Latest Steam Client Beta for Linux Resolves Slow Update Installations

Steam Client Beta Update: Enhancements and Fixes for Linux Users

Valve has rolled out a significant update for the Steam Client Beta, particularly addressing a common frustration among Linux users: slow installation speeds when the client requires an update. This latest patch aims to restore update times to a much more acceptable duration, enhancing the user experience for this segment of gamers.

Growing Linux Usage Trends

This improvement is especially significant as highlighted by the data from the May 2025 Steam Hardware & Software Survey, which reported a rise in overall Steam usage on Linux to 2.69%.Notably, although the Linux user base is expanding, Valve’s own SteamOS, which powers the Steam Deck, has seen its market share dip to 30.95%, marking the lowest rate in two years.

Comprehensive Fixes and Improvements

In addition to enhancing update speeds for Linux systems, the recent beta update features several other bug fixes. These include:

Resolved issues with spoiler sections for events not displaying correctly in the library.
Ensured that images related to adult content games are properly blurred.
Adjusted desktop chat links to open directly in the desktop browser rather than redirecting through the Steam browser first.

Detailed Changelog

General Enhancements

Fixed event displays not showing spoiler sections in the library.
Corrected issues with adult content game images appearing blurred in the library.
Improved the link opening process from desktop chat to bypass the Steam browser.

Steam Overlay Improvements

Addressed lag and freezing issues in games using Vulkan rendering when the Steam Overlay is disabled.
Fixed the timer alert that continued after game exit in repeat mode.

SteamVR Fixes

Resolved intermittent crashes of steamwebhelper upon exiting VR mode.

Linux-Specific Updates

Enhanced installation speed for Steam client updates, resolving cases where updates could take several minutes instead of the expected seconds.

Big Picture Mode Fixes

Corrected the behavior where certain buttons were erroneously interpreted as simulated mouse inputs within the Steam Store.

Additional Stable Channel Updates

Users on the Stable channel will also benefit from recent updates, which consist of:

Fixed a rare occurrence causing multiple prompts for the same update installation.
Addressed an issue that could trigger the out-of-box setup wizard unexpectedly.
Fixed the display of the ‘Battery Charge Limit’ option on unsupported devices.

How to Install the Steam Client Beta

If you’re interested in trying out the Steam Client Beta, the installation process is simple: Open your Steam client, navigate to the top-left menu, select “Steam, ”then go to “Settings.”Under the “Interface”tab, find the “Client Beta Participation”section, choose “Steam Beta Update”from the dropdown menu, and restart your client to begin the download of the beta version.

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