The latest Steam Deck update improves the use of custom boot videos by allowing them to run longer. Valve began pushing this update out Wednesday afternoon and while custom Steam Deck boot video length is one of the improvements, it’s also merely a single change among the handful of fixes. For example, there are now also controller-specific glyphs on the lock screen. You also no longer have to open a chat window to accept game invites.
Instead, if you get a notification for a game invite you will now be able to accept it from a newly added footer in the Quick Access menu. Of course, the longer-running custom boot videos for the Steam Deck is the biggest part of this update. At least, probably for most users. Most users who can access them anyway. You still need to be opted into the Beta or Preview channels to use the custom animations. However, opting in is easy enough. And we’d recommend doing so. You can check out our guide on how to add a custom boot video here. Which also describes how to join the Preview and Beta channels for updates.
The Steam Deck now supports custom boot videos up to 30 seconds long
Prior to this change, custom animations could only be up to 10 seconds long. If they were any longer, the video would cut off and the Steam Deck would immediately be taken to the lock screen. Now Valve has made it possible for users to apply videos that are up to 30 seconds long. A blessing if we’ve ever seen one. Because many of the coolest videos we’ve come across are at least 16 seconds or longer.
Many of those videos can be found on the r/SteamDeckBootVids subreddit if you’re looking to get one for your own device. Or if you want to contribute by adding your own. Valve also plans to start selling custom boot animations in the points shop in the future. Unfortunately, Valve hasn’t said when these would be added. Still, you should save those points as there could end up being some good ones.
Until then, the list of user-created boot videos includes everything from intro videos from games like Dragon Ball Z Kakarot to custom startups themed after the original PlayStation boot screen.