Moreover, Steam might not recognize the controller if there is corruption in the Steam files. Corruption in the Steam files can be caused by interference from the antivirus software or third-party applications. Therefore, after following all the solutions listed below, if the issue persists, it is recommended to reinstall Steam. Now, let’s jump into the solutions to this issue.
1. Check if your PC is detecting the controller
Before we proceed with configuring the controller settings, it’s recommended that you ensure your operating system is detecting the controller. This is important because if the operating system isn’t detecting it, then Steam won’t either. Therefore, you need to confirm that Steam is detecting the controller by following these steps: If you see the device status “The device is working properly,” it means the controller is properly connected and working on your Windows, which means the issue is from the Steam settings and the files. Now let’s start troubleshooting the issue.
2. Make sure the game supports the controller
Another thing you need to ensure is that the game you are trying to play has the support of a controller. If that’s the case, only then follow the following methods to troubleshoot the issue. To check if the game supports the controller, follow the steps:
3. Use the Cable to connect the controller
If you are using the wireless controller, it is recommended to use the cable to connect to the controller. If the controller is working with the wired connection, then switch back to the wireless connection. This will fix the lack of communication between the devices so that Steam can recognize the controller.
4. Recover Steam Controller Firmware
Firmware is software that is installed within the hardware component, allowing the device to communicate with the operating system. Sometimes, bugs and glitches in the firmware cause issues with the controller. Therefore, consider recovering the Steam controller firmware, which will restore the software that controls the functionality of a controller. To do so, follow the steps:
5. Reset the controller
Resetting the controller refers to a process in which the controller turns off and then turns on. However, if your controller has a reset button on the back side, then you just need to use that button to reset the controller instead of turning it off and on. Once done, check if the controller is working.
6. Disable Steam Input
Steam input is a feature that allows users to play any controller-supported game with any controller of their choice. This feature understands the user input and translates it into something that the game can understand. However, one of the users has fixed this issue successfully by disabling the Steam input for the controller. [Source]. Therefore, we also recommend disabling Steam input by following the steps:
7. Run Steam in big-picture mode
Big Picture is a mode on Steam that is specifically designed for use with a TV and a controller. Furthermore, in the official Steam article on Controller Issues, they have recommended running Steam in Big Picture mode to ensure Steam recognizes the controller. To run Steam in big-picture mode, follow the steps:
8. Opt into the most Up-to-date version of the Steam Beta
Opting into the most recent and up-to-date version of the Steam beta will let you access the new features before they get released. It is possible that Steam cannot recognize the controller due to a problem with the Steam version. Therefore, Steam has recommended opting into the most up-to-date version of Steam beta to resolve this issue. [Source]. To switch to the Steam beta version, follow the steps:
10. Run Steam as an Administrator
It is possible that Steam does not have the necessary permissions to access the controller. In this case, you can try running Steam with administrator privileges. This will grant all the permissions that Steam needs to access the controller and the other DLL and redistributable files. To do so, follow the steps:
11. Update Controller Drivers
You can also try updating the controller drivers if the issue persists. Updating the controller drivers will overwrite the old drivers and also resolve issues that are preventing it from running correctly. To update the controller drivers, follow the steps:
12. Update Steam
If you are using an outdated version of Steam, kindly update your Steam version. This is because outdated applications cannot communicate properly with the server and the hardware components. Therefore, it is recommended to ensure you are not using an outdated version of Steam. To ensure you are using an updated version, open Steam.
13. Reinstall Steam
This issue also occurs when there is a problem with the Steam files. If all the above methods fail to fix this issue, you can try reinstalling the Steam application. Reinstalling the Steam app will resolve all the issues if they are caused by Steam files. Before you reinstall Steam, make sure to back up the Steam apps folder so that you won’t lose any games when reinstalling.
