this post was submitted on 16 Nov 2025
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Instead of redownloading the game twice on a steam deck and steam machine (or steam frame) you could just take the same micro SD card out and insert it into the other device and play from there
Edit: You could also copy a game's install files over to the SD card and move them directly if you really don't want to run the game directly off the SD card
Steam has long supported game transfer via local network. You just need to have both machines on the same network and turned on with one having the game installed already. When you start the download on the other device, it'll copy the files locally.
what? or just transfer from PC to PC via wifi through steam negating any SD card..
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/46BD-6BA8-B012-CE43
use PC 1 that already has it downloaded and installed, and have pc2 download from PC 1.. why worry about a 3rd hard drive or rehoming the SD card and potentially screwing the file structure up by potentially inserting Linux (steam deck) into what I can only assume would be a Windows based pc
Because if you are on a steam deck and just install it on the SD card to begin with I guarantee you it's faster to pop out the SD card and insert it into the other device than it is to copy the files over a network, especially if one of those devices is a VR headset.
Besides, more options to do the same thing isn't necessarily a bad thing. People can pick whichever they like best. If someone has games already installed on an SD card in their steam deck and want to quickly move them over to a steam machine or steam frame then this would be super convenient for them.
This is also specifically an article about the steam deck, steam frame, and steam machine so all of the devices would be using SteamOS and not Windows anyway. Not really sure why you're bringing up Windows.