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Here's how to transfer files from your PC to a Steam Deck

By - | Views: 187,323

Want to transfer files to and from your PC to a Steam Deck? It's easy and here's how you can do it in a few minutes.

Something I've seen asked a lot directly to me, and across numerous posts on Reddit so hopefully this will help. This way requires no extra hardware, you just need to ensure your devices are on the same network and that's all.

First up, a video guide and below the text guide steps.

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Text guide:

  • Download Warpinator (a tool by the Linux Mint team)
    • Linux / Steam Deck: install Warpinator from Flathub. Available in the Discover software centre for Plasma.
    • Windows: head to this site to download it.
  • Load up Warpinator on both systems, and each will list the other device.
  • Select the device to transfer onto, then select "Send files" and just pick your files.
  • On the receiving device, it will have a pop-up noting an incoming file, just hit the tick next to it in the list.
  • Done

To get some questions out of the way:

  • KDE Connect does not come pre-installed, and a developer told me it's not going to be possible yet to put it on Flathub.
  • Yes, there's other ways to do it including sftp/ftp but this is a simple way anyone can follow.
  • There are browser-based solutions but they're much slower.

However, if you're not afraid of the terminal and Python (you can do this on Windows too): make a folder where you want stuff to be ready to transfer, then run this command inside that folder (Python 3): python -m http.server 5555 then on your Steam Deck open a browser to your host machine local IP (http://x.x.x.x:5555) and you can then see and grab files that way too. Credit to x_wing and g000h in our comments.

There's other ways too, this is just an example. You can also try out Syncthing and Filezilla!

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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About the author -
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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47 comments
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kokoko3k Mar 7, 2022
Quoting: Liam Dawe
Quoting: g000h
Quoting: x_wingOr just run this in the folder with the data to upload:

 
python -m SimpleHTTPServer 5555


And open in the deck browser YOUR_HOST_IP:5555


or python -m http.server 5555 for when your system is defaulting to python3.
The point is to avoid the terminal for simple guides.

Edit: however, that's pretty cool! I'll add a note.

I can understand that warpinator is cross platform, but not the answer that the point is to avoid the terminal for simple guides.

Why?

Terminal can simplify complex and simple tasks, and this is an excellent example.
The sooner the people will understand that, the sooner we can progrsss instead of involve into dumbness (no offense).
I doubt there is something simpler or even easier than that command, really... software is already installed on both ends (literally, the challenging task here is to know an ip address and the location of a file) let alone install and use warpinator with all of the steps involved on both systems.


Last edited by kokoko3k on 7 March 2022 at 8:11 am UTC
Solitary Mar 7, 2022
Quoting: Liam Dawe
Quoting: EikeDid I understand correctly that enabling developer mode (or something alike) would allow me to install KDEConnect easily? I love that little one.
Technically yes, but anything you do in developer mode can be and likely will be entirely overwritten by OS upgrades. Anything you do that you want to stick, should use Flatpaks or direct downloads for ease of use. Unless you want to get much more complicated.
So there is no application overlay for repository installed applications (like Fedora Silverblue does for example)? That kinda limits the use of the desktop
Liam Dawe Mar 7, 2022
Quoting: kokoko3k
Quoting: Liam Dawe
Quoting: g000h
Quoting: x_wingOr just run this in the folder with the data to upload:

 
python -m SimpleHTTPServer 5555


And open in the deck browser YOUR_HOST_IP:5555


or python -m http.server 5555 for when your system is defaulting to python3.
The point is to avoid the terminal for simple guides.

Edit: however, that's pretty cool! I'll add a note.

I can understand that warpinator is cross platform, but not the answer that the point is to avoid the terminal for simple guides.

Why?

Terminal can simplify complex and simple tasks, and this is an excellent example.
The sooner the people will understand that, the sooner we can progrsss instead of involve into dumbness (no offense).
I doubt there is something simpler or even easier than that command, really... software is already installed on both ends (literally, the challenging task here is to know an ip address and the location of a file) let alone install and use warpinator with all of the steps involved on both systems.
It's a repeating problem. What's one of the main things people outside the Linux bubble are afraid of and turn their nose up at learning and using? The terminal. It's about knowing the audience in regards to the Steam Deck, it is *mostly* people coming from Windows and traditional consoles, and largely (in the nicest way) a large pool of tech illiterate people who prefer pressing buttons. You hook 'em in with an easy app, then you can start the terminal talk.
Liam Dawe Mar 7, 2022
Quoting: SolitarySo there is no application overlay for repository installed applications (like Fedora Silverblue does for example)? That kinda limits the use of the desktop
I have no idea what you're talking about here honestly. Got an example?
Solitary Mar 7, 2022
Quoting: Liam Dawe
Quoting: SolitarySo there is no application overlay for repository installed applications (like Fedora Silverblue does for example)? That kinda limits the use of the desktop
I have no idea what you're talking about here honestly. Got an example?
Well, Fedora Silverblue still allows you to install RPM packages from standard repositories in the read-only filesystem, but it works as "overlay". Basically those extra apps are installed/layered on top of the base system, so the system update re-imagining does not delete them. Looking at it, it might be OSTree feature though.
Liam Dawe Mar 7, 2022
Quoting: Solitary
Quoting: Liam Dawe
Quoting: SolitarySo there is no application overlay for repository installed applications (like Fedora Silverblue does for example)? That kinda limits the use of the desktop
I have no idea what you're talking about here honestly. Got an example?
Well, Fedora Silverblue still allows you to install RPM packages from standard repositories in the read-only filesystem, but it works as "overlay". Basically those extra apps are installed/layered on top of the base system, so the system update re-imagining does not delete them. Looking at it, it might be OSTree feature though.
I see, no it doesn't have this by default.
kokoko3k Mar 7, 2022
Quoting: Liam DaweIt's a repeating problem. What's one of the main things people outside the Linux bubble are afraid of and turn their nose up at learning and using? The terminal. It's about knowing the audience in regards to the Steam Deck, it is *mostly* people coming from Windows and traditional consoles, and largely (in the nicest way) a large pool of tech illiterate people who prefer pressing buttons. You hook 'em in with an easy app, then you can start the terminal talk.
Yes, I understand that and I 100% agree!

Indeed, I was not objecting the use of warpinator per se (I've specified that I understand how it is useful for cross-platform use cases; using python in Windows is not a simple task at all), but the fact that you justified it through the statement: "The point is to avoid the terminal for simple guides.", that's all.
emphy Mar 7, 2022
Don't standard network shares work out of the box?

I've always accessed other other pc's (both windows and linux) shared folders/files through the dolphin file manager. Point n click and no extra installs on both sides with the extra advantage of it being the standard way of network sharing on windows.


Last edited by emphy on 7 March 2022 at 7:02 pm UTC
Ehvis Mar 7, 2022
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Quoting: kokoko3k
Quoting: Liam DaweIt's a repeating problem. What's one of the main things people outside the Linux bubble are afraid of and turn their nose up at learning and using? The terminal. It's about knowing the audience in regards to the Steam Deck, it is *mostly* people coming from Windows and traditional consoles, and largely (in the nicest way) a large pool of tech illiterate people who prefer pressing buttons. You hook 'em in with an easy app, then you can start the terminal talk.
Yes, I understand that and I 100% agree!

Indeed, I was not objecting the use of warpinator per se (I've specified that I understand how it is useful for cross-platform use cases; using python in Windows is not a simple task at all), but the fact that you justified it through the statement: "The point is to avoid the terminal for simple guides.", that's all.

A simple guide should be useful for all people. Since most people have a system crash when they see a terminal pop up, it is not possible to make a guide for all people that has terminal usage in it. So I would have to agree with Liam, a simple guide must avoid the terminal. And "our" definition of "simple" is irrelevant there.
Lachu Mar 7, 2022
Maybe Windows users can use python solution, but is python installed in Windows by default? Is not it?
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