How to Install Yuzu on Steam Deck

Steam Deck offers support to certain emulators, and since Yuzu does not fall into that category, users would have to look at other ways to use Yuzu. In this guide, we will see how to install Yuzu for Steam Deck.

How to Install Yuzu on Steam Deck

There are currently two emulators that support Switch games on Steam Deck, Ryujinx and Yuzu. While Ryujinx is mostly preferred and easily available on the Discover Store for Steam Deck, Yuzu is a bit more complex. Here we will see the steps you can take to install and run Yuzu on your Steam Deck as well as install your Switch games here.

Before you begin, you will need the games and key from your Nintendo Switch, as well as an SD Card with 20GB or more space, or a C-Type USB cable that supports Steam Deck for Cloud Storage. If you have Chrome or Firefox with uBlock Origins on both Steam Deck and PC, then you can run the process much faster. Also, you will need a program that can help you unzip other files, like Ark on Steam Deck and 7zip for PC.

Start by going to Desktop Mode on your Steam Deck
You should have the keyboard enabled for Steam Deck by pressing Steam+X or installing CoreKeyBoard from the Discover Store. You can install Corekeyboard by searching it from the Discover Store > click CoreKeyBoard > go to Applications > Accessibility > Install CoreKeyBoard > Back >Start Menu > All Applications > Right Click CoreKeyBoard > Pin to Task Manager
You will also need Ark for Steam Deck, which you can easily find on the Discover Store. Just install it in your Applications folder
Next, on the Discover Store, go to Applications > Games > Emulators > Yuzu, or type it in the search bar if you cannot find it. Install Yuzu.
If using cloud storage on Steam Deck, you will need to download and install uBlock Origins for Firefox or Chrome.
For transferring prod.key files, make sure that the file is formatted to exFat for cloud transfers, and then upload them to your drive, USB, or SD Card. Convert your game files as .nsp or .xci then archive them. Upload or transfer to Steam Deck.
To place files in their respective locations on Steam Deck, go to Dolphin on Steam Deck’s Task Bar.
Select Options on the top right
Select Show Hidden Files
Use your SD Card or USB in your Steam Deck and confirm the Mount and Open window. Select all the files except prod.keys. Go to the Home tab on Dolphin and go to Documents on the left panel.
Create a new ROMs Folder by right-clicking on the window and going to +Create New > Folder. Create a subfolder within and call it Switch. Paste all the game files inside this. Also, your ROMs can be extracted here.
Run the Yuzu program, and ignore the error message. Close the error and Yuzu. Go back to Dolphin and copy your prod.key files.
Now go to Home > .var > app > org.yuzu_emu.yuzu > data > yuzu > open Yuzu > files > yuzu folder > keys >paste prod.keys file

Now Yuzu will work if your prod.key is activated. If you still encounter an error, then you can do some additional steps.
View > Reset Window Size > 720p
Emulation > Configure > Graphics and change the following settings
API – Vulkan
Device – AMD RADV VANGOGH
Use disk pipeline cache – Disable
Asynchronos GPU emulation – Disable
Accelerate ASTC texture – Disable
NVDEC emulation – GPU Video Decoding (Default)
Fullscreen Mode – Borderless Windowed
Aspect Ratio – Stretch to Window
Resolution – 1x (720p/1080p)
Window Adapting Filter – AMD FSR (For Vulkan)
Anti-Aliasing Method – None/ On
Advanced Settings
Normal / High
Vsync – off
Asynchornos shader building – Disable
Use Fast GPU Time – Disable
Controller Settings
Player 1 – Connect Controller to Pro
Input Device – Steam Virtual Gamepad
Set Profile and setup keys.
Hit Save and OK to Confirm

To add Yuzu to Steam, go to Steam > +Add Game > Add Non Steam Game > Yuzu > Add selected program. You can now play Yuzu on Game Mode by finding it under Non-Steam games in your Library. To close games on Yuzu, press the Steam Key on Steam Deck > Home > press A to head to Yuzu > click the X button to force quit.

You can now run Switch games on the Yuzu emulator for Steam Deck. If you like this guide you can check out our other guides as well.