Here is a video tutorial on how to get started.
The GeForce NOW app for Steam Deck is meant to be installed from the device’s Desktop Mode. It cannot be installed from the web browser, and must be downloaded to the device.
To get started, visit the download page (gfn.link/download) in Desktop Mode (Steam button => Power => Switch to Desktop) on your Steam Deck to download an installer that will add GeForce NOW to your Steam Library.
Once downloaded, switch to the file explorer app and double click on “GeForceNOWSetup.bin”, select “Execute” and follow the instructions.
Once completed successfully, click “Return to Gaming Mode” from the desktop and navigate to “Non-Steam” games in your Steam Library to launch GeForce NOW:
NOTE: If you are prompted to choose an application to run the GeForce NOW installer, please do the following:
Using the File Explorer
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Exit the “choose application” window
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Open the File Explorer
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Right-click on the GeForceNOWSetup.bin file
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Select Properties from the context menu
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Choose the Permissions tab in the Properties dialog
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Tick the check box “Is executable” box or “Allow executing file as a program”
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Click OK
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Return to file explorer and double-click the GeForceNOWSetup.bin file
If you are still prompted to choose an application, please follow the instructions in the following “Using the Command Line” section below:
Using the Command Line
- Exit the “choose application” window
- Open the Terminal application
- Type the following commands exactly:
cd ~/Downloads
chmod +x GeForceNOWSetup.bin - Press the Enter key and the command will allow the system to run the installer
- Run the installer with the following command: ./GeForceNOWSetup.bin
If installation fails, restart your Steam Deck and try again.
Tips and Tricks:
- In order to use the trackpad to control the mouse, you can adjust the Steam controller settings:
- After launching GeForce NOW, press the “Steam” button => “NVIDIA GeForce NOW” => “Controller settings” => once done with the tutorial, find “Current Button Layout” and change the value to “Gamepad with Mouse Trackpad”.
- Also press “Edit Layout” => “Trackpads” => change the “Click” for the “Right Trackpad behavior” to “Mouse” => “Left Mouse Click”
- To bring up the GeForce NOW streaming overlay, you can long press the Start button (also called the Menu button ☰ ) while streaming.
- Some games, like Doom: The Dark Ages, only support a single gamepad, so if an external gamepad does not work you must reorder the built-in controller:
- Press the Steam button on the Steam Deck or the center button on the external controller.
- From the NVIDIA GeForce NOW menu, select Controller settings.
- Select Reorder Controllers, select the first controller, and move it down.
- Return to the game and try the external controller again.
- Some games, like Genshin Impact, require you to enable gamepad input within the game settings:
- Touching the Steam Deck screen will act like a mouse click or the trackpad can be used if the Steam controller settings were adjusted using the tip above.
- “Esc” can be pressed in-stream by using the Steam Button + Left D-pad shortcut.
- Notes: In Genshin Impact, the game settings can only be accessed after you have progressed far enough in the game, which we recommend doing on another device with a keyboard and mouse.
- We recommend restarting the GeForce NOW app whenever you are switching between handheld mode and docked mode to properly set the correct resolution when streaming.