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To assign a Proton version to one game, open that game’s Properties in Steam, go to Compatibility, enable Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool, and choose a version from the list. The setting applies to that game, so you can test a different Proton build without changing the setting for every title.
Set a Proton version for an individual game
- Open Library in Steam and select the game.
- Open the game’s Properties. On Steam Deck, press the Menu button while the game is selected, then choose Properties.
- Choose Compatibility.
- Turn on Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool.
- Select the Proton version you want from the list, close the Properties window, and launch the game.
On Steam Deck, Steam documents the route as Library > select the game > Menu > Properties > Compatibility. On desktop, open the selected game’s Properties and use its Compatibility page. Steam’s exact control wording can change as the client is updated.
Check the download consequence first
If only the Linux version of the game is installed, enabling Proton may cause Steam to download the Windows version automatically. This can affect download size and bandwidth, so check before switching the compatibility tool if either matters to you. Steam Support’s Steam Deck software guide describes this behavior.
Choose a version when troubleshooting
Valve recommends trying the latest Proton version as a general troubleshooting starting point, but that does not mean it is best for every game. If you are investigating a specific problem, change the version for that game and observe whether it launches, whether the issue changes, and whether another problem appears. Those are useful checks, not guarantees: there is no single version established here as best across titles.
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#1 Best Overall
- 1TB NVMe SSD
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- Carrying case with removable liner
Proton is software used with the Steam client to run Windows-exclusive games on Linux, using Wine. Valve says most users should use the Proton versions supplied by Steam. Valve’s Proton repository README explains Proton’s purpose and the client-supplied versions.
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Best Value
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