Overview
The Steam Deck comes with limited internal storage, so many users like to add a microSD card for additional space. However, by default the Steam Deck will format SD cards to the EXT4 file system, which is optimized for Linux but has some limitations, like individual file size limits. Formatting your SD card to FAT32 allows it to be read by Windows computers and some game consoles when removed from the Steam Deck. It also removes the 4GB per-file size limit of EXT4. Overall, FAT32 formatting gives your SD card more flexibility for transferring files on and off the Steam Deck.
FAT32 is an older file system that is compatible with most devices. Formatting a drive to FAT32 erases all data on it and sets it up with the basic FAT32 file structure, so it is then ready to use as FAT32 storage. Doing this on your Steam Deck’s SD card enables it to be read by other devices while retaining the ability to store your Steam Deck games and data.
Check Current File System
Before formatting your SD card, it’s a good idea to check what file system it is currently formatted with. Here’s how to check the file system on your SD card using the Steam Deck:
1. Insert your SD card into the Steam Deck if you haven’t already.
2. Press the Steam button and navigate to the Settings menu.
3. Select the “System” tab.
4. Scroll down and select “Storage”.
5. Your SD card details will be shown here, including the file system it is currently formatted with (such as FAT32, exFAT, etc.).
This allows you to confirm whether or not your SD card needs to be reformatted to FAT32 before using it with your Steam Deck. It’s generally recommended to reformat any new SD card to FAT32 for optimal compatibility.
Back Up SD Card
It’s important to back up your SD card data before formatting, as formatting will erase all existing data. To back up your SD card on the Steam Deck:
1. Connect a USB drive or external storage device to your Steam Deck using a USB-C hub or adapter. Make sure the storage device has enough free space for your backup.
2. In the SteamOS desktop mode, open the Files app and navigate to your SD card contents.
3. Select all of the files and folders you want to backup and copy them to the external storage device.
Alternatively, you can use the Konsole app and run commands like cp -r /run/media/mmcblk0p1/* /run/media/external_drive to copy everything over. Be patient as this can take some time for large SD cards.
It’s also a good idea to create a full disk image backup using software like Clonezilla. This will save an exact copy of your SD card that you can restore later.
Backing up your data ensures you have a copy in case anything goes wrong during the formatting process. With a backup ready, you can safely format your SD card to FAT32 for use on the Steam Deck.
Format SD Card to fat32
Here are the step-by-step instructions to format your SD card to fat32 on the Steam Deck:
1. Insert your SD card into the slot on your Steam Deck.
2. Open the KDE Partition Manager app on your Steam Deck. This comes pre-installed.
3. In Partition Manager, select your SD card from the list on the left.
4. Right click on the SD card and select Format.
5. In the Format window, set the File System dropdown to fat32.
6. Give your SD card a name if desired.
7. Click Format and wait for the process to complete.
8. Once complete, your SD card will be formatted to fat32.1
That’s it! Your SD card is now ready to use with your Steam Deck in fat32 format.
Format SD Card Using Desktop
If your Steam Deck is having issues formatting the SD card to FAT32, you can use a Windows or Mac desktop computer instead:
On Windows:
1. Insert the SD card into your computer’s SD card reader.
2. Open Windows File Explorer and right-click on the SD card. Select “Format…”
3. In the Format window, under “File System” select “FAT32”. Check the “Quick Format” box.
4. Click “Start” to begin formatting the SD card to FAT32.
On Mac:
1. Insert the SD card into your Mac’s SD card slot or reader.
2. Launch Disk Utility.
3. Select the SD card on the left side.
4. Click “Erase” at the top.
5. Under “Format” select “MS-DOS (FAT32)”.
6. Click “Erase” to format the SD card to FAT32.
This will completely erase and reformat the SD card to FAT32 using your computer instead of the Steam Deck. Once done, you can insert the SD card back into your Steam Deck and it will now be formatted properly.
Format Larger SD Cards
SD cards larger than 32GB are typically formatted to exFAT by default, which is not compatible with the Steam Deck. However, it is possible to format cards up to 2TB to fat32 so they can be used with the Steam Deck.
The standard Windows format tool will not allow formatting cards larger than 32GB to fat32. To get around this limitation, you will need to use third-party formatting tools on your desktop like SD Card Formatter for Windows, Mac, or Linux. Make sure to back up any data on the card first.
Using SD Card Formatter, select your SD card drive, choose fat32 as the filesystem, enter a volume label if desired, and click “Format”. The card will be wiped and reformatted to fat32. You can now insert the SD card into your Steam Deck.
One downside to using fat32 on larger cards is you cannot have any files over 4GB in size. Games, movies, and other large files may need to be split up. But fat32 has much better compatibility with the Steam Deck versus exFAT.
Benefits of fat32
FAT32 has some advantages compared to other file systems when used with the Steam Deck:
Compatibility – The Steam Deck uses a Linux-based OS, and FAT32 has broad compatibility across operating systems including Linux, Windows, and macOS. This makes it easy to transfer files between devices. Some other formats like NTFS have limited compatibility on Linux (source).
Support for large cards – FAT32 supports SD cards up to 2TB in size. This means it can handle even very large capacity cards that users may want to use with the Steam Deck (source).
Performance – FAT32 has low overhead which can provide better performance compared to exFAT or NTFS. This is useful for gaming where lag can be an issue (source).
Easy to reformat – If needed, FAT32 partitions can easily be reformatted to other file systems like ext4 or exFAT. This provides flexibility if requirements change in the future.
Drawbacks of fat32 on Steam Deck
While using a fat32 formatted SD card on the Steam Deck has some benefits, there are also some significant drawbacks and limitations to be aware of:
The main disadvantage of fat32 is the 4GB file size limit. Any files larger than 4GB will not be able to be saved or transferred to a fat32 formatted SD card. This means you won’t be able to have modern game files that are larger than 4GB on a fat32 SD card, limiting its usefulness for game storage on the Steam Deck.
In addition, while Linux can read fat32, it does not fully support writing to it. This can lead to potential corruption or performance issues when trying to write files from the SteamOS system to a fat32 formatted SD card. The native Linux file system ext4 is more optimized and recommended.
Overall, while easy to use across devices, the downsides of the fat32 file size limit and lack of full Linux support make it a poor choice for dedicated expanded storage for the Steam Deck. Ext4 or a modern file system without these drawbacks is recommended instead.
Recommended SD Cards
When choosing an SD card for the Steam Deck, it’s important to select a model designed for optimal performance. The Steam Deck supports SD cards up to 2TB, but not all cards are created equal. According to reviews, some of the top-rated SD cards for the Steam Deck include:
Samsung Pro Plus – With read speeds up to 160MB/s and write speeds up to 120MB/s, the Samsung Pro Plus line offers superb performance. Available in sizes from 128GB to 1TB, these cards strike a nice balance between speed, capacity, and price.
SanDisk Extreme Pro – For the fastest speeds, the SanDisk Extreme Pro can reach up to 200MB/s read and 120MB/s write. It’s on the pricier side, but provides consistently quick load times. Sizes range from 64GB to 1TB.
Lexar Play – If you want high capacity on a budget, the 1TB and 512GB Lexar Play cards offer good bang for the buck. Speeds are decent at up to 150MB/s read and 70MB/s write.
When shopping, look for A2 or better rated cards, as this indicates good performance for gaming. UHS Speed Class 3 or Class 10 are also ideal for Full HD gameplay. And of course, sticking with reputable brands like Samsung, SanDisk, Lexar, etc. helps ensure reliability.
Troubleshooting SD Card Formatting Issues
Here are some solutions for common SD card formatting issues on the Steam Deck:
If the “Format SD Card” option is grayed out in the SteamOS settings, try restarting your Steam Deck console first. This issue can sometimes be caused by minor bugs that a reboot will fix according to PartitionWizard.
If you get an error message when trying to format, such as “Error 2” or “Testing failed”, a software bug may be preventing the format. Check for any available SteamOS updates and install them, as Valve has issued fixes for these errors in updates like SteamOS 3.3.2.
As a workaround, you can try formatting the SD card through the Desktop Mode instead of SteamOS Settings. Launch the KDE Partition Manager, unmount the SD card, delete any existing partitions, then create a new FAT32 partition to format it.
In some cases, the SD card may format successfully but SteamOS still does not recognize it. Restarting the console after formatting could fix this detection issue.
If none of these solutions work, there may be deeper issues with the SD card itself that prevent proper formatting and usage on the Steam Deck. Trying a different brand of SD card could resolve stubborn formatting problems.
