isn't cutting it for specific needs, and I'm always happy to see Valve supporting Windows on Deck — even with the tiresome post-install tasks of removing Microsoft's bloat that come with the standard Windows 11 ISO. A dedicated Windows 11 variant built for gaming handhelds might be a pipedream, but I'm a dreamer.
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