DroidDeck Guide Unofficial guide GitHub Releases

DroidDeck troubleshooting

DroidDeck troubleshooting without guesswork

Confirm the app, device, runtime, and Android process setting first. Then isolate Steam, game, controller, or display behavior one change at a time.

Facts checked October 14, 2026

Basic checks

Record the starting state before applying a symptom-specific check.

  1. 1
    Confirm the application release

    Use DroidDeck 0.4.0 from official GitHub Releases, or record the exact version actually installed.

  2. 2
    Check Android and GPU

    Confirm Android 9+ and compare the GPU with the published supported, experimental, or unsupported category.

  3. 3
    Open Setup

    Record the installed Linux runtime version and whether an update or incomplete removal is shown.

  4. 4
    Check the child-process limit

    It must be off or not applicable. Use Check again if Android settings changed.

  5. 5
    Change one item at a time

    Reproduce the same symptom after each change so the result is meaningful.

Recheck the device requirements, current download, and installation sequence before changing advanced settings. Source: official 0.4.0 README.

Steam

Steam not launching

What you may see

Play stays on a loading stage, returns to the launcher, reports that Steam stopped, or closes the session before the Steam interface appears.

Check

  1. In Setup, confirm the Linux runtime is installed and not waiting for removal or an update.
  2. Confirm the child-process limit is off. An enabled, unset, or unreadable value can let Android close Steam with little useful output.
  3. For the first Play, keep the network available while Steam downloads.
  4. If Steam remains on its loading screen, use Repair Steam client in DroidDeck's Steam settings, then start Steam again.

Observe

Note the last visible stage: runtime catalog, downloading, verifying, extracting, Steam download, or client startup.

Repair Steam client should queue a fresh client download for the next start. It is not a general repair for game compatibility.

Next

If Steam still stops, reproduce once more and immediately create a ZIP with Share logs.

Collect logs and get help

0.4.0 runtime, process-limit, and Steam repair interface text

Display

Black screen

First separate the two cases

A black Steam client and a black screen after launching one game are different symptoms and need different evidence.

Steam interface is black

  1. Confirm the installed DroidDeck version and the detected GPU.
  2. If the GPU is non-Adreno or explicitly unsupported, the published requirements do not support treating this as a software-only issue.
  3. Record the selected runtime and display drivers plus any image-scaling option.
  4. Version 0.4.0 fixed one FSR 1 black-output defect, but that does not make every black screen the same bug.

Observe: Check whether menus, audio, touch, or controller input still respond behind the black output.

Only one game is black

  1. Confirm whether the Steam interface remains visible after leaving the game.
  2. Record the game's selected Proton, FEX, DXVK, VKD3D, Windows components, and graphics driver.
  3. Return changes made in the per-game profile toward the known default one at a time.
  4. If the performance overlay is enabled, turn it off for the next session. The 0.4.0 interface recommends this when games crash or go black in Deck mode.

Observe: Record whether the game shows audio, a cursor, a window, or an immediate return to Steam.

Next: If the symptom persists, share logs with the exact case, GPU, driver, and game profile.

0.4.0 release notes and official performance-overlay guidance

Games

Game crashes

What you may see

One game closes, returns to Steam, stops the whole session, or fails after a launcher or redistributable stage.

Check

  1. Confirm whether other games or Steam itself remain stable.
  2. Record the game source and every selected compatibility component.
  3. Undo the most recent per-game change and retest before changing another value.
  4. On Adreno 6xx, remember that the official README specifically warns DirectX 12 games can still crash.

Observe

Write down the last visible screen, whether a launcher opened, and whether Steam stayed running.

A single successful or failed game is evidence for that exact device and version, not a universal compatibility rule.

Next

Collect the session ZIP and include the game, device, app version, and component versions in the report.

Prepare a useful report

Official Adreno 6xx limitation

Input

Controller problems

What you may see

Android sees no controller, Steam uses the wrong layout, buttons are mapped incorrectly, or multiple controllers behave as one device.

Check

  1. Confirm Android's connected-device screen sees the controller before opening a DroidDeck session.
  2. Open DroidDeck Setup and record the selected controller emulation mode and mapping.
  3. Inside Steam, check the active Steam Input layout for the affected game.
  4. For local co-op, confirm each physical controller appears separately. Version 0.4.0 supports up to four controllers.

Observe

Record controller model, USB or Bluetooth connection, Android detection, selected emulation mode, and whether the issue exists in Steam menus or only one game.

Steam touch controls are marked beta, so identify touch-controller issues separately from physical gamepads.

Next

Attach logs after reproducing the problem and describe the expected and actual button behavior.

Share controller evidence

0.4.0 controller feature notes

Reports

Collect logs and get help

DroidDeck keeps logs in app-private storage and provides Share logs in Setup or the session drawer. The share action packages the newest session with recent store and tool logs into a scrubbed ZIP.

  1. 1
    Reproduce once

    Stop after the same observable failure so the newest session matches the report.

  2. 2
    Choose Share logs

    Open Setup or the session drawer and wait for the ZIP share sheet.

  3. 3
    Add context

    Include app, Android, device, GPU, runtime, Proton and component versions plus exact steps.

  4. 4
    Use the official channel

    Post in the DroidDeck Discord #bug-reports forum and attach the scrubbed ZIP.

Official Discord GitHub Issues
Community reports are scoped evidence.

A workaround from one device and version is not a universal fix. A closed Issue also does not prove a change is present in the release currently installed.

0.4.0 log-sharing implementation and official reporting instructions

DroidDeck troubleshooting FAQ

Why does Steam close without a useful error?

Android may stop Steam's child processes when the required limit is still on, unset, or unreadable. Recheck that status in DroidDeck Setup before changing game settings.

Does a black screen mean my game is unsupported?

Not by itself. First determine whether the entire Steam interface is black or only one game. GPU eligibility, the display path, performance overlay, driver and compatibility components can affect the result.

Should I clear DroidDeck app data to fix a problem?

This guide does not recommend clearing app data without a specific official instruction. It can remove local state and makes diagnosis harder. Collect logs and record the failing stage first.

Does a closed GitHub Issue prove the fix is in my version?

No. An Issue may close for several reasons. Confirm the fix appears in the release notes for the exact app version you installed.

What should I include with a bug report?

Include DroidDeck version, Android version, device and GPU, runtime version, Proton and component versions when relevant, exact reproduction steps, what you observed, and the ZIP from Share logs.

Where should I send DroidDeck logs?

The official README directs bug reports to the DroidDeck Discord #bug-reports forum and asks users to attach the scrubbed ZIP created by Share logs.