Please make an easy/obvious option to exit Big Picture Mode

All Discussions > Steam Forums > Suggestions / Ideas > Topic Details

Redbeard 21 hours ago

Hi Steam devs! Please include an option to "exit big picture mode" once big picture mode is enabled.

The Big Picture Mode icon is placed right beside the minimise icon, so you just know people are going to accidentally hit the Big Picture Mode icon accidentally.

It happened to me yet again; it seems to happen every few months, just by me missing the minimise icon by 1 mm. And then I have to go to all the effort of looking up how to exit Big Picture Mode (because I'll forget the solution after a few months) - just because the devs can't be bothered to put in an Exit icon. (Alt + Enter fixes it, for anyone who is wondering.)

When I go to Google and type in "steam ex", Google offers "steam exit big picture mode" as an option - because it happens to so many people. There are heaps of pages on the net dedicated to explaining how to exit Big Picture Mode; there are even lots of videos on YouTube telling people how to do it. Surely this is a big hint that this situation is an ongoing problem.

Valve are good at doing so many things, so it baffles me that they haven't been able to give players an easy option to exit Big Picture Mode. Please do it.

Last edited by Redbeard; 18 hours ago

< >

Showing 1-7 of 7 comments

cSg|mc-Hotsauce 19 hours ago

1. Bottom left corner, click on "Steam."

2. Choose "Power."

3. Choose "Exit Big Picture Mode."

Redbeard 18 hours ago

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:
1. Bottom left corner, click on "Steam."

2. Choose "Power."

3. Choose "Exit Big Picture Mode."

:nkCool:

Yes, indeed. However, that avenue is "hidden" in one of several options. There is nothing in the word "Power" to indicate that is where you would go to exit Big Picture Mode; in fact, it is more likely to be interpreted as what to click on to "power off" or turn off your computer (or perhaps to "power off" Steam).

There should be an obvious option which clearly states "Exit Big Picture Mode" - then there wouldn't be any confusion, nor any need for a myriad of postings on the net about how to exit Big Picture Mode.

The current system of Big Picture Mode has an unbelievably poor user interface.

P.S. I changed the wording of this discussion/thread from "easy option" to "easy/obvious option" to make it clearer.

Last edited by Redbeard; 18 hours ago

Dan5000 18 hours ago

If you want to go backwards, you click the esc key. If you click it enough times, no matter where on the Big Picture menus you are, you'll automatically land at the menu that says "Exit Big Picture Mode" eventually. No searching, no nothing. Just spamming one button.

Redbeard 18 hours ago

Originally posted by Dan5000:
If you want to go backwards, you click the esc key. If you click it enough times, no matter where on the Big Picture menus you are, you'll automatically land at the menu that says "Exit Big Picture Mode" eventually. No searching, no nothing. Just spamming one button.

Thank you for that info. I appreciate it.
However, people would need to already know that info, in order to do it.

What Steam should have is an easy/obvious option to exit Big Picture Mode.

P.S. I just tested it, by clicking Esc dozens of times, and it doesn't take you to the menu that says "Exit Big Picture Mode"; however, it will take you to the menu that says "Power" - which is only useful if a player already knows that "Power" leads to "Exit Big Picture Mode".

There really should be an obvious option which clearly states "Exit Big Picture Mode".

Last edited by Redbeard; 18 hours ago

Dan5000 9 hours ago

Originally posted by Redbeard:
Originally posted by Dan5000:
If you want to go backwards, you click the esc key. If you click it enough times, no matter where on the Big Picture menus you are, you'll automatically land at the menu that says "Exit Big Picture Mode" eventually. No searching, no nothing. Just spamming one button.

Thank you for that info. I appreciate it.
However, people would need to already know that info, in order to do it.

What Steam should have is an easy/obvious option to exit Big Picture Mode.

P.S. I just tested it, by clicking Esc dozens of times, and it doesn't take you to the menu that says "Exit Big Picture Mode"; however, it will take you to the menu that says "Power" - which is only useful if a player already knows that "Power" leads to "Exit Big Picture Mode".

There really should be an obvious option which clearly states "Exit Big Picture Mode".

Ah sorry, I am using the german client. "Power" is named "On/Off" here. Thats why I never noticed that problem and thought it sends you to the right place. When I see "Off" I automatically think of exiting.

Other than that, you always press esc first... no matter which game or programm to go backwards. If that doesn't work, you try something else, as esc is usually the key for it.

Last edited by Dan5000; 9 hours ago