Steam Update Adds CPU Temperature Monitoring
Steam Update. Overlay upgrades, smoother performance, and better accessibility
Valve rolled out a major Steam Update on September 9, 2025, fixing long-standing frustrations with game library sorting. Titles like Assassin’s Creed and Yakuza, previously listed alphabetically, can now be organized with a custom sort title via the new Customization tab. This lets players reorder games by release year without altering their display names. However, quirks remain — numbers such as “10” may be misread as “One-Zero,” requiring tweaks like renaming it to “91” to align correctly.
The update also enhances the In-Game Overlay, officially bringing CPU temperature monitoring out of beta. It supports both Windows (using a kernel-mode driver that can be disabled) and Linux. Frame rate reporting in DLSS-enabled games is now more accurate, while rendering optimizations for Vulkan, OpenGL, and D3D12 reduce stuttering in CPU-bound titles. NVIDIA GPU utilization tracking has also been fine-tuned to better match other tools. Players using high DPI scaling may need to resize the Performance Monitor once after updating.
Accessibility features received significant improvements with new desktop settings, including High Contrast mode, Reduced Motion options, UI Scale controls, and annotations for various interface elements. These upgrades aim to make Steam easier to use for players with accessibility needs.
Big Picture Mode fixes include correcting the Xbox logo mislabel on 8BitDo controllers, improving scrolling in game detail views, and restoring achievement display in activity feeds. General updates now provide alerts when trades are canceled under Trade Protection.
Steam Input expands with support for the GameInput API, analog activators for d-pads and trackpads, and compatibility with PDP REALMz controllers for Switch. Issues with FlyDigi Apex/Vader recognition and GameCube button mislabeling have been addressed. Game Recording improvements ensure smoother playback of high bitrate files and fix freezes when seeking near clip endings. Remote Play stability has also been upgraded, reducing hiccups when many shortcuts are present.
Platform-specific updates include macOS announcing end-of-life for version 11 (Big Sur) on October 15, 2025, Linux gaining advanced overlay options for AMD and NVIDIA, and the Steam Store expanding its layout for larger monitors.
This sweeping update shows Valve’s commitment to improving both performance and accessibility, though players may still find quirks in sorting and usability. The introduction of CPU temperature tracking in the overlay marks one of the most practical additions yet for PC gamers.
