A significant Steam Client Update for Windows has been issued by Valve. The new Big Picture Mode is the primary change despite the lengthy changelog. The Steam Deck UI, which includes a number of enhancements tailored specifically for Windows, has finally replaced the aging UI.
After ten years of development, Valve has finally improved Big Picture Mode for Windows devices, making it more suited for televisions. Recap: Since November 2022, Valve has been conducting open beta testing of a new Big Picture Mode UI. The new Big Picture Mode largely mimics the Steck Deck UI found in SteamOS 3, as we discussed at the time.
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With the console connected to an external display, Big Picture Mode appears to be identical to Steam Deck UI. On Windows, the previous Big Picture Mode is still usable. Valve claims that the latter can be activated by adding the prefix “-oldbigpicture,” although the firm intends to remove this functionality from upcoming builds of the Steam Client Update.
A few Windows-specific adjustments to Big Picture Mode are also made in the most recent Steam Client Update, including the addition of a primary monitor switch option and the capacity to launch in windowed mode. Additionally, according to Valve, UI scaling at higher resolutions has been enhanced, and the Big Picture Mode overlay is no longer proportioned incorrectly when Windows scaling is set to anything other than 100%.
