Steam Deck gets a lock screen – here’s how to make the device more secure
Lock screen finally arrives to bolster your security and privacy
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Valve has pushed out a new update for theSteam Deckwhich brings with it a commonly-used feature on thesecurity and privacyfronts – namely a lock screen.
As you’re no doubt aware, the lock screen is a security feature whereby the device is locked, and needs to have a PIN entered to actually get into the system and do stuff, thereby preventing the possibility that anyone could pick up your handheld and start messing with it.
TheSteamDeck’s lock screen requests a six-character PIN, and if you don’t know that PIN, you won’t get in.
This feature is something that a good many folks have been clamoring for since the device was launched, and indeed some have been scratching their heads as to why Valve hasn’t provided this protection before now, considering that the Steam Deck is a fullPC, possibly with all manner of sensitive details on it (aside from just yourgamesand saves).
Wondering how you make use of this new capability? Well, stay tuned, because we’ll talk you through exactly what you need to do in order to make your Steam Deck more secure in the section which follows below.
How to turn on the Steam Deck lock screen
Finally, it’s worth noting that if you installed the update right after it was released, and had issues with PIN entry, there was a bug in that initial update. Valve has since fixed that gremlin, later pushing out a new update complete with the resolution. So, you may need to reapply the update if you did run into any trouble as an early adopter of this upgrade.
ViaThe Verge
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Darren is a freelancer writing news and features for TechRadar (and occasionally T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other hardware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time (his debut novel - ‘I Know What You Did Last Supper’ - was published by Hachette UK in 2013).
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