Engadget Publishes Guide to Factory Resetting a Steam Deck

According to Engadget, users should back up save files, controller layouts and any data outside Steam Cloud before starting. The publication says a factory reset can be triggered without a computer or USB drive by pressing the Steam button to open the main menu, selecting Settings, then System, scrolling to the Advanced section near the bottom of the page, choosing Reset to Factory State, toggling on Reinstall SteamOS if the purpose is troubleshooting, and confirming the action.

The guide says the Steam Deck will prepare the device and then wipe it, a process that takes around 10 to 15 minutes depending on how much data is stored. It notes that an inserted microSD card should not be touched by the reset, but advises removing it before starting anyway. An internet connection is required to reinstall SteamOS after the reset.

Engadget warns that the reset erases everything saved to internal storage and returns the device to its out-of-box state. For users trying only to fix an issue rather than prepare the device for a new owner, the article recommends trying all available troubleshooting methods first, such as restarting the device, checking for a pending software update or rolling back to a previous SteamOS version if an update appears to have caused the problem. If the goal is to prepare the Steam Deck for a new owner, the guide says to toggle off Reinstall SteamOS, which is faster and wipes only personal data.

If the Steam Deck cannot boot normally, Engadget says recovery mode can be used. The publication instructs users to ensure the device is completely powered off by pressing the power button for 10 seconds, then hold the Power button and the ... button, continue holding the ... button once the boot sound is heard, and enter the SteamOS menu. From there, users should scroll to ERASE USER DATA FROM DECK and use A to select it.

After that, the guide says lines of commands will appear and the Steam Deck will erase all user data, including user settings, local games and save data. The same SteamOS menu can be used to roll back to a previous version. Engadget says users should select the option named Previous SteamOS followed by its exact build number. The device will restart into the previous version of SteamOS while retaining all user data, but the rollback only lasts until the next restart.

Editor's Summary

Engadget has outlined two ways to factory reset a Steam Deck: through the Settings menu and through recovery mode when normal booting fails. The guide stresses that a reset wipes internal storage, so users should back up data first and consider less destructive troubleshooting or a data-only wipe when appropriate. It also notes that recovery mode can be used to roll back SteamOS temporarily while keeping user data.