Steam’s major desktop update lets you watch Shrek while gaming, if you want to

After a number of weeks in testing, Valve has formally rolled out a major new replace to the Steam desktop shopper. It brings the look extra consistent with the UI of the Steam Deck, and updates Massive Image mode to additionally observe the identical aesthetics.

However appears to be like aren’t every little thing, as a result of the brand new shopper brings with it a major variety of new options, most of that are supposed to remodel the in-game overlay.

The in-game overlay (Shift+Tab) now appears to be like higher, but it surely’s additionally able to a tonne of latest helpful options. The toolbar on the backside now successfully acts as a mini-Steam interface, letting you shortly entry pals, achievements, guides, discussions, browse the net and extra – proper from the sport.

You’ll be able to customise what seems by default, and settings can be saved between video games. A giant new characteristic within the up to date overlay is the power to take notes. The Be aware characteristic helps wealthy textual content, pictures, and might retailer a number of notes per recreation. Notes are saved within the cloud and accessible on different platforms, however the characteristic will also be used offline.

Notes might be edited outdoors the overlay, too. Extra impressively, you’ll be able to pin notes to the window. This permits pinned gadgets to look after you shut the overlay, and you may tweak the scale and opacity to your liking.

Pinning additionally works with a couple of of the opposite gadgets on the toolbar, akin to discussions, achievements, and even guides – so you’ll be able to observe a information with out having to consistently carry up the overlay to learn it. In truth, it additionally works for the net browser, so you’ll be able to even watch a video that is fairly actually burned into the background.

As Valve famous within the announcement submit, a number of the work that went into it will repay sooner or later. Steam on desktop (together with Massive Image), and Steam Deck now all run on a unified code base. This permits the developer to implement options quicker for all three, to not point out the look and performance parity that now exists.

Notifications is one other space that is been markedly improved. The icon turns inexperienced when really related notifications pop up, and now you can see a extra detailed historic view. You are now additionally capable of management what notifications you see, and the place you see them.

The replace ought to obtain robotically for everybody, however you’ll be able to pressure it by manually checking for updates by means of the Steam menu > Verify for updates.