A workaround for the PS4 controller not working issue

[HOUGHTON]

I suppose I got lucky and I didn't have any issue plugging my PS4 controller into my PC when using it with the built-in Steam Input PS4 controller configuration, but my buddy certainly did.

No input would register in Elden Ring from his PS4 controller. So I spent a few hours tinkering with his setup tonight and came up with this functioning solution. Since so many people are having this problem and it's different enough from other solutions I've seen, I thought I'd write it up here.

This uses DS4Windows and requires disabling the Steam Input. It was tested via wired USB connection on Windows 10.


1) Disconnect your PS4 controller from the USB cable connected to your PC.

2) Disable General Steam Input

- Open Steam Settings by going to Steam->Settings.
- In the settings window select the "Controller" sub-menu, and in the controller options click "General Controller Settings" button.
- In the General Controller Settings menu uncheck ALL controller type support. Uncheck "PS4 Controller Configuration Support" and "Xbox Controller Configuration Support" at the very least.

3) Disable Steam Input for Elden Ring

- Open Elden Ring's Properties by going to your Steam library, right-click on Elden Ring and select Properties.
- In the Properties window select the Controller sub-menu, and in the controller options select Disable Steam Input from the "Override for Elden Ring" drop down.

4) Restart Steam

- I don't recall if I restarted Steam, but at this point you might as well.

5) Download the DS4Windows utility.

https://ds4-windows.com/

- Download the tool, it will be a zip file. Extract it somewhere on your PC.
- In the extracted location run the DS4Windows.exe and follow its instructions for the remainder of the install/setup, including the .NET run-time if not installed.

6) Adjust DS4Windows settings

- In DS4Windows select the Settings Tab and *Check* the box next to "Hide DS4 Controller".
- Go back to the Controllers tab and click the Start button in the bottom right hand corner.

7) Reconnect your PS4 Controller

- Connect your controller to the USB cable. Within a few moments it should be detected by DS4 Windows and the Default profile gets loaded for it.

8) [OPTIONAL] Adjust the default profile mappings.

- Ultimately nothing *needs* to be changed in this step.
- Feel free to modify any of the default DS4 settings to your personal preference. Anything button related can be done in the Elden Ring game mappings itself, but maybe you want to modify stick deadzone thresholds and such to your liking.

- However, I do recommend one specific change. In the "Controllers" tab click the Edit button within your controller's listing.
- On the right side of the Edit menu select the "Touchpad" tab.
- Change the Output mode to "Passthru" instead of Mouse. In the default DS4 setting running your finger over the touch pad of the PS4 controller will control the mouse cursor, which I found problematic.

9) Run Elden Ring

- Go Back to Steam and launch Elden Ring as normal. If prompted that you're running a controller emulator that may conflict with the Steam input, just select OK to launch it anyway.


Based on this solution the issue appears to be bugs with Elden Ring's input code and the Steam Input integration. Until From figures the problem out and deploys a fix, for the moment this is a functional solution for my friend's issue.

I hope this helps you too, good luck!

[False Prophet of Buttered Bread]

is there any solution about PS controller prompts? I mean when u are using duelshock4, the game show u only the xbox prompts (like A B X Y, not square circle L1 L2 etc.) instead of duelshock prompts. The input is perfectly working, I don't have any issue when I press any button where game shows xbox prompts, but it just feel weird.

[HOUGHTON]

Unfortunately, I have that same issue on my rig as well. Full controller support isn't true at this time.

I don't mind it so much as I've developed a muscle memory, but at least we can play.