Fixing Steam Deck Won’t Turn On

If your Steam Deck isn’t powering on, try a force restart by pressing and holding the power button for 10 to 16 seconds, depending on your model. If it still won’t start, check that it’s charging correctly by testing the charger and wall outlet. You can also try booting into BIOS mode to troubleshoot further. If none of these solutions help, reach out to Steam Support or a professional repair service.

Causes Of Steam Deck Won’t Charge Or Turn On

There are several reasons why your Steam Deck is not turning on, I have listed some most common causes below:

• Your Steam Deck battery is totally drained out.
• The power cable may be worn out or the charging port isn’t working.
• You are using third-party charging accessories like a USB cable or charger.
• Steam Deck’s latest software update might have caused the issue.

Also See: How To Fix Nintendo Switch Won’t Turn On

How To Fix Steam Deck Won’t Power On Issue

1) Force Restart

For a smooth reboot process, follow these steps based on your Steam Deck model:

• LCD Model: Press and hold the power button continuously for 10 seconds until the device powers off completely.
• OLED Model: Press and hold the power button for a longer duration—about 16 seconds—until the screen goes dark and the system shuts down.

After holding the power button, release it and wait for a few moments to ensure the device fully powers down. Once done, press the power button again as usual to turn your Steam Deck back on and resume normal operation.

2) Charge the Steam Deck

• Connect your Steam Deck to a known working charger and plug it into a stable wall outlet.
• Carefully check the charging cable for any signs of damage or wear that could affect charging performance.
• If the device still doesn’t charge properly, try using a different USB-C charger to rule out issues with the original charger or cable.

3) Boot to BIOS

• Press and hold the Volume Up (+) button, then press the Power button once.
• After that, release the Volume Up button and patiently wait for the system to enter the BIOS menu.
• Once in the BIOS, navigate to and select the “Continue” option to try booting into the Steam Deck’s operating system.

Must See: How To Fix PS4 Controller Won’t Turn On

4) Check for Signs of Life

• If the charging LED near the USB-C port is not lit, first confirm that both your charger and the wall outlet are working properly.
• However, if the LED lights up but your Steam Deck still won’t power on, the problem could be related to the charging port or internal hardware.

5) If Still Not Working

• Reinsert the Battery: Carefully remove the battery and then reinsert it to ensure it’s properly seated.
• Contact Steam Support: If you’ve tried all the previous steps and your Steam Deck still won’t turn on, reach out to Steam Support for expert assistance.
• Consider Professional Repair: If you suspect hardware damage or internal issues, it’s best to consult a professional repair service to avoid further complications.

Wrapping Up

That’s a quick technical overview to figure out what is wrong with your Steam Deck. The most common issues, like power cord not plugged in, battery not charged or broken USB port can be quickly detected with a few simple tests we suggested above. If those don’t resolve your problem then you have to replace the parts that are causing the issue i.e battery, charger, or Steam Deck.

FAQs