Nova on Steam Deck

Nova Linux is a native Linux client in beta, with Steam Deck as one device profile. It is not the Android app in a wrapper: it has its own pairing, Library, Play Setup, streaming, Command Center and NovaHUD, built for the Deck’s controls and screen. Releases that include the Linux client attach a Flatpak bundle beside the Android APKs. Current bundles use Nova-Linux-x86_64-alpha.flatpak; older releases used Nova-Deck-x86_64-alpha.flatpak. The alpha in those filenames is a compatibility identifier, not the client’s maturity.

It is a beta, there for anyone who wants to try it early. Expect gaps, and tell us what breaks on GitHub or in the Matrix room.

To stream from a Steam Deck instead, with Polaris on the Deck as the host, see Handhelds and Game Mode.

For the beta’s new controls, text and button sizes, shared PyroWave bundle, Steam controls and narrower-window behavior, see Nova on Linux. The stable instructions below remain for 1.4.13. For the opt-in 1.5.0-beta.2, use the beta downloads and guide. Steam Frame has a separate beta build; it is not a Steam Deck download.

1. Install

In Desktop Mode, download the bundle and its checksum from the intended Nova release. Choose a release marked Pre-release for a beta; the Latest link selects stable. Then open Konsole:

flatpak install --user flathub org.kde.Platform//6.10
flatpak install --user ./Nova-Linux-x86_64-alpha.flatpak

The first command installs the KDE Platform runtime the beta runs on, from Flathub. Skip it when it is already installed. Use the filename you downloaded if it differs. The bundle installs for your account only. To update, download the bundle from the new release and install it again. For in-app channel updates and migration from a bundle, see Nova updates and beta releases.

Each bundle has a .sha256 file beside it on the release. Download it too and check the bundle with sha256sum -c Nova-Linux-x86_64-alpha.flatpak.sha256 if you want to.

2. Add Nova to Game Mode

Close Steam, then run:

flatpak run com.papi_ux.Nova --register-steam-shortcut

Steam lists Nova as a non-Steam game called Nova, and Game Mode launches it like any other game. An update keeps the shortcut.

3. Pair and play

Open Nova, add your host, and pair it with a PIN or with Trusted Pair. Nova keeps a pairing of its own and never borrows Moonlight’s. Then open the host’s Library, pick a game, check Play Setup, and launch.

With a keyboard attached, Ctrl+Alt+Shift+M opens Command Center during a stream.

What the beta does

• Pairs on its own with a PIN or Trusted Pair.
• Browses a host’s Library with its artwork, and runs Play Setup.
• Streams with native video and audio, with Command Center, NovaHUD, Doctor and session recovery.
• Gives each controller a player, with rumble and deadzones.
• Takes a keyboard and a mouse.

What it does not do yet

• Input support varies by build and compositor. Current development builds include Direct Pointer and Relative Aiming; physical aiming, hotplug and Game Mode acceptance are still being checked.
• Native streamed touch and gesture controls are incomplete. Steam Input can map the Deck’s right trackpad to a mouse: set Right Trackpad Behavior → As Mouse in Nova’s Steam controller layout. Updating Nova does not replace that layout.
• Some Android features are partial. Full parity with the Android app remains a goal for Nova Linux.