Valve fixed a Steam bug on Monday that forced game transfers to use the internet instead of local Wi-Fi. This matters because local transfers are faster, do not cause lag for other users, and do not consume data caps. Players who share a home network can now move games between devices without slowing down the connection.
Valve patches client to route downloads over local Wi-Fi instead of internet
The fix applies to the Steam client on both PC and Steam Deck. Users can verify they have the latest version by checking the settings menu on PC or the yellow exclamation point on Steam Deck. The update ensures that transfers default to local network speeds rather than internet downloads.
Local network transfers are considerably faster than internet downloads. They do not cause lag for other network users. They also do not chew down on total data allocation. The fix requires all devices involved in the transfer to run the same updated Steam version.
The update benefits Steam Deck users by allowing transfers without relying on Wi-Fi or cellular data. We looked at the last Steam update earlier while tracking similar stability themes. The fix restores the intended functionality for local game sharing.
Valve has officially fixed the issue that was preventing local network game transfers from working properly on Steam. The update is now available for all compatible devices. Players should update their clients to restore local transfer speeds.
Source: TweakTown
