Steam Update Revamps In-Game Overlay, Lets You Watch Movies While Gaming

The Steam client has undergone an update that introduces new features, including the ability to write to-do lists in-game and watch movies while playing.

Valve released the update today for the beta version of the client and provided all the details in a new blog post where all the new features were broken down. Players will find that after booting up Steam, their client has been changed to show a sleeker download tab, while the in-game overlay has been overhauled with new utilities and more customization.

A new toolbar has been added at the bottom of the overlay, which makes navigating easier and can be switched between an icon view and a list view. The Game Overview section will show what achievements players have in progress for their current game, which friends are playing the same game, the top guides, news, and more.

One of the most notable features introduced is a new Notes app. The tool comes with text formatting and an opacity level and lets players note down anything they want, such as to-do lists, which can then be viewed while playing the game using the pin feature–a useful tool for those who frequently like to check off their progress on quests, like in Elden Ring. It can also be used in offline mode, and the notes are saved per game and available outside the in-game overlay on the game details page, as well.

The pin feature is also available for other windows, so players can watch movies or TV shows while gaming. The notifications tab has been improved to be more useful, with a green button that lights up to alert the player. Finally, the screenshot manager has been reworked, allowing players to choose from large or small thumbnails, view recent screenshots, and manage both online and local screenshots.

Valve recently released a new Steam Deck update that addressed multiple bugs and included the ability to transfer installed games and game files between PCs and Steam Decks via a local network.