Yes. Steam Game Recording is available in the Steam Deck client, and it is built into Steam rather than being a separate product to buy. Valve announced general availability on November 5, 2024, after first introducing the feature in beta in June 2024.
What Steam Game Recording does
Game Recording captures gameplay in the Steam client. Valve describes two ways to record: keep background recording running, or start a capture with a hotkey. You can review footage during or after play, move through its timeline, select clips, discard unwanted footage, and share clips. Valve’s Game Recording overview introduced these capabilities with the June 26, 2024 beta announcement.
Some supported games can add event markers to a recording timeline. Valve used Counter-Strike 2 and Dota as examples; those examples do not mean every game supplies markers. Players can also add their own markers.
How the feature developed
| Date | What Valve announced |
|---|---|
| June 26, 2024 | Valve announced Game Recording in beta, with background and hotkey capture, playback, timeline markers, clipping, and sharing. The beta announcement directed users to opt into Steam Beta Update. Valve’s beta announcement. |
| November 5, 2024 | Valve said Game Recording was available to all users. It also highlighted game-specific settings, quick-capture hotkey options, advanced export options, and Session View in the Recordings & Screenshots manager. Valve’s general-availability announcement. |
| November 5, 2024 | Valve included Game Recording in the Steam Deck client update, directly establishing its availability in the Deck client. Valve’s Steam Deck client update. |
| January 7, 2025 | Valve’s SteamOS FAQ listed Game Recording as part of the SteamOS ecosystem and says SteamOS is the same operating system used on Steam Deck. Valve’s SteamOS FAQ. |
Background recording or hotkey capture?
Valve confirms both approaches, but the choice depends on whether you want to preserve a stretch of gameplay or save a moment on demand.
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- Background recording: records while you play, so you can review the timeline and choose a clip afterward. Valve’s announcement does not establish a universal default, storage limit, or performance impact.
- Hotkey capture: starts a recording manually when you press the configured hotkey. Valve later added quick-capture hotkey options, but the cited announcement does not specify a current default key.
Game-specific settings and Session View add ways to manage recordings. Valve says Session View includes game-specific tags and data; the precise controls may vary as the Steam client changes.
Using Game Recording on Steam Deck
Steam Deck compatibility is supported by Valve’s Deck client update and its SteamOS FAQ. The feature belongs to Steam, not exclusively to the handheld, so a Deck is not required to use it. Valve’s announcements establish availability, but do not guarantee that every game or recording situation behaves identically on Deck.
For a current walkthrough, check the live Steam client: Valve’s release notices do not document a stable, current menu path. Options and labels can change, so use the client’s recording controls and settings rather than relying on an old interface guide.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Valve is entering the gaming console marketplace with the new Steam Deck, a console geared towards PC gamers. The Steam Deck can be docked to a monitor, and used as a PC, or docked to a TV.
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- Like the name suggests, the Steam Deck will include upgraded 1TB storage, and will include a carrying case. A micro SD slot will also enable expanded storage.
- Valve partnered with AMD to create a specialized APU optimized for handheld gaming, and Valve says the chip will deliver performance to run AAA gaming titles.
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