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The simplest and officially supported way to install Arknights: Endfield on a Steam Deck is through the Steam client. In Gaming Mode, search the Steam Store for the game, choose Install, select internal storage or a Steam-formatted microSD card, and launch it from your library. The Steam release is free to play, requires a Gryphline account, and supports cross-platform account synchronization.
Plan storage before you begin: Steam lists 60 GB of available space, while Gryphline’s launch notice calls for 50 GB free plus another 40 GB temporarily used during extraction. Steam Deck compatibility is not guaranteed by the game’s Windows requirements, so installation is straightforward but actual playability can change with SteamOS, game, anti-cheat, and Proton updates.
What you need before installing
Arknights: Endfield launched on Steam on October 14, 2026. The Steam listing identifies it as free to play and says a Gryphline account is required. You need an internet connection for the initial download, a Steam account, and enough free space on the destination drive for the download, extraction, updates, and shader data.
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Account requirements
- A Steam account with access to the Steam Store.
- A Gryphline account. During the first Steam sign-in, link Steam to the Gryphline account that contains the progress you intend to use.
- If you already play on another platform, use that existing Gryphline account rather than creating a second one. Gryphline states that the Steam version supports cross-platform account synchronization when the correct accounts are linked.
Storage requirements
Steam displays 60 GB of available-space requirement for the game. Gryphline’s launch notice instead specifies 50 GB of free space plus an additional 40 GB temporarily needed for extraction. These figures describe different parts of the installation process, so do not treat 50 GB as a safe target. Leave more free space than either published minimum, especially on a nearly full Deck or microSD card.
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Deck and operating-system preparation
- Connect the Deck to power or make sure it has enough charge for a large download and installation.
- Install any pending SteamOS updates and restart if Steam requests it. Keeping the operating system current is particularly important when a new game’s compatibility status is still changing.
- Decide whether the game will use the internal SSD or a microSD card before starting the download.
Install the official Steam version in Gaming Mode
This is the least complicated path because Steam handles the download, installation, updates, library entry, and launch shortcut. You do not need to download a separate Windows installer or manually choose Proton for the official Steam listing.
- Switch to Gaming Mode and open Steam Store.
- Use the store search and enter Arknights: Endfield.
- Open the official game listing. Confirm that it is the Steam release and that the listing shows the free-to-play offer.
- Select Install.
- When Steam asks for a location, choose the internal drive or a microSD card that has already been formatted for the Deck.
- Review the required space shown by Steam and start the download. Keep additional room available for temporary extraction files, updates, and shader data.
- Wait for the download and installation to finish. The game will then appear in your Steam library.
- Launch it from the library. Complete the Gryphline sign-in and account-linking prompts, selecting the Gryphline account whose progress you want associated with Steam.
The Steam build can only be downloaded and updated through the Steam client. Gryphline’s official Steam launch information says it cannot be managed through the GRYPHLINK launcher, so installing that launcher does not replace Steam’s update process for this edition.
Install to a microSD card
A microSD card is a practical choice when your internal SSD does not have enough room. Valve says Steam Deck supports any UHS-I Class 3 or better microSD card after it has been formatted in the Deck’s settings. The card must be prepared by Steam before it appears as a usable game-library destination.
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- From Gaming Mode, open Steam > Settings > System.
- Find the SD-card controls and choose Format SD card.
- Allow SteamOS to complete the format and return to the library.
- Open the Arknights: Endfield store page and choose Install.
- In the install-location selector, choose the formatted microSD card instead of internal storage.
- Confirm the installation and monitor the card’s free space while Steam downloads and extracts the files.
The published 60 GB requirement is the space Steam asks you to have available, not a promise that the card can be filled to exactly 60 GB. The extra extraction allowance in Gryphline’s launch notice means a card with only a narrow margin above the listed size may still fail during installation or an update. Keep a useful buffer rather than waiting for Steam to report a full drive.
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Choosing between internal storage and microSD
| Location | Best when | Important consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Internal SSD | You have ample free space and want the simplest default setup. | Reserve room beyond Steam’s 60 GB listing for extraction, updates, and shader data. |
| UHS-I Class 3 or better microSD | You want to preserve internal SSD capacity or keep large games on removable storage. | Format the card in Steam Deck settings first and leave headroom for the same temporary files and updates. |
First launch, account linking, and cross-platform progress
The first launch is more than a one-time game startup: it establishes which Gryphline account is connected to your Steam identity. When the sign-in or linking screen appears, stop and verify the account details before continuing.
If you already have a Gryphline account
- Choose the sign-in option rather than creating a new account.
- Use the credentials for the account that contains your existing Arknights: Endfield progress.
- Approve the Steam-to-Gryphline link when prompted.
- After entering the game, check that your expected profile or progress is present before spending time on setup.
If you create or select the wrong account
Do not assume that reinstalling the game will change the linked account. The important relationship is between the Steam identity and the Gryphline account, not the location of the game files. Sign out or use the account-management options shown by the game or Gryphline support, and verify the intended account before creating additional progress. The exact recovery controls can change, so follow the account prompts presented by the current client.
How synchronization works
Gryphline states that the Steam version supports cross-platform account synchronization. That means progress is associated with the linked Gryphline account rather than being confined to one Deck installation. Synchronization does not mean that the same local files can be copied between the Steam and non-Steam clients; Steam still owns installation and update management for the Steam edition.
Does it work on SteamOS?
There is no published Steam Deck-specific performance target in the available official information. The Windows requirements are not a Deck compatibility guarantee. The listed Windows baseline includes Windows 10 64-bit, a GTX 1060-class graphics processor, 16 GB of RAM, DirectX 11, and kernel-level Anti-Cheat Expert. Those specifications describe the Windows PC environment, not a tested SteamOS configuration.
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SteamDB reported that Valve was still adding Steam Deck support when the listing was accessed. Compatibility labels and launch behavior can therefore change as the game, SteamOS, Proton, and anti-cheat configuration are updated. Do not treat a Windows “minimum” or “recommended” specification as a promise of a particular frame rate, battery life, graphics preset, or stable operation on every Deck model.
What the anti-cheat requirement means
The Windows listing references Anti-Cheat Expert at kernel level. Anti-cheat software can require platform-specific support, and Proton behavior can change when a publisher changes its configuration. The evidence available here does not establish a guaranteed Proton result or a fixed Deck performance level. If the Steam listing gains or loses a Deck compatibility designation after an update, use that current status as the more relevant signal than the Windows requirements alone.
What to do if the Steam installation is not available
First, confirm that Steam is showing the official listing and that the Deck is online. Install pending SteamOS updates, restart Steam, and search again. If the game page is visible but the install button is unavailable, read the message Steam displays instead of switching immediately to an unrelated installer; the Steam edition is intended to be installed and updated by Steam.
Download stops because of storage
- Open the game’s storage information in Steam and verify the selected drive.
- Check free space on the internal SSD or microSD card, not just the size of the game already downloaded.
- Remember that extraction and update operations can need temporary space in addition to the final installed files.
- If the card is not listed as a destination, return to Steam > Settings > System > Format SD card and make sure SteamOS has prepared it.
Steam cannot see the microSD card
Power down or restart the Deck if the card was inserted while Steam was busy, then check the system storage view. A card intended for this use must be formatted by the Deck and meet Valve’s stated UHS-I Class 3-or-better support level. If Steam still does not offer it as an install location, complete the system and SteamOS updates before troubleshooting the game itself.
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The game opens but the account is wrong
Exit the game and review which Gryphline credentials were used during the first Steam sign-in. Installing a second copy will not correct an account link. Use the game’s or account service’s available sign-out or support flow, and avoid creating new progress on an account you do not intend to keep.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Using the standalone Gryphline launcher as a fallback
The non-Steam PC client is an alternative only when you specifically need the standalone launcher. It is not the normal way to install the Steam edition, and the official Steam notice says the Steam build cannot be downloaded or updated through the GRYPHLINK launcher.
- Switch the Deck to Desktop Mode.
- Download the official Gryphline launcher from the publisher’s site.
- Install the launcher, or locate its installer, in Desktop Mode.
- Open Steam and choose Add a Non-Steam Game to add the installer or launcher.
- In the Steam library, open the added item’s Properties > Compatibility.
- Enable the option to force a Steam Play compatibility tool and select an installed Proton tool.
- Launch the installer or launcher through Steam and follow its own prompts.
Valve documents Proton support for non-Steam games and the compatibility-tool selector, but exact launcher behavior and Proton results are version-sensitive. A launcher that works after one update can require a different tool after another. This route also creates a separate maintenance path: Steam manages the non-Steam shortcut and selected compatibility layer, while the Gryphline launcher manages the files it installs. Do not expect Steam’s install, patching, or library metadata to manage that separate client as if it were the official Steam build.
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- You specifically need the standalone PC client and accept manual Proton troubleshooting.
- The official Steam listing is unavailable to your account or you have a documented reason to use the non-Steam build.
- You are comfortable switching to Desktop Mode and changing compatibility-tool settings after updates.
For a normal Deck installation, the official Steam listing remains the lower-friction choice because it avoids a separate installer and keeps updates in one place.
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Steam installation versus the standalone launcher
| Factor | Official Steam build | Standalone Gryphline launcher |
|---|---|---|
| Distribution | Install directly from the Steam Store listing. | Download the publisher’s PC launcher in Desktop Mode and add it to Steam. |
| Updates | Downloaded and installed through Steam only. | Managed by the launcher for its own installation; not the Steam build’s update path. |
| Account and saves | Requires Gryphline sign-in and supports cross-platform synchronization when linked correctly. | Uses the Gryphline account system, but it is a separate client installation. |
| Deck setup | Gaming Mode install with no manual Proton selection required for the store listing. | Desktop Mode setup, Steam shortcut creation, and a forced Proton tool. |
| Compatibility certainty | Still subject to changing Steam Deck support, Proton, and anti-cheat behavior. | Even more version-sensitive because launcher and game behavior run through a non-Steam configuration. |
| Storage | Internal SSD or Steam-formatted microSD card. | Storage location depends on the launcher and the non-Steam shortcut configuration. |
Moving or reinstalling the game
For the Steam version, use Steam’s own storage-management controls rather than copying folders manually. Open the game in your library, open its storage or properties controls, and choose the available move option if Steam offers one for your drives. The move changes where Steam stores the files; it does not change the Gryphline account linked to your Steam identity.
If you uninstall and reinstall, account progress should still be associated with the linked Gryphline account rather than the local files. You will need to download the game again and may need to complete sign-in prompts, so verify the account before beginning a new session.
Practical checklist
- SteamOS is updated and the Deck has been restarted if required.
- The official Arknights: Endfield Steam listing is open.
- The destination has substantially more than 60 GB free, allowing for the 50 GB installation figure plus up to 40 GB of temporary extraction space cited by Gryphline.
- A microSD destination is formatted through Steam > Settings > System > Format SD card and meets Valve’s UHS-I Class 3-or-better support guidance.
- You know which Gryphline account should receive the Steam link.
- You understand that Windows requirements do not guarantee a Deck frame rate, battery estimate, or permanent compatibility status.
- You will use the GRYPHLINK launcher only for a separate non-Steam installation, not to download or update the Steam build.
Bottom line for Deck owners
Install Arknights: Endfield from Steam, select internal storage or a properly formatted supported microSD card, and link the first-launch sign-in to the correct Gryphline account. Budget generously for storage because Steam lists 60 GB while Gryphline also describes a 40 GB temporary extraction requirement. The installation path is official and straightforward, but Steam Deck support remains subject to change; no authoritative Deck-specific frame-rate or battery result is established, so evaluate compatibility from the current Steam listing and your own updated device rather than from the Windows PC specifications.
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