The beauty of using a handheld gaming device like the Steam Deck is the ability to take and play games anywhere. The convenience of playing anywhere around the home or taking it on a long journey can't be understated. However, some games can be more demanding on the battery life and potentially switch the machine off. Thankfully, a user called Geeksville created a free plugin called Steamback. The Steamback plugin creates snapshots of the game for you to restore. It's also a great way to revert to a game's save if you regret any decisions using a title's default one-save file system, like losing all your Runes in Elden Ring.

Updated August 23rd, 2024, by Michael Llewellyn: The Decky Loader program that allows you to install great plugins like Steamback is an invaluable tool for users who desire more control over their Steam Deck and its functionality. To keep the Decky Loader and the Steamback plugin working correctly, this guide has been updated to include the steps for adding Developer Mode to keep the Steam Deck open for customization.

A steam deck surrouned by Nintendo characters
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Activate Developer Mode On The Steam Deck

Steam Deck Developer Mode

To ensure the Steam Deck doesn't lose access to the plugins provided by Decky Loader, as well as other customizable programs, follow these steps to activate Developer Mode:

  • Press the Steam button and open the left access panel.
  • Open the System menu.
  • Press down to access the System Settings
  • Toggle Enable Developer Mode on.
  • Reopen the left acces menu with the Steam button.
  • Open the new Developer menu at the bottom.
  • In the Developer menu, look for Miscellaneous.
  • Switch on CEF Remote Debugging
  • Press the Steam b utton.
  • Open Power and select Restart.

It is always a good idea to recheck your Developer Mode settings after a major update on the Steam Deck. These updates can switch off CEF Remote Debugging and deactivate your Decky Loader plugins. Operating the Steam Deck in beta mode, instead of stable, requires more updates which can impact your plugins, so frequent check are a must.

Install Decky Loader On The Steam Deck

Steam Deck - Download Decky Loader

To run free plugins like the Steamback app on the Steam Deck, you must install the Decky Loader program. Decky Loader provides many useful customized tools for the Steam Deck for quality-of-life features. Use the following steps to install Decky Load on the Steam Deck:

  • Press the Steam button under the left trackpad.
  • Highlight and select the Power option.
  • Then select Switch to Desktop Mode.
  • To make downloading and installing programs more accessible it’s better to use a keyboard and mouse. Docking the Steam Deck and using it with a monitor may also be beneficial. If you don’t have one, bring up the built-in keyboard by pressing the Steam and X buttons together.
  • Open a browser of your choice.
  • Follow this link to install Decky Loader.
  • Locate the large Download icon down the Decky Loader GitHub page.
  • After downloading, double-click the installer and select the recommended install.
  • Wait for Decky Loader to finish installing and switch back to Gaming Mode.

Installing Steamback on the Steam Deck

Steam Deck - Steamback snapshot

With Decky Loader installed, you can now add free homebrew plugins like the Steamback app. Use the following steps to find and install Steamback.

  • Press the QAM button - button with the three dots underneath the right trackpad.
  • Click the new plugin icon available at the bottom of the menu.
  • Look for the plugin, Steamback on the list, or type into the search bar.
  • Select Install to use the new app.
Steam Deck - opening the Steamback app

How To Use Steamback

With the Steamback plugin installed click on the new app within Decky Loader and then start a game from the Steam library.

The Steamback application is compatible exclusively with official Steam games with the cloud saving and does not support emulated games or titles from other platforms.

A prompt from the Steamback app will appear when exiting a game to indicate that a snapshot/save is registered. To revert back to the snapshot saved by Steamback click on Revert and the game will run from the last saved snapshot. A snapshot can be removed by selecting Undo.

That's everything needed for reverting games using the Steamback's revert function. The app should create multiple saves to choose from.

Image
Steam Deck Console
Steam Deck
Display card main info widget
Screen
7" diagonal 1280 x 800px (16:10 aspect ratio) 60Hz
Storage
64 GB - 512 GB
Display card main info widget end

Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
CPU
AMD APU Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz
Dimensions
298mm x 117mm x 49mm
Weight
Approx. 669 grams
Audio
Stereo with embedded DSP for an immersive listening experience and Dual Microphone Array