This is going to assume you are using a PC Handheld running Windows. By the end, your device will dual boot Bazzite and have a shared storage partition, allowing you to flexibly share your storage between both OS, and even play games on the drive from both OS.
Why Should I install Bazzite?
Bazzite it a perfectly seamless gaming OS developed by Valve that makes any Windows Handheld better by improving battery life, performance, overall jankiness, and better and smoother control over your device. We really only keep windows and bother with extra partitions to play specific games like GTA and
It can also be installed on a PC you want to turn into a game console, great for a living room experience used primarily with controllers (after setup). If you still want the PC to be used as a normal PC, there are better options to explore.
Before you Start you need a Flash Drive >=16GB!
Highly recommended to plug a keyboard in using a USB adapter.
0. Preparing the Drive in Windows
Shrink OS drive (recommended size: min: 128GB, max: ~300GB)
Create a new partition in the middle of the drive for games. Leave empty space for Linux Install on the right side of the drive (yes it matters)
Linux install empty space (recommended size: min: 20GB, max: ~100GB)
The Max sizes are up to you, it’s good to keep some extra space in there, but it depends how much you want to reserve for shared space for games. My Windows is 128GB and my Linux is 100GB.
1. Getting Bazzite
First you need to go to the Bazzite site and get the rom. It’ll ask what device you’re using to make sure you get the ISO you need.
From here plug in your flash drive and flash it using Rufus or something like Balena Etcher. When asked about ISO mode or DD mode, you can do DD mode. IT WILL WIPE THE FLASH DRIVE.
2. Installing Bazzite
Plug the drive into your device and enter the bios/boot menu. The key combination will be different per device. Shut the device down fully, then hold them down right after pressing the power button.
Key Combos to enter Bios
Steam Deck –
MSI Claw – RT + RB -> Then go the “Boot” tab.
Lenovo Legion Go –
PCs – There will probably be a boot screen for second that says what key you need to hit. Just Hold it down or spam it after the next boot, to enter the bios (or boot menu if you can get there directly).
If you enter the BIOS and not the Boot Menu, then look for the Boot Order, and make Boot Option #1 your Flash Drive.
- Remember how to get here, we will be coming back…well, a lot actually
Now Save & Exit the bios and you should boot into the Bazzite installer. It’s pretty friendly. It will look like a normal desktop at first and ask if you want to run the installer. Do that, it will guide you through. When it asks you about installing it to your drive tell it to install alongside Windows and to use the empty space we left for it earlier.
Now just wait a bit, if you think it’s frozen just keep waiting.