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Now more than ever, gamers love to record their gameplay, in-game photos, and more. One of the best ways to do that is bytaking screenshotsusing their system of choice. Thankfully, theSteam Deckallows gamers to do this with a few clicks of the buttons on the system.
However, sharing those screenshots can be tricky if the user doesn’t know where to look or the apps that they need to get it done. This guide will provide the steps fortaking and transferring screenshotsusing theSteam Deckand its associated apps.
Updated July 21, 2025, by Michael Llewellyn:This guide shows you how to use a Decky Loader plugin, Shotty, to take and transfer screenshots. It’s without a doubt the best way to take, share, and organize your gameplay screenshots, as it does most of the hard work for you. As the latest Steam Deck update has broken Decky Loader for many users, I am including the steps to restore Decky Loader and all of your settings and plugins like Shotty.
How To Take A Screenshot Using The Steam Deck
Players can take screenshots at any time when the device is switched on. Steam Deck users may want to take a shot of a vital moment in the game or capture something from the game’s menu and options. Use the following steps to take a screenshot using the Steam Deck:
Saving Steam Deck Screenshots On The PC
Following the steps above, players can take screenshots of whatever they want while using the Steam Deck. Unfortunately, getting the screenshot from the device to a PC or laptop isn’t as straightforward as connecting a USB-C lead and transferring the files from folder to folder. Follow the steps below to transfer images to the PC:
That’s everything a Steam Deck User needs to upload a screenshot and transfer it to a home computer.
Moving Images With Shotty On The Steam Deck
TheShottyadd-on is a good, less fiddly way for users to obtain images and screenshots from the Steam Deck. Shotty is a free add-on developed by Jariulah Safi forDecky Loader. It automatically sends all screenshots into organized folders in Desktop Mode.
Enable Developer Mode
Before switching over to Desktop Mode and installing third-party applications such as Decky Loader, it’s essential to activate Developer Mode and CEF Debugging in the Steam Deck’s settings. Follow these steps to enable them:
If the Decky Loader program disappears from the Quick Access Menu — the menu that opens with the three-dotted button on the Steam Deck — recheck the above settings. Reenabling CEF Debugging and Developer Mode should resolve the issue. Major updates for the Steam Deck may cause compatibility issues with the Decky Loader program. It’s better to keep the Steam Deck in Stable Mode for updates.
Installing Decky Loader
Decky Loader is a program that allows users to install useful plug-ins like Shotty. To install Decky Loader on the Steam Deck, use the following steps:
Install Shotty With Decky Loader
How To Fix A Broken Decky Loader After The Steam Update
Even with the above steps to enable Developer mode the latest Steam Deck updates may remove your Decky Loader program from the Quick Access Menu. In most cases, the above steps should prevent this, but the big updates can sometimes deactivate Decky and all your programs. Use the following steps to reactivate Decky Loader and restore your settings.
When setting up a sudo password, choose somethingmemorable, as it can only be reset by restoring the Steam Deck to factory settings.
