How to install Discord on your Steam Deck (the EASY WAY)

How to install Discord on your Steam Deck (the EASY WAY)
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So you're the guy who wants to use Discord on your Steam Deck, huh? Well, follow this guide and you'll be off to the races in no time. So let’s do this.

1 – Desktop Mode

First, hold the power button until you see this menu appear. Select "Switch to Desktop"

Now let's open the Discover Store.

Step 2: Search For and Install Discord

Next, search for Discord and then install it.

Step 3: Launch Discord and Log In

Once it's installed, go ahead and launch it. To do so, open the Deck menu (like the Start menu on Windows) and search for "Discord."

Great—now let’s log into our Discord account.

Step 4: Change Discord Settings

From here, let's change a few Discord settings so that it works better with the Steam Deck's internal screen.

  • Appearance Tab: Select Compact under the Message Display setting.
  • Voice and Video Tab: Select Echo Cancel Source as your input. This will provide the cleanest audio for everyone you’re voice chatting with.
  • Linux Settings: Untick the Minimize to Tray option since there is no tray in Game Mode.

Step 5: Add Discord to Steam Library

Now that we're done with that, let’s open the Deck Menu and search for Discord.

Right-click on it and select Add to Steam.

Step 6: Return to Game Mode

We're all done in Desktop Mode, so let's log out and return to Game Mode.

Step 7: Launch Discord in Game Mode

From here, go to the Non-Steam section of your library, find Discord, and launch it.

Step 8: Set Up the Controls for Discord

Now open the Steam Overlay, go to Controller Settings, and pick the Web Browser Preset.

Step 9: Play Any Other Game

Once you have Discord open, go back to your Steam Library and launch any other game.

You can now switch between Discord and your game by tapping Steam and selecting whichever icon you want on the side here.

Voice chat works just as you'd expect!


One Small Caveat

There is one small caveat:
Make sure that you end a voice call before you put your Deck to sleep. If you don’t, it seems like Discord will be frozen when you wake your Deck up again. But other than that, this is a terrific option!