protonscr

Steam client can't be resized properly after exiting Big Picture mode

steamopen Steam client
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#12638 · opened 2026-01-10 by sabeau7 · updated 2026-08-29 · 11 comments · github
Ssabeau7 2026-01-10 github

Your system information

  • Steam client version (build number or date): 1767909714
  • Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Bazzite 43.20260101 (KDE 6.5.4)
  • Opted into Steam client beta?: Yes
  • Have you checked for system updates?: Yes
  • Steam Logs: [generate by running this command in a terminal tar -zcvf ~/Desktop/steam-logs.tar.gz ~/.steam/steam/logs] steam-logs.tar.gz
  • GPU: AMD 9070

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

Expected: that the Steam client would return to the previous window geometry (about 1500x1000) after exiting Big Picture mode.
Happened: After exiting BPM, the client window is much larger than previously set, about 2200x1320, and can't be reduced from that resolution, but can be resized larger. Behaves this way until restarted.
My desktop resolution is 3440x1440.

Steps for reproducing this issue:

  1. Launch Steam Client. The client remembers it's set size and is resizable as expected.
  2. Enter Big Picture Mode
  3. Exit Big Picture Mode
  4. The client has a large hard minimum resolution beyond which it can't be shrunk.
  5. Exit the client and restart.
  6. The client can be resized as normal again.
Ccoiny 2026-01-26 github

Same issue here. Steam desktop client window is resized much larger on exiting BPM, cannot be sized down, but can be sized up.

AMD 7600x
Asus B650E-F
Nvidia 3070
Bazzite Gnome Nvidia Desktop edition
3440x1440 resolution
Steam Beta Branch: Stable Client
Steam Version: 1769025840

Kkermeat 2026-05-01 github

After exiting BPM minimal steam window width and height become 3/4 of my screen(2560x1440). And it does not respond to resizing at the edges of the screen or the "split view on left/right" hotkeys (gnome).

SSirSquoll 2026-05-10 github

Also running in to this. I rarely use Big Picture but happened to use it recently and am now unable to resize my client either. I can resize it vertically, to an extent, but not at all horizontally and it's ridiculously wide, probably about 1000 as others have mentioned.

Steam version is irrelevant. It's been happening for a few months, at least! I was running a mid-March version and updated just now to see if it fixed it but the problem is still easily reproducible and immediate. Restarting Steam allows you to resize it normally.

Bbaltimoresports 2026-05-14 github

Same issue for me.

Image Image
WWingdom 2026-05-21 github

I'm seeing the same behavior

Operating System: Bazzite 44
KDE Plasma Version: 6.6.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.26.0
Qt Version: 6.10.3
Kernel Version: 6.19.14-ogc5.1.fc44.x86_64 (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 16 × AMD Ryzen 7 5700X 8-Core Processor
Memory: 32 GiB of RAM (31.2 GiB usable)
Graphics Processor: AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT
Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
Product Name: B550 AORUS PRO AC

Steam Beta Branch: Stable Client
Steam Version: 1778281814
Steam Client Build Date: Fri, May 8, 2026 6:40 PM UTC -08:00
Steam Web Build Date: Fri, May 8, 2026 6:34 PM UTC -08:00
Steam API Version: SteamClient023

Iisorropisths 2026-06-02 github

Same here.

Bbmvoss123 2026-06-06 github

I'm experiencing similar issues. The client always starts in 1920x1440, when I resize it to 1920x2160 before closing the window. Will edit this comment later to provide specs as I'm not at my desktop currently. The window provides the ability to freely resize, but always starts in the aforementioned 1920x1440 even after having set window rules to the contrary.

00xLozi 2026-06-08 github

I was facing something similar on Arch Linux and managed to fix it by forcing a static desktop scaling factor inside the Steam launch arguments

If you are launching Steam via '.desktop' shortcut (or the terminal), you can bypass this window geometry lockdown by adding the '-forcedesktopscaling' flag

For example, modify your Steam execution command to:
steam -forcedesktopscaling 1.0 %U

Note: If you have a high-res monitor (like 4K) and Steam looks too tiny after this, change 1.0 to 1.25, 1.5, or 2.0 to match your system's scaling/DPI needs!!!!

If this fixes the issue for you, let me know and I can explain how to edit your shortcut so it opens with these arguments by default every time.

BBenji7010 2026-06-15 github

I'm guessing Steam imposes new window size limits when entering big picture that aren't undone when leaving it. This happens on Windows as well I believe, but it has been a bit.

Rrom4ukqq 2026-06-19 github

Same issue on Fedora 44

Hardware Information:

  • Hardware Model: ASRock B550M Pro4
  • Memory: 32.0 GiB
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 5 5600X × 12
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX™ 4070 SUPER
  • Disk Capacity: 1.5 TB

Software Information:

  • Firmware Version: P3.90
  • OS Name: Fedora Linux 44 (Forty Four)
  • OS Build: (null)
  • OS Type: 64-bit
  • GNOME Version: 50
  • Windowing System: Wayland
  • Kernel Version: Linux 7.0.12-201.fc44.x86_64

Steam Beta Branch: Steam Beta Update
Steam Version: 1781329812
Steam Client Build Date: Sat, Jun 13, 2026 6:44 AM UTC -08:00
Steam Web Build Date: Sat, Jun 13, 2026 12:35 AM UTC -08:00
Steam API Version: SteamClient023

IIvanmt22 2026-08-29 github

Same issue, had it happen on both windows and Linux.
Hardware Information:

Hardware Information:

  • Memory: 32.0 GiB
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 7 9800X3D × 16
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX™ 5080

Software Information:

  • Firmware Version: F6
  • OS Name: CachyOS
  • OS Build: (null)
  • OS Type: 64-bit
  • GNOME Version: 50
  • Windowing System: Wayland
  • Kernel Version: Linux 7.2.2-1-cachyos

Steam Beta Branch: Stable Client
Steam Version: 1785799196
Steam Client Build Date: Mon, Aug 3, 2026 20:41 UTC -08:00
Steam Web Build Date: Tue, Aug 4, 2026 00:15 UTC -08:00
Steam API Version: SteamClient023

Nothing extracted yet.