How To Connect Your Steam Deck OLED To A TV
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One of the reasons you'd prefer the Steam Deck over consoles like the PlayStation 5, the latest Xbox, or even Valve's own Steam Machine is the portability. However, this doesn't mean you can't use a bigger external screen the same way you would with a tabletop console. Whether you're using the OLED or non-OLED variant, you can connect your Steam Deck to a TV in a variety of ways. This includes a docking station or a hub, connecting the Deck directly to your TV using an adapter, or doing away with cables entirely by opting for a wireless connection using an app such as Steam Link. Each method has its own advantages and drawbacks, which we'll get into now.
Opting for a dock makes sense as it holds the device and provides additional USB and ethernet ports. You can get an official Dock for the Steam Deck from Valve for $80, but there are plenty of cheaper Steam Deck alternatives out there as well. Regardless of the specific one you're using, just plug the main USB-C cable into your Steam Deck, connect a power supply to the dock, and then use an HDMI cable to connect your dock to the TV. Select the correct HDMI source on your TV, and your Steam Deck will automatically adjust its display settings. If you'd like to change these, you can do so by pressing the Steam button on the Deck and going to Settings, then Display. From there, you can change the resolution by clicking through the External Display Scaling options while the Deck is connected to an external display.
Do you need a dock to connect your Steam Deck to a TV?
Most people use a dock to connect Steam Decks to TVs, but you can do so even without getting an expensive hub or a docking station. The Steam Deck already supports external displays natively; the issue is that it only does this through a USB-C connection, which most TVs don't support. To combat this, you can get a cheap USB-C-to-HDMI adapter from Amazon or a USB hub with an HDMI output. However, if you get a standard adapter or hub, you won't be able to charge your Steam Deck while it's connected to the TV. In order to do so, we recommend one that supports power delivery (PD), such as this $19 adapter from UGREEN
To connect your Steam Deck to your TV without using a dock, turn on the handheld, plug the USB-C end into it, and plug the HDMI end into your TV. Like when using a dock, use your TV remote to switch to the proper source channel, and you'll be able to play your favorite Steam Deck games on your TV. The reason many recommend getting a dock is that it solves certain problems that you face with a direct connection between your Steam Deck and the TV. For example, the Steam Deck doesn't have a built-in Ethernet port, whereas most docks do. Additionally, when the Steam Deck's only USB-C port is being used for the TV connection, no other wired peripherals can be connected to your Deck without using a dock. But what if you want to avoid cables altogether?
Connecting the Steam Deck to a TV wirelessly
We've discussed ways of connecting a Steam handheld to your TV with and without a docking station, but there's a much easier way — provided you're willing to deal with some potential latency issues. For a wireless connection, you'll need to download the Steam Link app on your smart TV. With the app downloaded and both your Steam Deck and TV connected to the same WiFi, open the app on your TV, select Steam Deck, and enter the code that appears on the TV screen on your Steam Deck. The option to do so will appear once you select Steam Deck on your TV, but if it doesn't, open Settings on your Deck, go to Remote Play, and then Pair Steam Link.
The Steam Link app is available on most Android TVs and certain media devices, such as the Amazon Fire TV Stick, but you cannot use the app if you're running Roku OS or have a Samsung Smart TV. If you can't find Steam Link on your TV's app store, the app might not be compatible with your TV. If so, you can get a media streaming device that supports the app, such as a Chromecast with Google TV, or use third-party programs like Sunshine and Moonlight. For the latter, use your Steam Deck's desktop mode to install Sunshine on it, and install Moonlight on your smart TV. Create an admin account in the Sunshine app on your Deck and open the PIN page. Launch Moonlight on your TV, click on the plus icon, and input your Steam Deck's IP address (you can find this by opening Network and going to Details). This will show a PIN on the TV, and typing it in on your Steam Deck completes the setup.