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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Install Proton Experimental from your Steam Library, then select it in the target game’s Compatibility settings. It is Valve’s public-testing version of Proton, so use it when its changes may help or another version has a problem—not simply because it is the newest option. If a game already works reliably, there may be no reason to switch.
Install Proton Experimental through Steam
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Open Steam and search your Library for Proton Experimental. Select it and install it if it is not already installed. Wait for the download to finish.
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In your Library, open the target game’s Properties, then choose Compatibility.
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Enable the option to force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool, if needed, and choose Proton Experimental from the list.
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Close Properties and launch the game from Steam. Allow any first-run downloads or setup to finish before deciding whether it works.
Steam manages its own Proton versions and downloads the Steam Runtime components required by a game or Proton version into the Steam library. The menu wording or layout can vary between desktop Steam, Steam Deck, and client updates. Valve’s Proton README describes Proton as a compatibility tool for running Windows games on Linux and says most users should use the versions supplied by Steam.
Decide whether Experimental is the right version
Proton uses Wine to help Windows games run on Linux. Experimental is intended for public testing of experimental features; it may include fixes before they reach a more tested release, but it can also introduce regressions. Valve’s Proton Versions documentation distinguishes the available flavors:
| Version | Valve’s description | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Stable | The default numbered release, issued after extensive QA and a public release-candidate phase. | Choose it when the game works and predictability matters. |
| Experimental | A public-testing version for experimental features. Games called out in its changelog are tested for regressions before release. | Try it when a current change appears relevant to your game or another version has a problem. |
| Hotfix | Usually outdated, but can temporarily carry targeted fixes for new or important games; intended to be short-lived. | Use it for a specific game that needs its targeted fix, not as a general upgrade. |
| Bleeding Edge | Automated, untested builds on Experimental’s beta branch that pick up recent Proton and graphics-component development. | Only for intentional development testing. Valve warns it can damage a game prefix or saves. |
Before staying on Experimental, check its current changelog for game-specific changes. Proton builds change over time, so a fix reported for one build does not guarantee the current build will help.
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Switch back if the game regresses
If the game stops launching, performs worse, or develops a new problem after the change, return to its Properties > Compatibility settings and select the previous working Proton version or another suitable Steam-provided version. Launch the game again and see whether the issue clears. Do not treat Experimental as an upgrade that every game should use.
Troubleshoot a missing option or launch problem
Proton Experimental does not appear in the list
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Confirm its Library download has completed.
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Restart Steam and revisit the game’s Compatibility settings.
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The game will not launch or has a regression
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Compare the game with its previous working Proton version.
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Check the current Proton changelog and compatibility reports for game-specific information; do not assume an old report applies to the current build.
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Graphics or performance are poor
Check current graphics-driver guidance from your Linux distribution for your GPU and game. Valve notes that some newer titles need cutting-edge drivers, but its Requirements page includes Ubuntu package examples last edited June 2, 2023; those dated commands should not be treated as universal current instructions. See Valve’s Proton Requirements for context.
Steam appears to be downloading setup files
This can be expected: Steam automatically downloads the Steam container runtime version needed by a game or Proton version into the library. The Steam Runtime README explains the runtime’s role.
You need diagnostic details
To enable Proton logging for a game, open its Properties > General settings and add PROTON_LOG=1 %command% to the launch options. Valve documents this in its Proton FAQ. A log can provide details for troubleshooting or a bug report, but it does not by itself identify the cause.
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Do you need to install Proton manually?
No. For ordinary Steam use, install Proton Experimental through the Library and select it for the game. Building Proton from source or installing a custom local build is an advanced task for users who want to modify Proton. Valve’s README places manually installed local builds under ~/.steam/root/compatibilitytools.d/; that separate workflow is not required for the Steam-managed Experimental version.
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