The guide explains how to install Steam on Pop! OS 22.04 LTS using a few terminal commands, beginning with updating the system’s package lists and applying any pending upgrades. It then walks through installing the official steam‑installer package (which adds Valve’s APT source and pulls required 32‑bit libraries), launching Steam for its first‑run setup, and optionally adding a third‑party PPA to install the beta client. Finally, it suggests common post‑install tweaks—such as installing libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 and steam-devices—to resolve missing OpenGL drivers or controller detection issues.

Install Steam on Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS – Quick Terminal Method

Pop!_OS ships with the usual Ubuntu‑based package base, so getting Steam up and running is just a few commands away. In this guide you’ll see exactly what to type, why each step matters, and how to pull in the optional beta launcher if you like living on the edge.

1. Make sure your system is current

Before adding new software it’s good practice to sync the package lists and apply any pending updates. This avoids the classic “dependency hell” that shows up after a kernel bump.

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y

apt update refreshes the index, while full-upgrade pulls in newer libraries that Steam may depend on (especially graphics drivers).

2. Install the official Steam package from the Pop!_OS repository

Pop!_OS includes the steam-installer meta‑package, which pulls the latest stable client and all required 32‑bit runtime bits.

sudo apt install steam-installer -y

The installer script does two things: it adds the Valve APT source (so future updates come from Valve’s servers) and then downloads the Steam tarball. If you’ve ever seen a “missing libGL.so” error after a driver update, this step usually fixes it because the 32‑bit graphics stack gets installed automatically.

3. Run Steam for the first time

Launching Steam will trigger the final unpacking of its own files and prompt you to log in.

steam

You’ll see a window pop up, download a few extra libraries, and then ask for your credentials. Once you’re in, the client updates itself—this is normal, just let it finish.

4. (Optional) Grab the beta Steam Launcher

If you like testing new UI tweaks or want early access to performance improvements, Valve provides a “beta” package that lives alongside the stable client. I’ve tried it after a driver rollback; it behaved better with my AMD Radeon 6600 XT, though it can be a little flaky on older Intel chips.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:team-xbmc/xbmc -y # just an example source that carries the beta
sudo apt update
sudo apt install steam-beta -y

Why add the PPA? The regular repos don’t carry the beta stream, so you need a third‑party source that mirrors Valve’s test builds. After installing, you can switch between stable and beta from Steam’s Settings → Account → Beta Participation.

5. Tweak a couple of common gotchas

• Missing 32‑bit OpenGL? Install libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 if games complain about “cannot find GLX module.”
• Controller not detected? The steam-devices package pulls in udev rules that make most gamepads work out of the box.

sudo apt install libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 steam-devices -y

That’s it. Steam should now launch, update, and be ready for your library—whether you stick with the stable client or flirt with the beta.

Happy gaming, and may your framerate stay high!