Steam - Revision history

WhyNotHugo: /* Troubleshooting */ recommend gamescope

2026-03-26T07:24:22Z

Troubleshooting: recommend gamescope

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:24, 26 March 2026
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	<pre>exec-once = dbus-update-activation-environment DISPLAY</pre>		<pre>exec-once = dbus-update-activation-environment DISPLAY</pre>

			=== Game look blurry ===

			When using factional scaling, consider using [[gamescope]] to mediate sizes between the compositor and games, so that games render at a native resolution and are not scaled by the compositor:

			gamescope -W 3440 -H 1440 -e flatpak run com.valvesoftware.Steam

			Replace 3440 and 1440 with your monitor's native resolution.

	== See Also ==		== See Also ==

WhyNotHugo: /* Troubleshooting */ controllers: cover other usage scenarios

2026-03-26T07:20:43Z

Troubleshooting: controllers: cover other usage scenarios

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:20, 26 March 2026
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	=== My controllers aren't detected ===		=== My controllers aren't detected ===

	By default ~~Steam doesn~~'t have permission to ~~read your~~ controllers.		By default regular desktop users don't have permission to interact with controllers' device nodes. The exact solution varies depending on whether udev, logind or mdevd are being used:
	~~This can be fixed by installing an~~ [[udev]] ~~rule~~ from the official Steam package~~, but the udev rules~~ are ~~also~~ available as an Alpine package.
			==== With udev and logind ====

			On systems with [[udev]] and [[Elogind]], the rules from the official Steam package address this. They are available as an Alpine package.

	# apk add {{pkg\|steam-devices\|arch=x86_64}}		# apk add {{pkg\|steam-devices\|arch=x86_64}}

	These udev rules rely on the <code>TAG+="uaccess"</code>, and ~~are therefore only expected to~~ work ~~reliably when using~~ [[Elogind]].		These udev rules rely on the <code>TAG+="uaccess"</code>, and will not work without [[Elogind]].

			==== With udev without logind ====

			On systems with [[udev]] and without logind, the above rules can be used as reference, modifying them to change device ownership to a user or group of your choosing (typically, plugdev).

			==== With mdevd ====

			With mdevd, you'll need to write your own rules. Be sure that they precede te generic input rule, since the first match wins. The following example sets changes group ownership for a "Nintendo Switch Pro Controller" to the "plugdev" group, and sets permissions so that any member of the group may access the device:

			# Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (must precede generic input rule)
			DEVPATH=/devices/virtual/misc/uhid/0005:057E:2009\.[0-9A-F]{4}/input/input[0-9]+;.* root:plugdev 660

	=== SteamVR won't launch ===		=== SteamVR won't launch ===

WhyNotHugo: Mention my steam-container script

2026-03-26T07:13:54Z

Mention my steam-container script

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:13, 26 March 2026
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	# Install the Steam flatpak package from Flathub.{{Cmd\|$ flatpak --user install com.valvesoftware.Steam}}		# Install the Steam flatpak package from Flathub.{{Cmd\|$ flatpak --user install com.valvesoftware.Steam}}
	# After installation Steam can be started either using its .desktop file or from the command line: {{Cmd\|$ flatpak run com.valvesoftware.Steam}}		# After installation Steam can be started either using its .desktop file or from the command line: {{Cmd\|$ flatpak run com.valvesoftware.Steam}}

			== Installation via Rootfs ==

			The [https://git.sr.ht/~whynothugo/steam-container steam-container] project provides a Makefile to provision a rootfs with Arch Linux and runs Steam in a [[Bubblewrap]] container.

	== Troubleshooting ==		== Troubleshooting ==

John3-16: /* See also */ Added 'Gamescope'.

2026-02-15T06:02:33Z

Moon: Fixed grammar error

2025-10-25T07:21:33Z

Fixed grammar error

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:21, 25 October 2025
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	# Follow the [[Flatpak#Installing_Flatpak\|Flatpak]] wiki page and ensure that [[Flatpak#Installing_Flatpak\|Flathub repository]] is enabled.		# Follow the [[Flatpak#Installing_Flatpak\|Flatpak]] wiki page and ensure that [[Flatpak#Installing_Flatpak\|Flathub repository]] is enabled.
	# Install the Steam flatpak package from Flathub.{{Cmd\|$ flatpak --user install com.valvesoftware.Steam}}		# Install the Steam flatpak package from Flathub.{{Cmd\|$ flatpak --user install com.valvesoftware.Steam}}
	# After installation Steam can be started either using ~~it's~~ .desktop file or from the command line: {{Cmd\|$ flatpak run com.valvesoftware.Steam}}		# After installation Steam can be started either using its .desktop file or from the command line: {{Cmd\|$ flatpak run com.valvesoftware.Steam}}

	== Troubleshooting ==		== Troubleshooting ==

John3-16: Amended dbus-update-activation-environment variables as per upstream wiki - github.com/swaywm/sway/wiki#systemd-and-dbus-activation-environments, specifying XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=sway

2025-10-09T19:55:52Z

Amended dbus-update-activation-environment variables as per upstream wiki - github.com/swaywm/sway/wiki#systemd-and-dbus-activation-environments, specifying XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=sway

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:55, 9 October 2025
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	If this happens and {{path\|~/.var/app/com.valvesoftware.Steam/.local/share/Steam/logs/steamwebhelper.log}} says that you are missing X server or <var>DISPLAY</var>, it means your <var>DISPLAY</var> is not present in the activation environment. For more information please see https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/10554		If this happens and {{path\|~/.var/app/com.valvesoftware.Steam/.local/share/Steam/logs/steamwebhelper.log}} says that you are missing X server or <var>DISPLAY</var>, it means your <var>DISPLAY</var> is not present in the activation environment. For more information please see https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/10554

	'''[[Sway]]''': go into your sway config file and ~~add~~ <var>DISPLAY</var> to the ~~following~~ line, then restart:		'''[[Sway]]''': Go into your sway config file and ensure that <var>DISPLAY</var> appears in the {{ic\|dbus-update-activation environment}} line, as well as the [https://github.com/swaywm/sway/wiki#systemd-and-dbus-activation-environments others stated here], then restart:
	<pre>exec dbus-activation-environment WAYLAND_DISPLAY XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=sway</pre>		<pre>exec dbus-update-activation-environment WAYLAND_DISPLAY DISPLAY XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=sway SWAYSOCK I3SOCK XCURSOR_SIZE XCURSOR_THEME</pre>
	For more information about this line, please see the Alpine ~~Wiki's~~ entry on Sway		For more information about this line, please see the [[Sway\|Alpine Linux wiki entry]] on Sway

	'''Hyprland''': ~~add~~ an exec-once to the configuration file at {{path\|~/.config/hypr/hyprland}} to set <var>DISPLAY</var>. Similarly to Sway you may already have a line that sets other variables. If so, add <var>DISPLAY</var> to the line. The line should look similar to this:		'''Hyprland''': Add an exec-once to the configuration file at {{path\|~/.config/hypr/hyprland}} to set <var>DISPLAY</var>. Similarly to Sway you may already have a line that sets other variables. If so, add <var>DISPLAY</var> to the line. The line should look similar to this:

	<pre>exec-once = dbus-update-activation-environment DISPLAY</pre>		<pre>exec-once = dbus-update-activation-environment DISPLAY</pre>

WhyNotHugo: /* Installation */ -> Installation via Flatpak

2025-09-02T22:05:05Z

Installation: -> Installation via Flatpak

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:05, 2 September 2025
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	This page explains how to run [https://store.steampowered.com/about/ Steam], a popular game distribution platform by Valve on Alpine Linux. Steam requires glibc to run, and thus won't run natively on Alpine Linux. The simplest approach is to run it as [[Flatpak]]. Other workarounds involve using a virtual machine, a chroot or a container. It is theoretically possible to run the windows version of Steam using {{Pkg\|wine}}.		This page explains how to run [https://store.steampowered.com/about/ Steam], a popular game distribution platform by Valve on Alpine Linux. Steam requires glibc to run, and thus won't run natively on Alpine Linux. The simplest approach is to run it as [[Flatpak]]. Other workarounds involve using a virtual machine, a chroot or a container. It is theoretically possible to run the windows version of Steam using {{Pkg\|wine}}.

	== Installation ==		== Installation via Flatpak ==

	# Follow the [[Flatpak#Installing_Flatpak\|Flatpak]] wiki page and ensure that [[Flatpak#Installing_Flatpak\|Flathub repository]] is enabled.		# Follow the [[Flatpak#Installing_Flatpak\|Flatpak]] wiki page and ensure that [[Flatpak#Installing_Flatpak\|Flathub repository]] is enabled.

WhyNotHugo: Mention other alternatives to flatpak

2025-09-02T22:04:46Z

Mention other alternatives to flatpak

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:04, 2 September 2025
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	This page explains how to run [https://store.steampowered.com/about/ Steam], a popular game distribution platform by Valve on Alpine Linux. Steam requires glibc to run, and thus won't run natively on Alpine Linux. The simplest approach is to run it as [[Flatpak]]. Other workarounds involve using a virtual machine.		This page explains how to run [https://store.steampowered.com/about/ Steam], a popular game distribution platform by Valve on Alpine Linux. Steam requires glibc to run, and thus won't run natively on Alpine Linux. The simplest approach is to run it as [[Flatpak]]. Other workarounds involve using a virtual machine, a chroot or a container. It is theoretically possible to run the windows version of Steam using {{Pkg\|wine}}.

	== Installation ==		== Installation ==

WhyNotHugo: link to pmOS article

2025-07-12T00:26:15Z

link to pmOS article

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:26, 12 July 2025
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	* [[Gaming on Alpine\|Gaming on Alpine Linux]]		* [[Gaming on Alpine\|Gaming on Alpine Linux]]
	* [[Flatpak]]		* [[Flatpak]]
			* [https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Steam Steam on postmarketOS]

	[[category:Gaming]]		[[category:Gaming]]

Prabuanand: changed introduction paragraph

2025-05-08T02:40:56Z

changed introduction paragraph

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:40, 8 May 2025
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	This page explains how to run [https://store.steampowered.com/about/ Steam], a popular game distribution platform by Valve on Alpine Linux.		This page explains how to run [https://store.steampowered.com/about/ Steam], a popular game distribution platform by Valve on Alpine Linux. Steam requires glibc to run, and thus won't run natively on Alpine Linux. The simplest approach is to run it as [[Flatpak]]. Other workarounds involve using a virtual machine.

	~~{{Note\|Steam for Linux only supports Ubuntu LTS. Thus, do not turn to Valve for support for issues with Steam on Alpine Linux.}}~~

	~~== Platform support ==~~

	Steam requires glibc to run, and thus won't run natively on Alpine Linux. ~~Workarounds generally revolve around using a container or a virtual machine.~~

	The simplest approach is to run it ~~inside a container managed by~~ [[Flatpak]].

	== Installation ==		== Installation ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:02, 15 February 2026
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	* [[Gaming on Alpine\|Gaming on Alpine Linux]]		* [[Gaming on Alpine\|Gaming on Alpine Linux]]
	* [[Flatpak]]		* [[Flatpak]]
			* [https://github.com/ValveSoftware/gamescope Gamescope] - SteamOS session compositing window manager, available on Alpine Linux as {{Pkg\|gamescope}}
	* [https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Steam Steam on postmarketOS]		* [https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Steam Steam on postmarketOS]

	[[category:Gaming]]		[[category:Gaming]]