SteamOS on the Steam Deck is surprisingly powerful, but printing is one area where things are not plug and play. If you have tried connecting a printer and found nothing works out of the box, you are not alone. Valve does not officially support printers on SteamOS, and printing functionality is intentionally stripped down for performance, storage, and security reasons.

How to Add a Printer to SteamOS Desktop Mode

That said, printing is absolutely possible in SteamOS Desktop Mode if you understand how Linux printing works and accept that some manual setup is required.

This guide explains how to add a printer to SteamOS Desktop Mode step by step, why the process works the way it does, which printers are easiest to use, and what limitations you should expect long term.

Why Printing Is Not Enabled by Default on SteamOS

SteamOS is based on Arch Linux, but it is not a normal desktop Linux distribution.

Valve designs SteamOS primarily as a gaming operating system. To achieve fast updates, system stability, and security, the root filesystem is locked as read only. Many background services that exist on standard Linux desktops are removed, including printing services like CUPS.

From Valve’s perspective, printing on a handheld gaming device is a low priority feature that increases attack surface and maintenance cost. This is why every printing setup on SteamOS is unofficial and unsupported.

Understanding this upfront helps set the right expectations.

What You Actually Need to Print on SteamOS

To print on SteamOS Desktop Mode, you must manually install and configure CUPS, which stands for Common UNIX Printing System. CUPS is the standard printing system used by Linux, macOS, and many UNIX-like systems.

Once CUPS is running, SteamOS behaves like a regular Linux desktop when it comes to printing.

However, there are important caveats:

  • SteamOS updates can remove CUPS
  • The filesystem may revert to read only
  • USB printers are harder than network printers
  • Drivers are not always included

This guide covers all of that.

Step 1: Switch to Desktop Mode

Start by leaving Gaming Mode.

  1. Press the Steam button
  2. Select Power
  3. Choose Switch to Desktop

After a few seconds, you will see the KDE Plasma desktop environment. This is where all system configuration happens.

Step 2: Unlock the Read Only Filesystem

SteamOS locks the system partition by default. You must unlock it to install system packages.

  1. Open Konsole from the application menu
  2. Run the following command:
sudo steamos-readonly disable
  1. Press Enter

If this is your first time using sudo, SteamOS may prompt you to set a password.

Set a password by running:

sudo passwd

Choose a password you can remember. You will need it again.

Important note: Unlocking the filesystem is temporary. SteamOS updates often re-enable read only mode automatically.

Step 3: Install CUPS Printing System

Now that the filesystem is writable, you can install CUPS using Arch Linux’s package manager.

In Konsole, run:

sudo pacman -S cups

Confirm the installation when prompted.

Once installed, enable and start the CUPS service:

sudo systemctl enable cups
sudo systemctl start cups

You can verify that CUPS is running by checking the service status:

systemctl status cups

If it shows active and running, you are ready to add a printer.

Step 4: Open the CUPS Web Interface

CUPS is managed through a browser-based interface.

  1. Open Firefox or Brave in Desktop Mode
  2. Go to:
http://localhost:631

If the page loads, CUPS is working correctly.

This interface looks old, but it is extremely powerful and reliable.

Step 5: Add Your Printer (Network Printers Work Best)

Click on the Administration tab, then select Add Printer.

You will be asked for your SteamOS username and password. Use:

  • Username: deck
  • Password: the password you set earlier

Recommended: Network Printers

Network printers using IPP, AirPrint, or Wi-Fi are by far the easiest option on SteamOS.

Choose Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) and enter your printer address, for example:

http://printer-ip-address:631/ipp/print

Many modern printers support IPP automatically, including HP, Canon, Epson, and Brother models.

If your printer supports AirPrint, CUPS often detects it automatically.

USB Printers (More Complex)

USB printers can work, but they often require a PPD file or specific driver.

SteamOS does not ship with printer drivers, so you may need to:

  • Download a PPD file manually
  • Install drivers from the Arch User Repository
  • Use generic PostScript or PCL drivers

This is where most users struggle.

If your printer is USB-only and not supported by generic drivers, printing may not be feasible without heavy customization.

Step 6: Select or Provide a PPD File

When prompted, choose the closest matching driver available.

If your exact model is not listed, try:

  • Generic PostScript Printer
  • Generic PCL 6 Printer

For some brands, you may find PPD files in Arch Linux repositories or on the manufacturer’s Linux support pages.

Once selected, finish the setup.

Step 7: Print a Test Page

After adding the printer:

  1. Click on your printer name in CUPS
  2. Select Print Test Page

If the page prints correctly, your setup is complete.

Your printer will now appear in most Linux applications like LibreOffice, Firefox, and PDF viewers.

Important Limitations You Must Know

SteamOS Updates Can Break Printing

SteamOS updates frequently:

  • Re-lock the filesystem
  • Remove CUPS
  • Disable background services

After a major update, you may need to reinstall CUPS and re-enable the service.

This is normal and expected behavior.

Security Considerations

CUPS runs a local web server with administrative access.

On a portable device, this increases attack surface if misconfigured. This is one reason Valve avoids enabling it by default.

If you do not need printing regularly, consider disabling CUPS after use.

USB vs Network Reality

Network printers are far more reliable.

USB printers require drivers and deeper Linux knowledge. If you plan to print often, investing in a Wi-Fi printer will save you time and frustration.

Community Alternatives and Rootless Solutions

Some community developers have created scripts to make printing more survivable across updates.

One notable example is Steam-Deck-Printing-ROOTLESS on GitHub.

These solutions avoid modifying the root filesystem and run printing services in user space. They are not perfect, but they reduce breakage after updates.

If you print frequently, these projects are worth exploring.

Is Printing on SteamOS Worth It?

For occasional printing, especially to a network printer, the setup is reasonable.

For heavy or business printing, SteamOS is not ideal. A traditional Linux desktop, Windows PC, or even Android device will be easier and more reliable.

Think of SteamOS printing as a power-user feature, not a mainstream workflow.

Final Thoughts

Adding a printer to SteamOS Desktop Mode is absolutely possible, but it requires understanding how SteamOS differs from normal Linux distributions.

If you follow this guide carefully and stick to network printers, you can print documents, PDFs, and web pages without major issues.

Just remember that SteamOS prioritizes gaming first. Printing works because Linux is flexible, not because Valve intended it to.

If you accept that tradeoff, SteamOS can still serve as a surprisingly capable desktop replacement when needed.

# Written by Elliyas Ahmed