RetroDeck Setup Guide

Complete walkthrough for installing and configuring RetroDeck on Steam Deck.

Before You Start

What You Need

• Steam Deck with enough storage space (internal or SD card)
• ROM files for the games you want to play
• BIOS files for systems that require them (see BIOS guide)
• A way to transfer files (USB drive, network share, or direct download)

Storage Recommendations

RetroDeck can be installed on your internal storage or SD card. Your ROMs can be in either location regardless of where RetroDeck is installed.

What	Size	Recommendation
RetroDeck application	~3 GB	Internal or SD card
ROMs folder	Varies (10 GB - 2 TB+)	SD card recommended for large collections
Save files	~100 MB - 1 GB	Internal for faster access

Installation

1. Switch to Desktop Mode
   Hold the power button on your Steam Deck. Select "Switch to Desktop" from the menu. Wait for the desktop to load.
2. Open Discover
   Click the shopping bag icon in the taskbar, or find Discover in the application menu. Discover is the app store for SteamOS.
3. Search for RetroDeck
   Type "RetroDeck" in the search bar. You should see it appear in the results. Make sure you are selecting the official RetroDeck application.
4. Install RetroDeck
   Click the Install button. The download is approximately 2-3 GB. Wait for it to complete.
5. Launch RetroDeck
   Once installed, you can launch it from Discover or find it in your applications menu under Games.

First-Time Setup

The first time you run RetroDeck, it walks you through initial configuration.

1. Welcome Screen
   RetroDeck greets you and explains what it will do. Click Next to continue.
2. Choose Installation Location
   You pick where RetroDeck stores its data (ROMs, saves, BIOS, etc.). Options are:
   • Internal Storage: ~/retrodeck
   • SD Card: /run/media/mmcblk0p1/retrodeck
   If you have a large ROM collection, choose SD card. You can change this later, but it requires moving files.
3. Folder Creation
   RetroDeck creates all necessary folders. This includes folders for each console's ROMs, BIOS files, saves, and screenshots.
4. Confirmation
   RetroDeck shows you a summary. Confirm and it finishes the setup.

Understanding the Folder Structure

After setup, RetroDeck creates this structure in your chosen location:

retrodeck/
    bios/           # BIOS files go here
    roms/           # Your game files
        3do/
        amiga/
        arcade/
        atari2600/
        dreamcast/
        gb/
        gba/
        gc/
        n64/
        nds/
        nes/
        ps2/
        psp/
        psx/
        saturn/
        snes/
        switch/
        wii/
        wiiu/
        ... (many more)
    saves/          # Save files
    states/         # Save states
    screenshots/    # Screenshots
    texture_packs/  # Custom textures
    mods/           # Game mods

Each ROM folder name matches what EmulationStation expects. Put your ROMs in the correct folder and they appear automatically.

Adding Your Games

Method 1: File Manager (Desktop Mode)

1. Open Dolphin File Manager
   Click the folder icon in the taskbar.
2. Navigate to your RetroDeck folder
   If on internal: Home folder, then retrodeck, then roms.
   If on SD card: Devices in the sidebar, then the SD card, then retrodeck/roms.
3. Copy ROMs to the correct folders
   SNES games go in the snes folder, PlayStation games go in psx, and so on.

Method 2: USB Drive

1. Put ROMs on a USB drive
   Format as exFAT or NTFS for cross-platform compatibility.
2. Connect to Steam Deck
   Use a USB-C adapter if needed. The drive appears in the file manager.
3. Copy files
   Drag and drop to the appropriate ROM folders.

Method 3: Network Transfer

You can use SSH/SFTP, Syncthing, or SMB shares. This is faster for large transfers from a PC on the same network.

Adding BIOS Files

Some systems require BIOS files. Place them directly in the retrodeck/bios/ folder.

Most Common BIOS Files

System	File Name	Required?
PlayStation 1	scph5501.bin	Yes
PlayStation 2	Various (SCPH-XXXXX)	Yes
Sega CD	bios_CD_U.bin	Yes
Sega Saturn	sega_101.bin	Yes
Dreamcast	dc/dc_boot.bin	Optional
Nintendo DS	bios7.bin, bios9.bin	Optional

See the complete BIOS Files Explained page for all systems.

BIOS Checker Tool

RetroDeck includes a BIOS checker in the Configurator. It scans your bios folder and tells you which files are present, missing, or incorrect.

Using the Configurator

RetroDeck includes a powerful configuration tool accessible from the Tools menu in ES-DE or by running it separately.

Key Configurator Features

Feature	What It Does
BIOS Checker	Verifies your BIOS files are present and correct
Emulator Settings	Quick access to individual emulator configurations
RetroArch Settings	Configure cores, shaders, and RetroArch options
Reset Settings	Reset specific emulators or everything to defaults
Folder Management	Move your RetroDeck folder to a different location
Compression Tools	Compress ROMs to save space (CHD, RVZ, etc.)
Multi-user	Manage multiple user profiles with separate saves

Navigating ES-DE

ES-DE (EmulationStation Desktop Edition) is RetroDeck's game launcher. It presents your games in a visual, controller-friendly interface.

Basic Controls

Action	Button
Navigate	D-pad or left stick
Select / Launch	A button
Back	B button
Options menu	Start button
Quick access menu	Select button
System select	Triggers (LB/RB)

Main Menu Options

Press Start to access the main menu. Key options include:

• Scraper: Download game artwork, descriptions, and metadata
• UI Settings: Themes, transitions, screen options
• Game Collection Settings: Favorites, custom collections
• Other Settings: Audio, network, developer options
• Quit: Close ES-DE or restart

Scraping Artwork

To get box art and game info:

1. Press Start to open the menu
2. Select "Scraper"
3. Choose your scraping source (ScreenScraper is popular)
4. Select "Scrape Now"
5. Choose to scrape all games or just games missing media
6. Wait for the process to complete

Using in Gaming Mode

To use RetroDeck from Steam's Gaming Mode (the default Steam Deck interface):

1. Add to Steam
   In Desktop Mode, open Steam. Click Games in the menu, then "Add a Non-Steam Game." Find RetroDeck in the list and add it.
2. Switch to Gaming Mode
   Return to Gaming Mode from the desktop menu or restart.
3. Find RetroDeck
   RetroDeck appears in your Steam library under Non-Steam Games.
4. Launch and play
   Launch RetroDeck from Steam. ES-DE opens and you can navigate entirely with the controller.

Controller Configuration

RetroDeck comes with pre-configured controller profiles. If you need to adjust:

• Press the Steam button while in a game
• Select Controller Settings
• Make adjustments or apply community layouts

Cloud Saves

RetroDeck supports syncing saves across devices using cloud services.

Built-in Cloud Sync

RetroDeck can sync with various cloud services through its configurator:

• Nextcloud
• Syncthing
• SFTP servers

Manual Backup

Your saves are stored in retrodeck/saves/ and retrodeck/states/. You can manually copy these to any cloud service (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.) or back them up to a USB drive.

Updating RetroDeck

RetroDeck updates through Discover like any other Flatpak application.

1. Open Discover in Desktop Mode
2. Click the Updates section in the sidebar
3. If RetroDeck has an update, it appears here
4. Click Update to install

When RetroDeck updates, all included emulators update together. Your ROMs, saves, and settings are preserved.

Tips and Best Practices

Organization

• Use consistent file naming for better scraper matching
• Remove region tags if scraping fails (like "[USA]" or "(E)")
• Create favorites for quick access to games you play often
• Use collections to group games (by genre, year, etc.)

Performance

• Keep RetroDeck and games on the SD card to save internal storage
• Use compressed formats (CHD for disc games) to save space
• Close background applications in Desktop Mode before playing
• For demanding emulators, connect to power for stable performance

Troubleshooting

• If games are not appearing, check that ROMs are in the correct folder
• Run the BIOS checker if a system is not working
• Use the Configurator to reset settings if something breaks
• Check the RetroDeck wiki and Discord for help