In Summary
- With the ability to take screenshots on a gaming device, you can capture and share the precious moments spent in the game.
- Steam Deck has different modes, with Gaming mode offering one method for taking screenshots, while Desktop mode has another.
- In this article, we will explain the different ways to take screenshots on Steam Deck.
Steam Deck is a portable game console developed by Valve. You can play your favorite games anywhere, anytime on the Steam Deck. But what happens when you want to share the moments when you achieved a perfect score or an excellent clutch? Well, we have the solution for you.
Steam Deck has a few built-in shortcuts that let you capture and share screenshots of your favorite gaming moments. By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly how to take screenshots and share them directly with your friends.
Let us get started.
Table of Contents
How to Take a Screenshot on Steam Deck via Gaming Mode
Taking a screenshot on Steam Deck is a simple process while you are in game mode. Here are the steps to take a screenshot of Steam Deck in the gaming mode.
- Turn on the Steam Deck and navigate to the location you want to take a screenshot of. This can be in game mode UI or in a game.
- Press the Steam and R1 keys at the same time. The steam key is on the left side between the trackpad and the speaker and the R1 key is above the right trigger.
- You should see a notification at the bottom right of the screen that the screenshot was taken.
How to Screenshot on Steam Deck Via Desktop Mode
Taking a screenshot on Steam Deck is a bit tricky when you are in desktop mode. Here are some simple steps to take a screenshot on the Steam deck in desktop mode.
Spectacle is the screenshot application that allows you to take screenshots on Steam Deck. If you have a keyboard connected to your Steam Deck, you can also just press the Print Screen button to take a screenshot.
- Follow our guide for accessing desktop mode on Steam Deck.
- Once you are in desktop mode, open the application launcher by clicking on the Steam Deck logo in the bottom left corner. Then go to Utilities and open the Spectacle application.
- After the application opens, navigate to the screen you want to take a screenshot of.
- Click the Take a Screenshot button located in the center-right of the Spectacle application to take a screenshot.
- Then click the Save As button at the bottom right of the application to save the file to your desired location.
How to Find and Share Screenshots on Steam Deck
There are several ways to find and share screenshots on Steam Deck. We will explain both of them below.
How to Find and Share Screenshots in Gaming Mode
- In gaming mode, press the Steam button on the bottom left of the screen or between the trackpad and the speaker.
- In the Steam menu, scroll down to the Media option and press the A button to open it.
- Here, you will find all the screenshots you have taken. By default, all of them are in a private state.
- Navigate to the screenshot you want to share, then press the Options button (the one with the three horizontal lines above the right joystick).
- Select Upload from the Options menu and press the A button to trigger the process. You will receive a prompt once the screenshot has been uploaded to the Steam servers.
After that, you can share it anywhere with a browser.
How to Find and Share Screenshots in Desktop Mode
- In desktop mode, all screenshots are saved to a specific location by default. Follow the steps below to access them.
Open Dolphin File Explorer (the blue folder icon) located in the taskbar. - In the left panel of the app, you will see the Pictures tab. Click on the tab, and you will find all your saved screenshots inside. You can also change the location when you save the screenshots in the Spectacle app.
- You can select any screenshot and share it directly with all your social media handles using a web browser like Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.
Easy Ways to Capture a Screenshot on Steam Deck
We have mentioned various methods of taking screenshots on the Steam deck. Now you can capture and share your most precious moments directly from Steam Deck by following the steps above.
Follow our guide on how to access Steam Deck’s desktop mode to unlock a variety of new possibilities. You can also follow our guide on how to get your entire Epic Games library onto Steam Deck via Desktop Mode.
Hope this was helpful to you. Leave your Steam Deck suggestions below.
FAQs on How to Take a Screenshot on Steam Deck
How can I share the screenshots on social media?
If you took the screenshots in game mode, you can either upload them to your Steam account or access them through a browser. However, if you took the screenshots in desktop mode, you can save them directly and upload them to social media sites using a desktop browser like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
Where are Screenshots on Steam Deck?
The screenshots taken in game mode are located in the media folder. This can be opened from the Steam menu by pressing the Steam button.
The screenshots taken in desktop mode are located in the Pictures folder in the File Manager. You can find the Dolphin file manager in the taskbar when you are in desktop mode.
How do you screenshot on Steam Deck keyboard?
The easiest way to take a screenshot on the Steam Deck keyboard is by pressing the Steam and R1 buttons at the same time. The steam key is on the left side between the trackpad and the speaker, and the R1 key is above the right trigger.