So, I was messing around with my setup at home and I got this thing called a Stream Deck. It’s basically a little box with a bunch of buttons on it that you can program to do different things. It’s mostly marketed towards streamers, but I figured it could be cool for just making my daily computer stuff easier.
First off, I got the Elgato Stream Deck MK.2, the one with 15 buttons. They have other sizes, like a mini one with 6 buttons, but I wanted the extra real estate. It’s pretty simple to set up – just plug the USB into your computer. I had a small hiccup where it wasn’t being recognized, but I just unplugged the USB-C cable from the back of the Stream Deck and plugged it back in, and then bam, it worked.
Getting Started
- Got the Stream Deck MK.2 with 15 buttons.
- Plugged it into my computer using the USB cable.
- Fixed a recognition issue by replugging the USB-C cable.
Now, the fun part – figuring out what to do with all these buttons. Elgato has some software you use to program the Stream Deck. I started with the most obvious thing: launching programs. You can just drag an “Open” action onto a button and select the program you want it to open. I put all my most-used programs on there, like my web browser, code editor, and music player. Super convenient.
Launching Programs
- Used the Elgato software to program the buttons.
- Assigned “Open” actions to buttons to launch frequently used programs.
Then I started getting a little more creative. I set up some buttons to control my video calls. I can mute and unmute my mic, turn my camera on and off, and even switch between different scenes in OBS, all with one button press. It’s so much easier than fumbling around with the mouse during a meeting.
Video Call Controls
- Programmed buttons to control microphone, camera, and OBS scenes during video calls.
I also made some buttons for folder shortcuts. I have a bunch of folders I’m always digging through for work, so I assigned buttons to open those folders directly. Saves me a ton of time clicking around in File Explorer.
Folder Shortcuts
- Created buttons to directly open frequently accessed folders.
Honestly, the possibilities with this thing are endless. I’ve barely scratched the surface. You can control your smart lights, play sound effects, and even create multi-action buttons that do a whole bunch of things at once. Some people online are doing some really crazy stuff with theirs.
Is the Stream Deck something everyone needs? Definitely not. But if you’re like me and you like to tinker with your setup and find ways to make things more efficient, it’s a pretty cool gadget to have. Plus, it just feels satisfying to press a button and have a bunch of stuff happen automatically. It is just one of my personal hobbies.
