How to see your frame rate on Steam Deck

The Steam Deck might have a fancy OS that makes it easy to browse and play Steam games, but it's essentially just a standard handheld PC. That means anyone with enough tech-savvy can modify the device to their heart's content, loading different operating systems and playing games outside the Steam library without many restrictions.

One of the most requested features is the ability to see your frame rate, as this ensures your games are running properly and your handheld PC is performing as expected.

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What You Need

• Steam Deck

This wasn't an easy process when Steam Deck first launched – but fast-forward to today, and getting your fps shown on the screen is as easy as toggling on a few different options. Here's how to see your frame rate on Steam Deck using the Performance overlay.

How to see your frame rate on Steam Deck

Let’s assume you have a Steam account and have started playing the game you want performance metrics for. If you haven’t updated your Steam Deck lately, make sure it has the latest updates before you begin. Onto the good stuff:

Step 1: Go to the Quick Access Menu (QAM). You can find this menu by selecting the “…” button in the bottom right section of your Steam Deck.

Step 2: The Quick Access Menu opens with several options. Look on the left side to see several icons to choose different sections of the menu. Go down to the Performance section, which is indicated by the battery icon.

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Step 3: The top section of the Performance menu will show your current battery life and how long you’ll need to recharge it to get a full battery. It’s a good spot to check for any suspected battery charging issues. For frame rate, though, you’ll want to look directly below this, where you’ll find the Performance overlay section.

The Performance overlay is typically set to Off, but has a slider that you