Valve is apparently working on adding a feature to the Steam Deck that will let users limit how much the battery charges. This could help improve long-term battery health.
Right now, the Steam Deck doesn’t have an option to limit the charging, which is common on many smartphones and other devices. With the Battery Charge Limit feature, people can set their device to only charge up to a certain percentage, usually around 80%. This helps the battery last longer.
Lithium-ion batteries, like the one in the Steam Deck, lose their ability to hold a charge over time. By keeping the charge between 20% and 80%, the battery will stay healthier for longer. This feature has no specific release date, but it should be as simple as updating your Steam Deck when it shows up.
Even though the official feature isn’t available yet, users can still activate a similar option using a specific command or the Power Tools Decky plugin. These options let users set a custom limit on how much their device charges, but doing so comes with some risks. Alternatively, Reddit user NoFly3972 gives a command that can be used.
The Steam Deck already has a battery passthrough feature, meaning that when it’s plugged in, it uses power from the charger first and only uses battery power when the charge drops below 90%. This is different from the planned Battery Charge Limit feature, which would stop the charging once it reaches a certain percentage.
Adding an official Battery Charge Limit is a great improvement. The current ways to manage this issue may work, but they don’t offer the same level of accuracy and consistency as a built-in feature would. The current battery-saving settings on the Steam Deck work reasonably well, but they might not be as advanced as Valve is planning. You can replace the battery if needed, but it’d be better if it could last longer with managed use.
Sources: Brad Lynch/X, Reddit
