Known Issues

Component Specific Issues

Component / Emulator	Issue	Solution
Dolphin	Some games flicker on the Steam Deck OLED.	Lower the display refresh rate from 90Hz to 60Hz.
RetroArch	Multi-file game saves location bug.	Issue tracked on GitHub: libretro bug 17589.
RetroArch	Keyboard and Controller conflict in certain PC Linux Desktop Enviroments.	`Settings` → `Input` → `Autoconfig` and set to `OFF`
UZDOOM	Steam Input conflict causing input looping in menus.	Set the controller as Player 1 or use Steam’s Reorder Controllers.
Steam Sync	Controller templates sometimes fail to associate with Steam entries.	Users must assign templates manually if this occurs.
ES-DE	Configuration submenu does not support translations yet.	Translations planned for a future update.
Dolphin / PrimeHack	Input mapping and GUI issues occur under Wayland.	Disable Wayland Windowing System via Flatseal for RetroDECK.
Dolphin / PrimeHack	Does not launch .m3u files.	Make sure the .m3u is saved with UNIX line endings and not Windows.

Component	Issue	Solution
KDE Discover	Shows incorrect Flatpak version due to caching bug.	Refresh cache: `Discover` → `Settings` → toggle Flathub off and on.

Topic	Issue	Solution
Streaming via Steam Remote Play results in a black screen	This issue occurs with many non-native Steam applications, not just RetroDECK.	Use Moonlight and Sunshine setup as an alternative streaming solution check (Software Recommendations).

Topic	Issue	Solution
RetroDECK Hotkeys	Hotkey support varies widely across emulators. Some have partial or no support. Emulators with poor/no hotkey support: • CEMU - almost none • XEMU - none • Vita3K - none • Ryujinx - almost none	RetroDECK plans to map as many hotkeys as possible into the Hotkey System and patch emulator hotkeys as they become available.
Missing Radials on Linux Desktop	Radial menus may appear behind the game window or the Steam overlay.	Issue has been reported to Valve.
Who is Player 1?	Systems may incorrectly assign the Steam Deck or docked controller as Player 1.	Use Steam’s Reorder Controllers tool.
Desktop Layout conflicts with Game Layout (Linux Desktop)	Desktop Layout sometimes overrides Game Layout, breaking inputs.	Disable Steam Input for Desktop Layout: `Steam` → `Settings` → `Controller` → `Desktop Layout` → `Edit`.

Topic	Issue	Solution
Emulator GUI Scaling	Emulator UI elements may be cramped or off-screen in Game Mode due to resolution scaling.	Adjust Steam resolution temporarily: 1. Exit RetroDECK 2. Open RetroDECK in Steam → `⚙️` → `Properties` → `Shortcut` → `Game Resolution` 3. Set to 1920×1080 and enable Set resolution for internal/external display 4. Apply changes in the emulator 5. Revert resolution back to Default.
New SD Card Problems	Errors, file transfer failures, or incorrect file sizes.	• Buy reputable brands • Avoid special characters in SD card name • Format via `Steam` → `Storage` → select card → `Y` → `Format Drive` • Test suspected fake cards using tools like f3.
Slow Bleeding-Edge Emulators (XEMU, RPCS3, etc.)	Games run slowly due to emulator immaturity or hardware limits.	Performance should improve over time; check emulator sites for game-specific optimizations.
Games Stuck at 30FPS / Slow Fast-Forward	System framerate accidentally capped.	Press `[...]` → Power Menu → ensure Framerate Limit is not set to 30FPS.
Poor Performance When Docked	Slow performance at high monitor resolutions (e.g., 4K).	Lower resolution in Steam: `⚙️` → `Properties` → `Shortcut` → `Game Resolution` → set to 1920×1080 and enable internal/external display option.

Topic	Issue	Solution
RetroArch	UI overscales on Wayland when OS scaling >100% on Vulkan.	Open RA via RetroDECK Configurator. Go to Settings → Video → Output → Video Driver → switch from Vulkan to GL. Then Main Menu → Configuration File → Save Current Configuration and exit RA.
PPSSPP	UI overscales on Wayland when OS scaling >100% on Vulkan.	Open PPSSPP via RetroDECK Configurator. Go to Settings → Backend → switch from Vulkan to OpenGL.