If your Steam Deck suddenly shows an error when you try to check for SteamOS updates, there is a simple fix that usually gets things working again pretty quickly. Typically, this issue will appear after a recent update and usually stops the system from checking for or downloading the latest SteamOS version. Luckily, it's a pretty easy fix that only takes one command to solve, so let's get started.
Takeaways:
- Learn how to fix the Steam Deck not updating automatically anymore.
- How do you fix the Steam Deck SteamOS Update Error
Table of Contents
What This Fix Does
This method forces a reboot of the SteamOS update system. Once the Steam Deck starts back up, it should be able to check for updates normally again. In order to use this fix, you will need access to Desktop Mode and your sudo password to complete the process. So before you start, make sure you have the following:
- Your Steam Deck
- Access to Desktop Mode
- Your sudo password
If you do not know your sudo password, you will need to reset it before continuing. Do that first, then come back to this guide. Without it, you can't do anything.
How to Fix the Steam Deck SteamOS Update Error
Start by moving from Gaming Mode to Desktop Mode on your Steam Deck. I'm sure you already know how to do this, but here are the steps anyway.
- Press the Steam button.
- Open Power.
- Select Switch to Desktop.
- Wait for the desktop to load fully before doing anything else.
- Once you are in Desktop Mode, open the application launcher and search for Konsole. This is the terminal app you will use to run the fix.
- Launch Konsole so you can enter the command manually.
- In Konsole, type the following command exactly as shown: sudo steamos-reboot --reboot-other then press Enter.
- After running the command, the Steam Deck will ask for your sudo password.
- Type your password and press Enter again.
Keep in mind that nothing will appear on screen while you type the password. This is normal behaviour in Linux terminals. After you enter the command and password, the Steam Deck should pause briefly and then begin rebooting.
Don't panic if the reboot takes longer than usual. In many cases, this restart can take a minute or two. Let the system finish on its own without interrupting it.
Now Check for Updates Again
- Once the Steam Deck has restarted, go back to the system update section and try checking for SteamOS updates again.
Most of the time, the update error will be gone, and your Steam Deck will be able to search for and install updates normally. If this still doesn't work and if the error is still there after rebooting, it might have been a small typo that stopped the command from working.
- So make sure you entered: sudo steamos-reboot --reboot-other (copy and paste it from here if you need to)
- If the password was incorrect, the command will not run. If needed, reset your sudo password and try again.
If the Steam Deck completed the reboot but still can't check for updates, restart it one more time and test the update page again.
