Valve has just rolled out a fresh update for the Steam client, which will be automatically downloaded for users. It brings a slew of fixes and usability improvements across general functionality, Big Picture mode, macOS, Linux, Remote Play, and Steam Input.
One of the more noticeable changes comes from fixes that tackle interface quirks, which many users might have shrugged off as minor but persistent. For example, Valve has resolved a brief layout shift that occurred when navigating back to the library section—an issue that caused elements to flicker for a frame or two.
Similarly, the Steam Client window will no longer repeatedly steal focus on startup, and users should no longer see the update news window hidden behind the main client on launch.
Notifications, too, received attention. Some gamers saw in-game notifications pop up in the wrong places—a buzzkill mid-session. That’s now been corrected, along with rendering issues tied to display events that previously caused certain windows to fail to appear.
For players juggling multiple library branches, the update plugs a loophole where games could unexpectedly revert from a private beta to the default branch. Valve also fixed a curious case where family accounts—particularly child accounts—gained additional playtime after switching to offline mode.
On the download front, Steam has sharpened its accuracy around progress reporting. Users will now benefit from clearer and more consistent metrics regarding download progress, byte counts, and estimated time remaining. Though estimates may feel slightly “off” initially, Valve notes that these predictions will improve the more downloads a user initiates—thanks to Steam learning from network and disk performance over time.
Byte counts, for instance, now refer strictly to download size, while progress bars account for the full install/update cycle—not just the download itself. A notable exception is the top (blue) progress bar on the Downloads page, which focuses only on bytes downloaded.
Big Picture Mode saw a small but helpful fix that prevents the virtual keyboard from obscuring the text box it’s meant to be used in—an all-too-common annoyance for couch gamers navigating their setups with controllers.
macOS users will be pleased to know that Steam Overlay now plays nicely with games using HDR rendering, smoothing out another edge in Valve’s cross-platform support.
Linux also received a handful of welcome touches. Update download speeds have been improved, giving Linux users faster access to new builds. Valve also adjusted how compatibility tools are handled, eliminating an issue where non-Steam versions of Proton could be mismatched with games. Dropdown menus also now behave more predictably upon first load, improving usability for those on open-source setups.
Steam’s Remote Play functionality received some targeted updates, including a fix for controller input when streaming S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 and resolving invite issues when sending a Remote Play Together invite from a VR game streaming to a headset.
Lastly, Steam Input addressed stability issues tied to DualSense controllers. A crash related to gyro timestamp calculations is no longer a concern, and players using the DualSense Edge will find that adaptive trigger effects are now working properly.
For more information on all changes, see Valve’s announcement.
