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The simplest route is the official Steam build. In Gaming Mode, open the Steam Store, search for Arknights: Endfield, choose Install, select your internal drive or a Steam-formatted microSD card, and launch it from your library. The game is free to play on Steam, released October 14, 2026, and requires a Gryphline account. Gryphline says the Steam client must be used to download and update the Steam edition, while progress can synchronize across supported platforms when you link the correct account.
What you need before installing
- A Steam Deck running SteamOS with SteamOS updates installed. Restart after an update if Steam requests it.
- Enough storage headroom. Steam lists 60 GB of available space. Gryphline’s launch notice specifies 50 GB free plus another 40 GB temporarily required for extraction. Updates, shader data and temporary files can require more than the headline install figure, so do not fill the selected drive to its limit.
- A Gryphline account. The Steam listing requires one. You should know which Gryphline account is supposed to hold your progress before the first sign-in.
- An internet connection for the download, account authentication and future updates.
- Optional microSD storage. Valve documents support for UHS-I Class 3 or better microSD cards after they are formatted in Steam Deck settings.
The Windows requirements shown on the store page are not a Steam Deck performance guarantee. They list Windows 10 64-bit, a GTX 1060-class graphics card, 16 GB of RAM, DirectX 11 and kernel-level Anti-Cheat Expert. Those specifications describe the published PC requirements, not a promised frame rate or a verified SteamOS configuration. Valve was still adding Steam Deck support information when the game was checked, so compatibility can change with game, SteamOS or Proton updates.
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Install the official Steam version
- Update SteamOS. In Gaming Mode, press the Steam button, open Settings, choose System, install any available SteamOS update, and restart the Deck if prompted. Installing while the operating system or Steam client is waiting for a restart can produce avoidable download and launch errors.
- Open the store. From Gaming Mode, select Steam Store and use search to find Arknights: Endfield. Check that the listing is the official game page before continuing.
- Start the installation. Open the listing and select Install. Steam will ask where to place the game if more than one library location is available.
- Choose internal storage or a prepared microSD card. Select the drive with sufficient free space. If the card is new or has not been formatted by the Deck, cancel this installation and prepare the card using the procedure below.
- Let Steam finish downloading and unpacking. Leave substantially more free space than the store’s 60 GB figure because Gryphline’s launch instructions call for 50 GB free and an additional 40 GB during extraction. Do not interrupt the Deck while Steam is verifying or unpacking the files.
- Launch from the Library. When the install completes, open Library, select Arknights: Endfield, and press Play.
- Complete the Gryphline sign-in and account link. On the first Steam sign-in, link Steam to the Gryphline account that should receive your shared progress. Linking the wrong account can leave the game connected to an unintended profile, so verify the account identity before accepting the link.
The Steam edition is managed by Steam: Gryphline states that it can only be downloaded and updated through the Steam client and cannot be managed through the GRYPHLINK launcher. Use the Steam library for later patches, file verification and uninstalling this edition.
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A microSD card is a practical choice when the internal drive does not have enough spare capacity. Valve’s Steam Deck guidance says that any UHS-I Class 3 or better microSD card is supported after formatting. The card’s advertised capacity is not the same as usable free space, and this game’s extraction process needs temporary room in addition to the final installation.
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- Insert the microSD card into the Deck.
- Open the Steam menu in Gaming Mode and select Settings.
- Choose System.
- Under the storage or system options, select Format SD card and confirm. Formatting erases the card, so copy off anything you need first.
- Wait for SteamOS to complete the format, then return to the game’s Steam listing.
- Select Install and choose the formatted microSD card as the library location.
If the card does not appear as an install destination, remove and reinsert it, restart the Deck, and confirm that the format operation completed. A card that is below the documented UHS-I Class 3 level is outside Valve’s stated support guidance. Even with a supported card, leave free space for extraction, updates and shader data rather than allocating every available gigabyte to the library.
Account linking and cross-platform progress
Gryphline says the Steam version supports cross-platform account synchronization, but that benefit depends on linking the Steam account to the intended Gryphline account. Treat the first sign-in as an account-selection step, not a formality.
- Use the Gryphline credentials associated with the progress you want to continue on Steam Deck.
- Check the displayed account information before confirming the link.
- If you are starting fresh, decide which Gryphline account will remain your primary account before launching on another platform.
- Do not assume that installing the Steam build automatically imports a separate launcher installation; the account link, not the local files, is what associates shared progress.
The Steam client and the GRYPHLINK launcher are separate installation paths. A game installation made by one client is not automatically converted into the other client’s managed library.
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| Published item | What it means for a Deck owner |
|---|---|
| Steam release date: October 14, 2026 | The official Steam edition is available from the Steam Store as a free-to-play game. |
| Steam storage listing: 60 GB | Plan for more free space than the listing because installation and updates can use temporary files. |
| Gryphline launch guidance: 50 GB free plus 40 GB for extraction | Keep extraction headroom on the drive that contains the Steam library. |
| Published PC minimum: Windows 10 64-bit, GTX 1060-class graphics, 16 GB RAM, DirectX 11 | These are Windows requirements, not a SteamOS or Steam Deck performance promise. |
| Kernel-level Anti-Cheat Expert listed | Anti-cheat behavior can affect compatibility under Proton and may change after updates. |
| Steam Deck support status | Valve’s support information was still being added when checked; do not rely on an unverified frame-rate or battery expectation. |
No authoritative Steam Deck-specific source establishes a target of 30, 40 or 60 frames per second, a battery-runtime estimate or a particular Proton version for this game. Avoid treating the Windows requirements as proof of a fixed Deck experience. Check the current Steam listing and the game’s current behavior after each major update.
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What to do if the Steam install does not work
The game is missing from search
Confirm that the Deck is online, restart Steam, and search the exact title Arknights: Endfield in the Steam Store rather than looking in an old library entry. The official Steam build is the edition that Steam can download and update.
Steam says there is not enough space
Check the free space on the selected library drive, not just the Deck’s total capacity. The relevant installation process can require the listed 60 GB plus temporary extraction space. Remove or move other games, choose a formatted supported microSD card, and retry only after the extraction headroom is available.
The microSD card is not offered
Go to Steam > Settings > System > Format SD card. Formatting deletes the card’s contents. After formatting, restart Steam if necessary and try the install again. If the card still fails to appear, verify that it is UHS-I Class 3 or better and that the Deck detects it in System storage settings.
The game launches but will not authenticate
Confirm the Deck is connected to the internet and complete the Gryphline sign-in shown by the game. If the wrong account appears, stop before confirming the link and use the intended credentials. Account synchronization cannot help if the Steam account is linked to a different Gryphline profile from the one holding your progress.
An update fails or Steam keeps redownloading files
Use Steam’s library management for this edition: pause and resume the download, restart Steam, and retry the update from the game’s library page. Do not switch to the GRYPHLINK launcher for the Steam copy; Gryphline says that launcher cannot download or update the Steam version. If Steam reports corrupted data, use the game’s Steam properties to run its file-verification option, then retry with enough free space for temporary patch files.
The game opens to a black screen, closes, or behaves differently after an update
Steam Deck compatibility is not guaranteed by the Windows specification, and anti-cheat or Proton behavior can change. Restart the Deck, install pending SteamOS and game updates, and retest using the current default Steam compatibility behavior before experimenting with alternate tools. Record the game version and SteamOS state when seeking support; a Proton setting that worked for one release may not work after a later update.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Using the standalone Gryphline launcher instead
Choose this route only when you specifically need the non-Steam PC client. It is more complex, and its behavior can vary with SteamOS, Proton and launcher updates. It does not turn the Steam build into a launcher-managed installation.
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- Switch the Deck to Desktop Mode.
- Download the official Gryphline launcher from the publisher’s PC download page.
- Open Steam in Desktop Mode and choose Add a Non-Steam Game. Browse to the launcher installer, or add the installed launcher executable after installation.
- In the Steam library, select the added installer or launcher, open Properties, choose Compatibility, and enable the option to force a Steam Play compatibility tool.
- Select an available Proton tool, apply the setting, and run the installer or launcher through Steam.
- Sign in to Gryphline and install the non-Steam client into a location with the required free space.
Valve documents Proton support for non-Steam games and the compatibility-tool selector, but exact launcher results are version-sensitive. If your goal is simply to play the official Steam release, return to Gaming Mode and use the Steam listing instead. Gryphline explicitly says the Steam version cannot be downloaded or updated through the GRYPHLINK launcher.
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Which installation path should you choose?
| Path | Update management | Account and saves | Storage choice | Complexity and uncertainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official Steam build | Steam downloads and updates it. | Requires Gryphline sign-in; cross-platform synchronization is supported when the intended account is linked. | Internal drive or Steam-formatted UHS-I Class 3-or-better microSD card. | Lowest-friction option, but Steam Deck compatibility and anti-cheat behavior are not guaranteed by the Windows requirements. |
| Standalone Gryphline launcher added to Steam | Managed by the standalone launcher, not Steam’s game entry. | Uses Gryphline sign-in; do not assume a local install is automatically converted to the Steam client. | Any location accessible to the launcher with adequate extraction headroom. | Requires Desktop Mode, Add a Non-Steam Game and a forced Proton tool; results can change with launcher and Proton versions. |
For most Deck owners, install the Steam build first. Use the standalone route only for a specific need that the Steam edition does not meet, and expect to troubleshoot Proton and launcher behavior yourself.
Removing or moving the installation
For the Steam edition, manage the files from the game’s Steam library page. To remove it, open the game’s menu, choose the uninstall option, and confirm. To place a future installation on another drive, add that drive as a Steam library location and select it when installing again. Keep the account link in mind: moving local files does not change which Gryphline account owns synchronized progress.
If you move between internal storage and a microSD card, make sure the destination has the same extraction headroom required for a fresh install. A destination that can hold the final files but not temporary unpacking data can fail before the move or update completes.
Practical checklist
- SteamOS is updated and the Deck has been restarted if required.
- The official Steam listing, released October 14, 2026, is selected.
- The destination drive has the listed capacity plus extraction and update headroom.
- A microSD card, if used, is formatted in Steam > Settings > System > Format SD card and meets Valve’s UHS-I Class 3-or-better guidance.
- The correct Gryphline account is ready before first launch.
- You understand that Windows requirements do not establish a guaranteed SteamOS frame rate, battery life or Proton configuration.
- Steam, rather than the GRYPHLINK launcher, will handle downloads and updates for the Steam edition.
Bottom line
Install Arknights: Endfield from its official Steam listing, use internal storage or a properly formatted supported microSD card, reserve generous extraction space, and link the correct Gryphline account on first launch. The Steam route avoids launcher workarounds, but Steam Deck performance and anti-cheat compatibility remain version-sensitive rather than guaranteed by the published Windows specifications.
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