protonscr

Cannot disable Steam Play for supported titles

steamopen Steam client
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#9957 · opened 2023-08-06 by eriktorbjorn · updated 2026-01-22 · 44 comments · github
3 matching comments, n / p to jump
Eeriktorbjorn 2023-08-06 github

Your system information

  • Steam client version (build number or date): 1690583737, Fri, Jul 28 8:44 PM UTC -08:00
  • Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Debian (unstable)
  • Opted into Steam client beta?: No (not that I'm aware of)
  • Have you checked for system updates?: Yes
  • Steam Logs: steam-logs.tar.gz
  • GPU: AMD (lspci says "VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Bonaire XTX [Radeon R7 260X/360]")

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

I opened the Settings dialog and clicked on "Compatibility".

steam-compat-settings

I clicked on the toggle for "Enable Steam Play for supported titles".

What I expected to happen: The toggle changing to the "off" position.
What actually happened: Nothing.

(The reason I want to disable it is that I don't trust Proton to run well on my hardware, since Vulkan support is experimental.)

Maybe the entire settings page is slightly broken, because this is what the manual says it should look like:

what-I-am-not-seeing

Steam support were not able to help me with my issue. Actually, I'm not even convinced they read it.

Eeriktorbjorn 2023-08-06 github
Ddisconnect5852 2023-08-25 github

same problem here! Now shows all of my games runnable on linux, while most of them aren't (start it, then nothing ever happens(

MMatias314 2023-09-23 github

Same problem here

NNetDin0 2023-10-02 github

Same here

Iihatesoftwaresomuch 2023-10-03 github

I'm having the same issue. None of my games are working, best case they start but quit before they successfully connect to a server. I'm using the lastest opensuse tumbleweed.

Bbclima 2023-10-04 github

Same here....

LLigthert 2023-10-04 github

Same... :unamused:

Llucaslira95 2023-10-06 github

Same...

AAlexCloudDev 2023-10-13 github

same :(

Llucifertdark 2023-10-14 github

There's a workaround available, you'll need ProtonUp-QT from https://github.com/DavidoTek/ProtonUp-Qt so you can install Steam-Play-None. It will do the job till Valve sort it out properly.

Ggoph-R 2023-11-09 github

Same, Debian 12, XFCE, GTX 1660

Edit: I still can't disable that option, but after I run the client from the terminal and checked the output, I noticed that it tries to run the .exe files as native linux binaries, so in my case I had to force the Proton Experimental, and now about everything works.

(Right click on the game, Properties, Compatibility, Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool -> Proton Experimental)

Screenshot_2023-11-11_00-23-22

Aasif-mahmud 2023-11-11 github

i got stuck here too

Jjhahvhi 2023-11-13 github

Same
Debian testing gnome

Nnm004 2023-11-20 github

I could revert it back by removing the entry of app id in ~/.steam/steam/userdata/<steamid>/compat.vdf.

LLigthert 2023-11-25 github

I don't know what happened, but in the past couple of weeks this setting has worked for me and I am good. :-)

NNetDin0 2023-11-26 github

I can't believe this bug hasn't been fixed yet.

Hher001 2023-11-28 github

I did some testing to verify this issue. It is true that there is no off button. However, overriding the compatibility setting to Steam Linux Runtime 1.0 (scout) runs the game in the exact same way as a native game without a compatibility tool set. It may be that there is still an issue here, in that this should be made more clear in the UI. Otherwise, the functionality of running the native client for the few games that are set to use Proton by default has not been removed.

Valve has made it clear that the Scout runtime is literally just the libraries shipped with the Steam client, without pressure-vessel (the containerization stuff). You can verify this yourself by checking the libraries that games are launched with by Steam:

  1. Set the launch options for a native game to echo $LD_LIBRARY_PATH > ~/libs.txt #%command%.
  2. Run the game.
  3. Check the libs.txt file in your home folder. For a native game, they will be the same regardless of whether the Scout runtime is selected.
  4. You may also check the command in your process list. It is not run with pressure-vessel when using Scout.

Further, if you disable the Steam runtime when starting Steam (setting STEAM_RUNTIME=0, as with the steam-native-runtime package in the Arch repos, which is also not recommended), setting the compatibility tool to Scout still respects the disabled Steam runtime.

tldr: If you want to run the native version of a game, setting the compatibility tool to Steam Linux Runtime 1.0 (scout) is the same as unsetting it.

EDIT: There is one thing I didn't check. In the Steam settings, under compatibility, if Steam Play support is disabled, does this also make Steam default to installing the native version of games instead of the Proton versions? I would assume so.

HHoutworm 2023-11-28 github

The issue is not that something is unclear in the UI, The issue is that a setting in the Steam Settings is broken.

If we untick "Enable Steam Play for all other titles" it should actually do that. not tick it again after a forced reboot.

"Enable Steam Play for supported titles" doesn't toggle at all, and will just stay in the on position if you click it.

Setting Steam Linux Runtime Scout for every game might be a workaround, but it is far from ideal. I don't want to set them all to scout just to turn them all off again when this problem gets fixed.

I don't want Valve to decide how I run my games, I want games to run natively, and preferably display the grayed out install button when there is no Linux depot.

I want an opt in into proton, not an opt out, this way the line between Proton and Native gets blurred. It is a Linux device so when I press install I expect it to install the Linux build, and if I want to use a compatibility tool I will select one myself.

I hope that this issue will get fixed very soon, I bought a Steam Deck over the Ally for the software, But I might be better off returning the Deck and Install Arch on the Ally while I am still within the return period. At least On Arch I can disable the second toggle.

Eeriktorbjorn 2023-12-02 github

I want an opt in into proton, not an opt out, this way the line between Proton and Native gets blurred.

Me too. Particularly since Proton has never ever actually worked for me when I've tried it. Perhaps because I've never tried it with Vulkan, since that's experimental on my hardware, but it's also never given me any error message about it. It just silently failed.

Zz-impi 2023-12-15 github

Same on Arch Garuda.
Button is not moving.
Same in beta. :(

LLinuxRocks101 2023-12-26 github

I'm also having this issue on Linux Mint 21.2 Edge Cinnamon. D:

At least Steam opens in Linux Mint. I had to switch back cause it'd just lockup and never open after the login screen on Kubuntu 23.10. :|

Fflamming-python 2024-01-04 github

Even purging the Steam client from my computer & deleting the .steam folder from my home directory, does not seem to reset this option to off. I would have to build a time machine and stop myself from flicking it on in the past. Valve have really outdone themselves. And this issue is considerably older than this bug report, BTW. Just another bug that has been allowed to be relegated into the backlog and go unfixed despite its pretty serious usability consequences for customers whose computers do not support Proton well or at all

GgPhantasm 2024-01-09 github

Still having this issue. I can install the Linux version of games by forcing it with the Linux Runtime, but every 24 hours it installs an "update" for the game which overwrites its files with the Windows version. Steam Support told me it's because I'm not using Ubuntu with GNOME... Sure.

NNoTitleGamesOfficial 2024-01-10 github

Same issue using Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

Eelevenlooks 2024-01-10 github

I have the same issue on Arch

NNetDin0 2024-01-12 github

Today a patch was released, but for me nothing as changed

image

Kkisak-valve maintainer 2024-01-12 github

Hello @NetDin0, the release note you're highlighting is for #9875. If you're seeing that issue, then follow the instruction at https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/9875#issuecomment-1853037408 to nudge the game config out of the quirk state.

Ddatante 2024-01-31 github

Can confirm the issue is still not fixed. I am running Linux Mint 21.3

GGerardo-RC 2024-01-31 github

I could revert it back by removing the entry of app id in ~/.steam/steam/userdata/<steamid>/compat.vdf.

This is the solution, thank you very much, all the games to be installed that are not native are disabled 👍

Qqquq 2024-02-06 github

The issue is still not resolved.
Debian 10 LTS
Steam Beta as of date 06.02.2024

CcarlRondoni 2024-03-04 github

Not resolved on arch linux :(

LLinuxRocks101 2024-03-11 github

I switched to KDE Neon to try out Plasma 6, and this issue still isn't resolved. Will this ever even be looked at and fixed? It can't be that hard or take that long to do. This is probably one of the more important features on Steam in Linux. So you'd think that it'd have been taken care of already. Plus Steam Support was useless about this problem too. 🙄

Eeduardoeae 2024-04-18 github

Arch Linux up to date... still not fixed.

HHesder 2024-05-09 github

I have the same problem with a fresh install of Ubuntu 24.04. The button works, but has no effect.

MANUAL WORKAROUND:

Edit the following file and empty the content (This files registers for each game the compatability mode, throwing it away forces steam to generate it again, based on your current settings).

~/.steam/steam/userdata/115053894/config/compat.vdf

MMilor123 2024-06-10 github

Guys how can disable the fuc***** BETA steam, it crashes my steam :( i dont wanna lost all my data. please help me

?ghost 2024-06-19 github

Problem still exists almost a year later. Pretty good encouragment to not use steam on Linux and take the good ol' black flag approach.

Zzoobporsor 2024-07-13 github

I still cant turn it off too. I have no idea if its trying to play Native linux games , or trying to run Proton games. I don't know how to force run native linux games and turn off Proton.

Vvisnul 2024-10-26 github

It seems, as I've seen no communications to the contrary, that with the October 25th client beta update steam has "it's not a bug, it's a feature"d it.

The button was removed entirely.

ZZEROX7 2024-11-13 github

fixed it by exiting steam and deleting the userdata for my account

PPoyeyo 2024-12-24 github

I have this issue, but it was fixed by uninstalling steam, deleting the contents from the .steam folder, and reinstalling it.

So at least there is a workaround.

Ttehdango 2025-07-02 github

It seems, as I've seen no communications to the contrary, that with the October 25th client beta update steam has "it's not a bug, it's a feature"d it.

The button was removed entirely.

I really dont like to necro threads but this is sort of crazy and nobody else is really talking about it except here. If steam is forcing steam play to always be enabled then how do we know which of our games has a native linux client? When this is forced on it even runs those games via proton which, I think I speak for all of us, not what we want.....at all.

Vvisnul 2025-07-13 github
Image

Apparently, some part of Valve has lost their marbles and removed every option except the default proton version. Gaben, wtf?

Having Steamplay on by default is fine as I imagine it helps Steamdeck users, but good lord are you giving a sh/*t about linux or not? This is f/*cking absurd. This isn't the beta client and this isn't unintentional unless your testing suite is abysmally lacking.

I would love to have a separate library that holds all of the games that run natively, but the penguin button in the library side panel has been mostly broken (it included Windows titles that Steam thinks work well under proton) and now it is ENTIRELY useless as it filters NOTHING.

Is GOG still worth buying from? I don't know that Steam is anymore.

Vvisnul 2025-07-13 github

To confirm, it is indeed on purpose. Steamdeck is giving them brainworms.

Steam Client Update - June 30th

PPimpOfSune 2026-01-22 · hidden on GitHub github

Is GOG still worth buying from?

Depends on what you're looking for.
GOG Galaxy doesn't exist for Linux.
Lutris's GOG integration (and all other integrations) are currently broken. Manual DRM-free install works USUALLY.
Heroic works for GOG, on Linux, natively. However, it needs some optimization, desperately.
And on top of that some native Linux versions which GOG sells are currently broken. ADOM (not Ultimate one) and Victor Vran being among oldest offenders.

There are rumours of PlayNite getting native Linux version this year.