For those unfamiliar, Decky Loader is a plugin management tool for SteamOS and Bazzite handhelds. It is easy to install and significantly expands what your Steam Deck, or any Bazzite-powered handheld, can do.
Once installed, Decky Loader lets you add system tweaks, performance tools, and quality-of-life features directly into SteamOS. It runs quietly in the background and does not require deep system knowledge to use.
Installing Plugins for Decky Loader
Installing plugins is fairly straightforward once Decky Loader is installed. Press the three dots button on your Steam Deck to open the Options menu.
Scroll to the bottom of the menu until you reach Decky Loader, then select the marketplace icon. From here, you can browse, install, and manage plugins directly.
Honorable mentions
Before digging into what I consider essential plugins for your Steam Deck or Bazzite device, it is worth starting with a few honorable mentions. These plugins did not quite make my final list, but they are still well worth checking out depending on how you use your handheld.
First up is XIVOmega, a plugin designed specifically for Final Fantasy XIV Online. It is a must-have for anyone who regularly plays the MMORPG on Steam Deck or Bazzite, offering useful tools that make the experience far more comfortable on a handheld screen.
Next is Decky Lookup, a simple but effective plugin that lets you quickly access information about the game you are currently playing. It is ideal for checking a short guide or looking something up without needing to leave SteamOS entirely.
The final honorable mention is Picture in Picture. This plugin is perfect for slower-paced or more relaxing games, letting you watch videos in the background while you play. I have personally found it works especially well with titles like Slay the Spire, which is also the game featured on the plugin’s download page.
Number 5: PlayCount
There is something oddly satisfying about knowing that tens of thousands of other players are jumping into something like Resident Evil 4 Remake at the same time as me, especially when playing on a handheld.
Number 4: HLTB for Deck
This one feels far more essential. HLTB, short for How Long to Beat, shows you how long it typically takes to finish a game, which is exactly what the name suggests.
That information has become increasingly useful as backlogs continue to grow, especially with Steam sales adding more games every year. On a handheld, being able to quickly see whether a game fits into a short session or a longer playthrough can make choosing what to play much easier.
Number 3: SteamGridDB
SteamGridDB adds a surprising amount of polish to your Steam library by filling in missing artwork like hero images, logos, and grid art. It is especially useful for non-Steam games, helping everything look consistent alongside native Steam titles.
This makes a noticeable difference on handhelds, where clean visuals and clear library layouts matter more on smaller screens. Games that would otherwise look out of place blend in naturally once their artwork is applied.
SteamGridDB is also available as a Game Bar widget on the Xbox Ally X, where it helps non-Xbox games look far better within that interface. While this article focuses specifically on Steam Deck and Bazzite, it is worth noting how flexible the plugin is across devices.
If a dedicated guide to the best Game Bar apps is something readers would be interested in, that is something I would be happy to explore further.
Number 2: NonSteamLaunchers and Unifideck
At the time of writing, neither of these plugins is fully integrated into Decky Loader by default. You can still install and use both, but the process requires switching to desktop mode first.
For NonSteamLaunchers, the setup is straightforward. You download the NSLPlugin.desktop file and remove the .desktop part of the filename, then double-click it to begin installation.
Once installed, the plugin becomes accessible through Decky Loader as normal. While this extra step may sound intimidating, it only takes a few minutes and is well worth it if you regularly play games outside of Steam.
Unifideck goes a step further by bringing games from different launchers into one place. Instead of opening Epic Games Store or GOG separately, it pulls your owned titles into a single searchable list within SteamOS.
To install Unifideck, visit the project page on your Steam Deck or Bazzite device in desktop mode and download the unifideck.prod.vXXX.zip file. In Decky’s Developer options, choose Install plugin from ZIP file, navigate to where the ZIP file is saved, and install it.
The two plugins do somewhat compliment each other, with NonSteamLaunchers handling launcher installation and Unifideck keeping everything neatly contained within Steam’s user interface. At the moment, Unifideck only supports Epic Games Store, GOG, and Amazon Games, with plans to expand support in the future.
Number 1: Decky LSFG VX
Decky LSFG VX enables Lossless Scaling on Steam Deck and Bazzite and is designed to help you get more out of your handheld in terms of performance.
For those unfamiliar, Lossless Scaling is a fairly cheap paid tool available on Steam that enables frame generation in supported games. This can help squeeze out extra performance, which is especially valuable on devices like the Steam Deck or Xbox Ally.
Thanks to this plugin, frame generation can be controlled directly from the Decky menu, making setup quick and painless. It removes much of the usual friction and makes advanced performance features far more approachable on handheld hardware.
Frame generation works best when a game already runs at a stable base frame rate, as it builds on existing performance rather than replacing it. It is not a magic fix for poorly running games, and results will vary depending on the title and the settings you use.
Your favorite plugins for Steam Deck and Bazzite
Which Decky Loader plugin has made the biggest difference to how you use your Steam Deck or Bazzite handheld? Let us know by commenting and taking part in our poll below:
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