TypeScreen

Install TypeScreen on Your Handheld

TypeScreen on your handheld captures video in Game Mode, encodes it in hardware, and sends it over the cable. The iPad app installs it over Wi-Fi — just once.

What You Need

  • A SteamOS handheld in Game Mode.
  • An iPad with the TypeScreen app.
  • A Wi-Fi network shared by iPad and your handheld — only during installation.
  • Internet access on your handheld to download the components it needs.

How to Install

  1. Turn on Developer Mode. On your handheld, press the menu button (STEAM on Steam Deck). On other handhelds, Steam shows this button’s icon at the bottom left of the screen, next to MENU. Open Settings → System and turn on Enable Developer Mode. You only need to do this once.
  2. Tap Install on Handheld on your iPad. The button is available during initial setup and on the TypeScreen waiting screen. When iPad asks for access to the local network, allow it so the app can find your handheld.
  3. Allow the connection on your handheld. Go to Settings → Developer (the last section in the list) and select “Pair new host”; the button changes to “Pairing…”. Your handheld asks you to allow this iPad to connect. Confirm the request. The iPad app shows the same steps with images of the handheld screen.
  4. Wait for the installation to finish. The iPad app installs and starts TypeScreen automatically. During the first installation, your handheld builds the components it needs. This usually takes a few minutes. Keep your handheld on until installation finishes.

From then on, TypeScreen starts with Game Mode. Connect your iPad to the handheld with a USB-C cable, and your game appears on iPad automatically.

Updates

When the iPad app includes a new version for your handheld, open Help and tap Check. The app offers an update — tap Update. Updating takes a few minutes and keeps your settings.

What Gets Installed and Where

  • Everything is installed in the deck user’s home folder: podman containers and systemd user services.
  • The SteamOS system partition isn’t changed, and no administrator password is needed.
  • To install TypeScreen, iPad signs in to your handheld over SSH. The key is stored in the iPad keychain and never leaves iPad. Your handheld keeps only the public part of the key for future updates. You can remove it from ~/.ssh/authorized_keys.

How to Uninstall

In Desktop Mode, open Konsole and run:

~/.local/share/typescreen/src/host/packaging/uninstall.sh

With --purge, the command also removes components, settings, and pairing records. The next time you connect, iPad asks “Trust This Computer?” again.