Mac users with Apple Silicon machines can now run the ARM version of SteamOS, the operating system behind Valve's Steam Deck, through a free open source application called FX Steam Launcher. The software combines a virtual machine with compatibility layers to boot SteamOS on a Mac, according to Wired, which tested the setup on a MacBook Air. The tool requires a Mac with an Apple Silicon processor running macOS 15 or later; Intel Macs are not supported.
The appeal is partly driven by Apple's software decisions. Apple stopped supporting 32-bit games in 2019 with the release of macOS Catalina, leaving many older titles in Steam libraries unplayable on the Mac. Wired reported that macOS will next year drop support for running Intel Mac applications, which could make even more games unplayable, though Apple claims certain older games will keep working.
Setup begins by creating a new disk in the launcher. Users choose a hard drive size, with 64 GB as the default, and can allocate more space for large games. The application then downloads SteamOS and installs it in a virtual machine. Wired recommends pairing a game controller with the Mac through Bluetooth during that time. FX Steam Launcher works with most current gamepads, including Xbox, DualSense, DualShock, and Made for iPhone; Wired used a Nintendo Pro Controller.
After logging in with Steam credentials, users see their library inside a virtual machine that behaves like a Steam Deck. It separates games known to work in SteamOS from those that might work. Wired said many games started running immediately with full gamepad support.
The setup is not a drop-in solution for every title. SteamOS itself is fiddly, and running it in a virtual machine adds further limits. Wired needed to adjust graphics settings in some cases and downloaded a user-made patch to get the controller working properly in Psychonauts, a fix that would also be needed on an actual Steam Deck. When games ran poorly, Wired often found solutions from Steam Deck owners who had encountered similar problems.
Processing power is limited, particularly on a MacBook Air, and a virtual machine by definition does not have access to all of the machine's capabilities. A compatibility list compiled from other users shows which devices have successfully played various titles. Wired also installed some non-Steam games by booting into Desktop Mode, accessible from the SteamOS sidebar under Power, which opens a Linux-based desktop with a web browser.
Wired described the software as remarkable and said it was easier than its previous method for running Windows games on a Mac, which involved setting up a version of Wine that is no longer supported. Settings for FX Steam Launcher can be opened from the menu bar or with the keyboard shortcut Command-comma, allowing changes to the virtual Steam Deck's resolution, sound configuration, and submission of game statistics.
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