can't get steam deck controller to work

[hatchet5891]

Maybe I'm installing stuff wrong but I can't get the steam decks controller to work on my Windows 11 install. I have tried installing Glossi, but I have a feeling I installed it wrong even though I used the exe install file. I also tried steam deck tools, but that literally didn't do anything. Is there a better way to get the controller to work? I'm mostly trying to get it to work with Halo Wars 2, Gears of War Ultimate and 4, and Minecraft Bedrock edition. It works fine if I launch a steam game though.

[KingSoloMane]

Have you tryed leaving steam open; running in background, and configuring Steam Desktop Controller Layout. The default Deck config is designed for Desktop, and holding Start button switches to Gamepad input.

I'm guessing you have all the windows drivers installed.

[Haruspex]

Have you tried adding those games to Steam as non-Steam games and launching them from there?

[hatchet5891]

Originally posted by KingSoloMane:

Have you tryed leaving steam open; running in background, and configuring Steam Desktop Controller Layout. The default Deck config is designed for Desktop, and holding Start button switches to Gamepad input.

I'm guessing you have all the windows drivers installed. :killdozer:

I guess I haven't tried this. So if I leave steam open it will default the controller to work? Or do I have to go into steam and set that up in the controller settings?

[hatchet5891]

Originally posted by Haruspex:

Have you tried adding those games to Steam as non-Steam games and launching them from there?

I tried, but I couldn't get the UWPHook to work reliably. Sometimes the games would freeze when booting up that way. I became more frustrating than it was worth I felt.

[KingSoloMane]

Leave Steam Open running in background, and verify Recommend Steam Deck Desktop Layout is selected in Steam Settings/Controller.

I'm not 100% sure Steam windows client knows if your using windows on Steam Deck, so it might not default to the Deck configuration. If not...Hopefully it's easy for you to find, and select.

[KingSoloMane]

Any controller Desktop layout mapping for Keyboard & Mouse should work, especially layouts for the original Steam Controller.

Do button chords still work? Holding the bottom right/left Steam button on the Deck, and right analog/trackpad= forced Mouse input.

[hatchet5891]

Originally posted by KingSoloMane:

Any controller Desktop layout mapping for Keyboard & Mouse should work, especially layouts for the original Steam Controller.

Do button chords still work? Holding the bottom right/left Steam button on the Deck, and right analog/trackpad= forced Mouse input.

So having steam open only kind of works. It works on the desktop but loading a game like minecraft bedrock, it doesn't use my controller buttons layout and uses the desktop layout. I can't seem to figure out how to get the game to use the gamepad layout. I think if I could figure that out it would work.

[KingSoloMane]

You can add a non steam game, and configure game specific controller layout for games running through steam. There should be alot of Community Minecraft controller configs.

Without adding a non steam game; Holding Start should switch to standard gamepad xinput with default Deck Desktop config.

[KingSoloMane]

When holding Start you should get a Steam notification pop-up confirming Controller Action Set Layer change. Bottom right, if I remember correctly.