# Steam Client Beta October 16 improves startup performance

> **Key takeaway:** Valve's latest Steam Client Beta includes a second round of optimizations to speed up application startup.

**Published:** 2026-10-17T07:19:40+00:00 
**Source:** GamingOnLinux (Steam, Proton & Deck) 
**Category:** open-gaming 
**Canonical URL:** https://fosswire.org/news/steam-client-beta-october-16-improves-startup-performance.html 

## Summary
The October 16 Steam Client Beta focuses on improving startup speeds and fixing various bugs across Windows and Linux. Key fixes include resolving Vulkan game hangs during alt-tab on Linux and ensuring voice chat volume settings persist between sessions.

## Technical changes in the October 16 Beta
- **Startup performance**: Implementation of a second round of optimizations to reduce client load times.
- **Linux fixes**: Resolved issues where Vulkan games would hang after alt-tabbing and fixed launch failures for certain native non-Steam games.
- **Voice chat**: Output volume settings for friends now persist across Steam sessions.
- **Windows fixes**: Corrected Steam Frame native-only content being incorrectly marked as installable on Windows.