diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9f28b5e..849beb6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ one per merged pull request.
 
 ## 2.11.0 - 2026-10-01
 
-- `5da1833` **feat: "Start Steam silently" sub-option: under the SteamOS conversion (`silent`, on by default, as before) and under Gaming on NVIDIA (`nvsilent`, opt-in, not together with Big Picture); on a Steam Machine only when it boots into the desktop**
+- `5da1833` **feat: "Start Steam silently" sub-option: under the SteamOS conversion (`silent`, on by default, as before) and under Gaming on NVIDIA (`nvsilent`, opt-in, not together with Big Picture); the SteamOS one is called "Start Steam silently in desktop mode" and is always shown, also on a Steam Machine**
 
 ## 2.10.0 - 2026-10-01
 
diff --git a/TECHNICAL.md b/TECHNICAL.md
index c468b92..a77c966 100644
--- a/TECHNICAL.md
+++ b/TECHNICAL.md
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ tools write to the conf.d fragment into the base config.
   installs `/usr/local/bin/sync-steamos-session.sh` plus
   `sync-steamos-session.path`/`.service`;
 - `KWIN_IM_SHOW_ALWAYS=1` for the virtual keyboard; the sub-option `silent`
-  ("Start Steam silently", on by default) adds a `steam-desktop-autostart`
+  ("Start Steam silently in desktop mode", on by default, always shown) adds a `steam-desktop-autostart`
   systemd user service that starts Steam silently in Plasma only;
 - the **Return to Gaming Mode** shortcut; on plasma-login-manager with a
   narrow sudoers rule (`/etc/sudoers.d/gamescope-session-switch`) so it can
diff --git a/lib/backend.sh b/lib/backend.sh
index 975f9d7..fb97b49 100644
--- a/lib/backend.sh
+++ b/lib/backend.sh
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ backend_status() {
         items+="${items:+,}{\"id\":$(json_str "$c"),\"label\":$(json_str "${LABEL[$c]%%:*}")"
         items+=",\"hint\":$(json_str "$( [[ "${LABEL[$c]}" == *:* ]] && echo "${LABEL[$c]#*: }")")"
         items+=",\"kind\":\"$kind\",\"parent\":$(json_str "$parent")"
-        items+=",\"needs\":$(json_str "$([[ "$c" == silent ]] && silent_needs_boot && echo boot)")"
+        items+=",\"needs\":\"\""
         items+=",\"on\":$( [[ "$now" == 1 ]] && echo true || echo false)"
         items+=",\"wanted\":$( [[ "${WANTED[$c]:-0}" == 1 ]] && echo true || echo false)"
         items+=",\"update\":$(feature_outdated "$c" && echo true || echo false)"
@@ -167,7 +167,6 @@ backend_apply() {
     # Retired: only ever removed.
     WANTED[hdmi]=0
     case "$boot" in desktop) WANTED[boot]=1; WANTED[gaming]=1 ;; gamescope) WANTED[boot]=0 ;; esac
-    silent_normalize
 
     REAPPLY=$reapply
     plan_changes
diff --git a/lib/menu.sh b/lib/menu.sh
index abc2039..cf09ec5 100644
--- a/lib/menu.sh
+++ b/lib/menu.sh
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ declare -A LABEL=(
     [gaming]="SteamOS conversion: boot into gaming mode, Steam on the desktop"
     [boot]="Boot into the desktop instead of gaming mode"
     [nvidia]="Gaming on NVIDIA: Steam on the desktop, started at login"
-    [silent]="Start Steam silently: in the tray at login on the desktop, no window"
+    [silent]="Start Steam silently in desktop mode: in the tray at login on the desktop, no window"
     [nvsilent]="Start Steam silently: in the tray at login, no window (untick: Steam's normal window)"
     [bigpicture]="Steam starts in Big Picture: the controller-friendly Steam (untick: Steam's normal window)"
     [theme]="Install SteamOS theme: Vapor look (cachyos-vapor)"
@@ -81,25 +81,12 @@ boot_mode() {
     if [[ "$1" == 1 ]]; then echo desktop; else echo gamescope; fi
 }
 
-silent_needs_boot() {
-    # On a Steam Machine, silent start only makes sense when it boots into
-    # the desktop (gaming mode starts its own Steam): the option is hidden,
-    # and off, while "Boot into" is gaming mode.
-    machine_available
-}
-
-silent_normalize() {
-    silent_needs_boot && [[ "${WANTED[boot]:-0}" != 1 ]] && WANTED[silent]=0
-    return 0
-}
-
 menu_visible() {
     # Shown in the menu. A sub-option ("Boot into", the kernel pin) only
     # while its parent is ticked.
     component_available "$1" || return 1
     # Silent start is hidden while Steam starts in Big Picture.
     [[ "$1" == nvsilent && "${WANTED[bigpicture]:-0}" == 1 ]] && return 1
-    [[ "$1" == silent ]] && silent_needs_boot && [[ "${WANTED[boot]:-0}" != 1 ]] && return 1
     [[ -z "${PARENT[$1]:-}" || "${WANTED[${PARENT[$1]}]:-0}" == 1 ]]
 }
 
@@ -220,7 +207,6 @@ detect_components() {
         done
         machine_available && WANTED[cec]=1
     fi
-    silent_normalize
 }
 
 defaults_options() {
@@ -277,7 +263,6 @@ defaults_options() {
             WANTED[boot]=1 ;;
         gamescope) WANTED[boot]=0 ;;
     esac
-    silent_normalize
     return 0
 }
 
@@ -301,7 +286,7 @@ defaults_list() {
         [[ "$c" == cec ]] && machine_available && on=true
         items+="${items:+,}{\"id\":$(json_str "$c"),\"label\":$(json_str "${LABEL[$c]%%:*}")"
         items+=",\"hint\":$(json_str "$( [[ "${LABEL[$c]}" == *:* ]] && echo "${LABEL[$c]#*: }")")"
-        items+=",\"kind\":\"$kind\",\"parent\":$(json_str "${PARENT[$c]:-}"),\"needs\":$(json_str "$([[ "$c" == silent ]] && silent_needs_boot && echo boot)"),\"hideWhen\":$(json_str "$([[ "$c" == nvsilent ]] && echo bigpicture)"),\"on\":$on,\"selectable\":$sel}"
+        items+=",\"kind\":\"$kind\",\"parent\":$(json_str "${PARENT[$c]:-}"),\"needs\":\"\",\"hideWhen\":$(json_str "$([[ "$c" == nvsilent ]] && echo bigpicture)"),\"on\":$on,\"selectable\":$sel}"
     done
     printf '[%s]\n' "$items"
 }
@@ -324,7 +309,6 @@ toggle_component() {
     if [[ "$c" == nvidia && "${WANTED[nvidia]}" == 0 ]]; then WANTED[nvsilent]=0; fi
     if [[ "$c" == gaming && "${WANTED[gaming]}" == 0 ]]; then WANTED[silent]=0; fi
     if [[ "$c" == silent && "${WANTED[silent]}" == 1 ]]; then WANTED[gaming]=1; fi
-    silent_normalize
     # The power-off fix is opt-out: ticked along with Steam Machine support.
     if [[ "$c" == machine ]]; then WANTED[poweroff]=${WANTED[machine]}; fi
     if [[ "$c" == poweroff && "${WANTED[poweroff]}" == 1 ]]; then WANTED[machine]=1; fi
diff --git a/ui/qml/AppState.qml b/ui/qml/AppState.qml
index 26027d1..9a95b00 100644
--- a/ui/qml/AppState.qml
+++ b/ui/qml/AppState.qml
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ Item {
 
     readonly property var status: backend.status || ({})
     readonly property var items: status.items || []
-    // Hidden: Big Picture excludes a silent start; on a Steam Machine a silent start needs "Boot into" desktop.
-    function hidden(i) { return (i.id === "nvsilent" && want.bigpicture) || (i.needs === "boot" && boot !== "desktop"); }
+    // Hidden: Big Picture excludes a silent start.
+    function hidden(i) { return i.id === "nvsilent" && want.bigpicture; }
     readonly property var rows: items.filter(function (i) { return (!i.parent || want[i.parent]) && !hidden(i); })
     readonly property var bios: status.bios || null
 
diff --git a/ui/qml/Texts.qml b/ui/qml/Texts.qml
index 6ba1504..5b6ccf2 100644
--- a/ui/qml/Texts.qml
+++ b/ui/qml/Texts.qml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ QtObject {
         boot: { label: "Boot into", hint: "Where the PC starts",
                 body: "Where the PC starts after a restart. Switching back and forth works the same either way.",
                 changes: ["Desktop: the Plasma session is set before login", "Gaming: the SteamOS default"] },
-        silent: { label: "Start Steam silently", hint: "In the tray at login on the desktop, no window",
+        silent: { label: "Start Steam silently in desktop mode", hint: "In the tray at login on the desktop, no window",
                   body: "Steam starts by itself when you log in to the Plasma desktop, in the tray without a window. Gaming mode starts its own Steam.",
                   changes: ["Steam is started with -silent (a systemd user service, desktop only)", "Off: the service is removed again"] },
         nvidia: { label: "Gaming on NVIDIA", hint: "Steam on the desktop, started at login",