I'm curious if using the Flatpak version of Steam can help limit its game access to the system for better privacy, such as protecting against trackers. I've heard some mixed opinions on the Flatpak not being verified, so I wonder if it's worth the switch. Also, I have some games stored on an SD card. Is it possible to grant Steam access to those games without giving it full access to all my storage?
3 Answers
I've been using the Flatpak version of Steam for a while now, and it’s become my go-to option. I've never faced any major issues with it, and it runs smoothly for most games!
Exactly! Some people complain, but they never explain what issues they have. For me, the Flatpak works just fine, and I believe the Proton sandboxing helps.
I actually had a bumpy experience with the Flatpak version. I decided to install Steam from my repository instead, and it's been working great for me ever since!
Honestly, I don’t think using Flatpak is worth it. Most games already only get basic hardware information because Proton keeps them sandboxed. I'm not sure what kind of tracker concerns you have, but many devs won’t get anything beyond hardware and driver details. If you notice a game asking for odd permissions, it’s probably best to avoid it!
I read somewhere that some Steam games have been caught tracking more than necessary. It’s concerning when a game just asks for access to the device without clear reasons. It’s good to know that Proton isolates games, though! I'd love to have control as fine-tuned as on Android.
Same here, I haven’t encountered any problems with the Flatpak version either.