All Controllers Break After Disconnecting (Steps & Proof)

[Fibbitts]

Since one of the recent Steam updates, any controller disconnected while in game will not reconnect to the game. The Deck UI can be navigated using the reconnected controller, however the game will not accept any input. This is a painstaking issue and completely breaks the seamlessness of the deck. Here are several threads of people having the same exact issue.

Steps to reproduce:
1. Connect your controller, and use it to start a game.
2. Once in the game, turn off your wireless controller, then turn it back on.
3. Only the Deck UI will accept input, and the game will not until its restarted. This was tested on Xbox and Dualsence controllers, but should happen on all controllers.

Here are links to other threads of people experiencing the same issue:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1675200/discussions/0/3757725715253275352/
https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/10q32xn/this_controller_disconnect_bug_ingame_is_becoming/
https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/10cy78u/controllers_not_reconnected_after_being/
https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/10o8k46/reconnecting_controller/
https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/10mk569/controller_not_working_in_game_after_waking_the/

I'm honestly scared whenever an update comes out because of how many things break, and I'm on the stable channel. I really hope the experience becomes smoother in the future, I've heard things about controller layouts not saving and getting overwritten, and half of the on screen keyboard is janked as well :(

[MJM247]

Happening for me to. At first I thought it was only a problem for the switch pro controllers, as it happens every time with them. But now it's happening with my Xbox series x controller.

[[916] 1Guy1Cup]

just ran into this problem today while playing GTA V on my Oled steamdeck. I bought 2 steam controllers and they work great. However when they are paired and I want to stop using them, the steam controller input no longer works when the controllers are turned off and even when i toggled bluetooth off. only the steam and ... button work in game as well as the touchscreen. I can only navigate outside of the game with the physical buttons and even after exiting the game and relaunching, it still does not detect my steamdeck input. Only way I was able to get it to work was to do a full shut down/restart. Hope this gets fixed in the future update

[Aldroen]

Same issue here on Linux but with 8bitdo controller either 2.4ghz or bluetooth with d or x input. Xbox series X controller works fine through.

[Cosmic.Chaos]

引用自 Hellzknight666：

I'm having a similar problem. I can get controllers to connect initially, but it's when I need to reconnect them. In the bluetooth menu it says the controller is connected and the controller is lit up like it is. But it's completely unresponsive. I have to try either removing and readding the controller or rebooting the steam deck. I'm also having an issue where if I turn off bluetooth I'm unable to turn it back on. I have to restart the deck to fix the issue. It also behaves in a similar way to using 2.4ghz controllers with dongles. And it does it with all of my controllers. And I have quite a collection of controllers. Definitely makes it quite annoying to use docked as I have to restart it just to use it with a controller. Wireless keyboards and mice don't seem to have this issue though. At least with 2.4ghz wireless keyboards and mice. Haven't tested with bluetooth.

Same here, and while it's not exactly the same issue as the initial thread OPs with their mid-game disconnects it is close enough that this was a top result in the search and we seem to be congregating here.

I have tried four controllers, two of which are fine and two that are having issues: these latter two work on the initial pairing (i.e. after being Forgotten) but have issues when reconnecting. When they aren't working on reconnect they are shown as paired in the Bluetooth menu but Steam Deck doesn't list them as controllers under the Controller Settings menu.

• Official Nintendo Pro Controller
  
• Tears of the Kingdom edition
  
• Works on reconnects.
  
  
• 8BitDo Pro 2
  
• Released circa 2021. Last software update as of this post 2023 (v3.04).
  
• Both Xinput and Switch mode work on reconnects (this brand can connect under a variety of input types).
  
  
• 8BitDo SN30 Pro+
  
• Released circa 2019. Last software update as of this post 2023 (v6.01).
  
• Both Xinput and Switch mode has issues on reconnects.
  
  
• 8BitDo SF30 Pro (looks like a SNES controller with thumbsticks)
  
• Released circa 2017. Last software update as of this post 2024 (v2.05).
  
• Both Xinput and Switch mode has issues on reconnects.
  
  
• Xbox Wireless Controller (model 1914 per the sticker in the battery compartment)
  
• Released circa 2020. Last software update unknown (presumably 2024).
  
• Worked once updated (via Xbox Accessories App available on either Xbox consoles or Windows Store on Windows PCs).
  
• Before update: Showed as paired in Bluetooth settings with controller battery, but had no inputs and controller still shows as searching (rapid flashing Home button). Does not connect after turned off/on. When left alone for connection sync to time out, it reconnected with previous non-steam Deck device that was in range (indication that did not register a pairing at all?).

I tried updating the problematic controllers but it didn't help.
They can wake the Steam Deck but still aren't considered to be a controller.
In my case with these two controllers even restarting the Steam Deck doesn't help; it has to be a fresh pairing after being forgotten.
Also of note: they have to be forgotten by Steam OS in Game mode. Desktop mode doesn't seem to do it properly (or I just missed the correct setting, idk).

edited to add Xbox Wireless Controller model 1914

[AbduktedTemplar]

Same problem across a first gen deck and the new white oled one. It’s wild that is still an issue

[Windofchange13]

Also having these issues. If multiple controllers are connected, at some point they will disconnect, try to reconnect, and often the order of controllers will be different upon reconnect (Players 2 and 3 have now switched what characters they are controlling).

This has happened with all the following controllers:

- Switch Pro
- Xbox One
- PS4 DualSense

[ZanyAvian]

Whenever I encounter this bug, I find that it can usually be fixed by reordering controllers. The weird thing is, there's no telling which port is the one that will work. I often have to put a controller on port 3, even if there are only 2 total controllers.

[Геахчеи 💀]

引用自 Fibbitts：

Since one of the recent Steam updates, any controller disconnected while in game will not reconnect to the game. The Deck UI can be navigated using the reconnected controller, however the game will not accept any input. This is a painstaking issue and completely breaks the seamlessness of the deck. Here are several threads of people having the same exact issue.

Steps to reproduce:
1. Connect your controller, and use it to start a game.
2. Once in the game, turn off your wireless controller, then turn it back on.
3. Only the Deck UI will accept input, and the game will not until its restarted. This was tested on Xbox and Dualsence controllers, but should happen on all controllers.

Here are links to other threads of people experiencing the same issue:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1675200/discussions/0/3757725715253275352/
https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/10q32xn/this_controller_disconnect_bug_ingame_is_becoming/
https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/10cy78u/controllers_not_reconnected_after_being/
https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/10o8k46/reconnecting_controller/
https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/10mk569/controller_not_working_in_game_after_waking_the/

I'm honestly scared whenever an update comes out because of how many things break, and I'm on the stable channel. I really hope the experience becomes smoother in the future, I've heard things about controller layouts not saving and getting overwritten, and half of the on screen keyboard is janked as well :(

Yeah this is the same thing that happens with Xbox controllers (mines the M1106909-007), the only thing that works since I don't have a keyboard is to hit the Xbox button to go to the game bar, go to "Settings" > "General" > "Change more with the Settings app", and then exit the game through there.......

[mlesoup]

Experiencing this issue as well. I'm baffled there isn't a fix after this long.