One of multiple areas the Steam Deck has the edge over its Windows alternatives such as the ROG Ally is the more open nature of SteamOS. It's not as wide open as most Linux distros, but there is certainly more license to tinker and customize than you're allowed to do with Windows 11.
Since finally getting acquainted with Decky Loader on the Steam Deck I've been playing around with all sorts of customizations. The latest is pretty simple, but I'll be damned if it doesn't make me smile.
All I did was swap out the stock Valve system sounds and sub in a replacement from an old favorite — the Xbox console.
How to install and start using Decky Loader on your Steam Deck
Decky Loader is probably the number one thing regular Steam Deck users should add to their handheld. It's essentially a little store for community built plugins that add features Valve doesn't have.
We have a full guide on how to install Decky Loader on your Steam Deck if you need help getting it set up. It's fairly straightforward, but you will need a keyboard and mouse to make it easier, since you'll have to do it from desktop mode. But it's essentially as simple as downloading a file and installing it.
Once it's all up and running on your Steam Deck, press the QAM button (the three dots) and you'll see the new icon for Decky Loader at the bottom.
How to add Xbox system sounds to the Steam Deck
To replace the Valve system sounds with those from the Xbox (or any number of other alternatives), you need the Audio Loader plugin.
To install it, access Decky Loader as detailed above, then tap on the little icon that looks like a shop. This will open the Decky Loader store. Either search for or scroll down to find the Audio Loader plugin and tap on the install button.
From there, head back into Decky Loader in your QAM Menu and tap on the newly installed Audio Loader option. If you don't see it at first, reboot your Steam Deck. I've had to do this a few times with Decky Loader plugins.
When it opens, you'll have nothing to choose from other than default. Under the Settings header, you'll need to tap on the Manage Packs button to open up the Audio Loader catalog of goodies you can install. The one I went for is the Xbox One Sound Pack, so simply search for that and you're golden. There also appear to be packs for the Xbox 360 and even the original Xbox if you'd prefer a little nostalgia.
You'll now see the option to enable it from the previously default-only dropdown menu. That's all you need to do, the plugin will make the necessary swaps and your Steam Deck will now sound just the same as a modern Xbox. Why wouldn't you want to do that?!
