How to update your Flatpaks from the Steam Deck's Gaming mode

Thanks to FlatpakUpdater, a new plugin for Decky Loader, it is now easy to update your Flatpaks from the Steam Deck's Gaming mode.

Thanks to FlatpakUpdater, a new plugin for Decky Loader, it is now easy to update your Flatpaks (the ones you install through the desktop Mode in the Discover Store) from the Steam Deck's Gaming mode.

So, instead of having to boot into the desktop mode to update, say, Chrome or Bottles, you can do so by pressing the menu button (that's the one on the right side with the three dots •••) and navigating down to the Decky Loader Plugin.

How to install FlatpakUpdater

To install the FlatpakUpdater, you'll first need to install Decky Loader. We've got a guide for how to do this, so click the banner below to read that tutorial.

How to install PowerTools and other plugins on your Steam Deck

Thanks to the open nature of the Steam Deck (it’s a PC, dummy!), the community is able to develop a whole set of hacks to enable powerful functions on the Deck. One of such tools is the Decky loader (formally known as plugin loader). With it, you can install various

overkill.wtfKevin Wammer

Now, with that done, open up the Plugin loader by pressing the menu button. At the bottom, you will find the loader. You'll access the plugin store by clicking on the shopping bag icon and searching for FlatpakUpdater.

To install updates, you only need to open up FlatpakUpdater in Decky Loader and decide what Flatpak you want to update. At the bottom of the list, you'll find a button to update all flatpaks at once.

In our tests, the plugin worked flawlessly and, interestingly, had fewer issues installing updates than the actual Discover app, where the updates sometimes fail for unknown reasons and has to be started again.