There is a lot you can do with Steam Deck including running PS1 and PS2 games but if you want to run Android, you have come to the right place. I am going to teach you how to run Android on a Steam Deck in a few easy steps.
But we go get into that, know that this process comes with its own risks. Some users report that running Android on Steam Deck can cause Dual Boot issues so be very careful and think this through.
Anyways, let’s start.
Step 1: Install Genymotion On Steam Deck
From your Steam Deck home screen, head into the start button menu and open Konsole. You need to set an administration password.
When inside Konsole, type passwd. Set up a password that you will remember.
Note that when you type in the password you won’t be able to see it but rest assured it is being typed. Once that is done, the next step is to unlock the OS file system which brings us one step closer to installing Android on Steam Deck.
Use this command to unlock the file system: sudo steamos-readonly disable
After that you need to run three commands simultaneously in the Konsole of Steam Deck. One thing to note here is that you can actually this step but it reportedly causes issues with Android emulation on Steam. So I recommend that you don’t risk it.
- sudo pacman -S archlinux-keyring
- sudo pacman-key –init
- sudo pacman-key –populate archlinux
The next command will help you down the relevant dependencies on your Steam Deck.
- sudo pacman -S –needed base-devel
Running this command will prompt you to pick some numbers. Don’t worry about it and just hit enter to move on. If you’re prompted again, hit “yes” this time and move on.
Important: If you face any issues with this step, run the three commands again and repeat the process.
Now we can finally insall Genymotion. Run the following command to install Genymotion on your Steam Deck:
- yay -Sy –noconfirm genymotion
Steam Deck will then ask you to down the ARM Translation Package and the Aurora Store as seen in the image below:
Don’t download the files just yet, we need to configure Genymotion first and have it running before downloading these two files (see step 3).
If you closed the window, here are the links to ARM Package and Aurora Store.
Back in the Konsole run the “Genymotion” commands to see the software is successfully downloaded. If it is successful, you see the following window open up:
Commands Summary
| # | Commands |
|---|---|
| #1 | passwd (set admin password) |
| #2 | sudo steamos-readonly disable |
| #3 | sudo pacman -S archlinux-keyring sudo pacman-key –init sudo pacman-key –populate archlinux |
| #4 | sudo pacman -S –needed base-devel |
| #5 | yay -Sy –noconfirm genymotion |
Step 2: Step Up And Configure Genymotion On Steam Deck
Now we need to step up Genymotion on Steam. Click on the three dots on the side under Action to open up a drop down menu. Then hit edit to enter the “Edit Virtual Device” settings.
Under General, use these settings:
BE SURE TO SELECT ANDROID 9 DURING THE SETUP! YOU CAN NOT CHANGE THE ANDROID VERSION OF THE DEVICE AFTER IT IS CREATED.
Under System tab, use these settings:
Under Display tab, use the following settings:
Under the Android Options tab, use the following settings:
How To Run Genymotion On Steam Deck
When your step up is done, go back to the main Genymotion screen and press the Play button to boot the app.
Step 3: Download ARM Translation Package And Aurora Store
With Genymotion running in Window mode, it is time to down the ARM Translation Package and Aurora Store.
Click on the ARM Translation Package github link. Now click on “Go to file.”
Now download the latest package available to you:
Now download Aurora Store as well. Once that is done, drag and drop both files one by one into the Emulator window of Genymotion. Follow the on screen instructions and you’re done!
What Android Games Can You Play On Steam Deck
You can download a ton of free games from the Aurora Store. The most popular ones you can try are Pokémon Unite, Sonic 2, Plants And Zombies 2, Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes but my personal favorite, Asphalt 8.
