To take a screenshot on Steam Frame, hold the Steam button on either controller and pull the right trigger. That is the shortcut early owner reports describe, and those reports say the picture is saved to the Media section of Steam on the headset, where you can view, upload or share it. Valve’s own update notes confirm that screenshots capture one eye’s view, and you choose which one with the Dominant Eye setting.
If you are streaming from a PC, there are two more ways to capture what you see, including a sharper route through Valve’s spectator view. Below are all three, how to pick the eye that gets captured, where the files go, and how to get them off the headset. Valve-specific details are verified against Valve’s Steam Frame support guide, Steamworks documentation and SteamOS release notes.
The Screenshot Shortcut
- Hold the Steam button on a Steam Frame Controller.
- Pull the right trigger while holding it.
- Check Media. Open Steam on the headset and go to the Media section to see the shot.
Early owner reports describe this Steam button plus right trigger chord, and say the shots land in Media. Valve has not published a Steam Frame button chart yet, so if the chord does nothing in a particular game, update the headset (Steam Settings > System > Updates) and try again outside the game’s own menus.
Do not hold the Steam button too long before pulling the trigger. Holding it on its own recenters your view: Valve’s support guide says holding the Steam button while facing a direction re-centers the VR Dashboard there once the icon shows ready.
Choose Which Eye Gets Captured
A VR headset shows each eye a slightly different picture, so a screenshot has to pick one. Valve’s SteamOS 0.4 notes say: “Users can now specify their Dominant Eye in VR Settings. This controls which eye is used for spectator view, screenshots, etc.”
To set it, open VR Settings in the headset and pick your Dominant Eye. If your screenshots look slightly off-center compared with what you remember seeing, try the other eye. To find your dominant eye, point at a distant object with both eyes open, then close one eye at a time: the eye that keeps your finger on the object is your dominant one.
Where Steam Frame Saves Screenshots
Screenshots appear in the Media section of Steam on the headset, grouped by game. Steam keeps the files themselves inside its own data folder, under your account’s userdata directory, the same layout it uses on every SteamOS device. Valve’s developer documentation puts Steam’s folder on Steam Frame at /home/steamos/.local/share/Steam.
You will rarely need the folder itself. The simpler ways to get a screenshot off the headset:
- Upload it from Media to your Steam profile, then find it on your PC in the Steam client or on your profile’s Screenshots page.
- Open the folder in Desktop Mode and copy the file to a USB drive or cloud storage. Our guide to Steam Frame’s Desktop Mode shows how to open the desktop and use the controller as a mouse.
- Use Remote Desktop from a Windows PC, which Valve’s debugging documentation describes for headsets with Developer Mode enabled.
Valve’s October 6 client update for Frame also fixed the Recordings and Screenshots dialog not listing every game that had screenshots, so update if a game seems to be missing from the list.
Screenshots While Streaming From a PC
When you stream a game from your PC, the game is running on the PC, so the PC’s own Steam screenshot tools can capture it. Valve’s Steamworks screenshot documentation says Steam’s screenshot hotkey is F12 by default, and it works in games that support the Steam Overlay.
That is awkward with a headset on, which is why the controller chord is the easier option. Pressing F12 is most useful when someone else is at the PC, or for flat (non-VR) games streamed to the headset.
Capture the Headset View From Your PC With Spectator View
The cleanest way to grab what the headset sees is to watch it on another screen. Valve’s notes say spectator view “can be accessed on PC via Steam > Settings > Remote Play, or any device that supports Steam Link to preview what the Steam Frame user is seeing in headset.”
- On your PC, open Steam > Settings > Remote Play.
- Next to your headset (it shows up as frame), select Connect. Valve’s debugging documentation says the first launch opens full screen, and Alt+Enter switches it to a window.
- Capture the window with your PC’s own tools, such as the Windows Snipping Tool (Windows key + Shift + S).
On a phone or tablet, the Steam Link app can connect to the headset the same way, and the phone’s own screenshot button captures it. Spectator view uses your Dominant Eye too, and since SteamOS 0.4 it is smoothed by default; turn smoothing off under VR Settings > Developer if you want the view to match your head movement exactly.
Tips for Better VR Screenshots
- Hold still for a moment. Head movement while you press the chord can blur the edges.
- Look straight at your subject. The sharpest part of the image is where you are looking, especially when streaming, because Valve’s Foveated Streaming sends the most detail to wherever your eyes point.
- Check your settings first. A higher per-game resolution makes for a sharper shot if the game can handle it. Our guide to the best Steam Frame settings covers where to change it.
- Pick a scenic game. Half-Life: Alyx is free with every headset, and our guide to redeeming Half-Life Alyx on Steam Frame shows how to claim it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the screenshot button on Steam Frame? Early owner reports say it is the Steam button plus the right trigger, held together. Valve has not published a Steam Frame button chart.
Where do Steam Frame screenshots go? To the Media section of Steam on the headset, where you can view and upload them. The files sit in Steam’s userdata folder on the headset.
Which eye does a Steam Frame screenshot capture? Your Dominant Eye, which you set in VR Settings. Valve says it controls the eye used for screenshots and spectator view.
Can I take a Steam Frame screenshot from my PC? Yes. Open spectator view on the PC through Steam > Settings > Remote Play and capture it with your PC’s screenshot tool. For streamed games, Steam’s F12 hotkey on the PC also works.
How do I get Steam Frame screenshots onto my PC? Upload them from the Media section to your Steam profile, or copy the files in Desktop Mode.
Does holding the Steam button take a screenshot? No. Holding the Steam button by itself recenters the view. Press the right trigger while holding it for a screenshot.