Steam Controller Not Detected/ing? *SOLVED*

[Ryan]

Hey everyone,

Let me know and or post this over in the Techincal Support/Troubleshooting category if necessary but I've been using my Steam Controller for years now and is my go to when it comes to most games - especially isometric RPG's. Anyway, Steam seems to always say that there is no controller detected when either I have the dongle in a USB port (tried 2.0/3.0). I've reinstalled the firmware associated with the controller and re-enabled Bluetooth capabilities and that works and shows up.

I've also tried to connect via a hardwire connection via Micro-USB. All of these methods do work but the controller stays in 'Lizard' mode. When I go into Big Picture to try to get the controller paired, make it detect it, etc. it just doesn't show up and continues to say that there is no controller available. When I went into my devices to see if there was something going on that shouldn't be or maybe something that isn't being detected I couldn't find anything.

I've tried disabling/re-enabling just about everything in the device manager in hopes that would fix whatever the issue is but it persists :-/. Again, the problem here seemingly is with Steam and nothing else. The hardware is detected in all three available forms: Steam dongle, bluetooth, and hardware all detect and I can use the controller but it's lizard mode and Steam says there is no available controller detected.

Now, does it work on another device? It works fine when I use Steam Remote Play via my phone. I'll hook the controller up to the phone, start up Steam Remote Play, goes over to my desktop, and I can see Steam recognizes the controller just fine. What about a laptop? I've done the same setup on a laptop of mine just fine and everything worked. Furthermore, when I tried to just use the laptop without Steam Remote Play and just play a game/navigate the menus with the dongle/bluetooth/hardwire everything works just fine. It's driving me insane on why it's not working/picking up on my desktop.

I've recently messed around with a program called VirtualHere USB. Could that be the culprit? If someone doesn't know what that is it emulates and sends over USB data over to whomever is the host. Example: My PC is in my room, I go out to the living room, I've got a Raspberry Pi so I connect the dongle to the Pi, I've got an Oculus Quest 2 that I like to use Virtual Desktop into for a giant screen. From there I hook into my PC with my Quest 2, enable VirtualHere USB to send the Steam Controller inputs over to my desktop. Why do this? The connection is spot on vs keeping the dongle in my PC in multiple rooms away - just isn't feasible. I know it's quite the steps.

Anyway, this is getting long - the VirtualHere USB solution I've been using for probably a year so I don't necessarily think that is what caused this issue. Thanks for anybody that can help.

[Ryan]

I'll be posting updates on additional tests to resolve the issue until I get it:

* Uninstalled, re-installed Steam client
* Uninstalled GeForce Experience (nothing, re-installed it back)

[shadowboy813]

Check the windows device manager. A steam controller will announce itself as an HID device and the wrong drivers will get installed. Find the right HID devices associated with the steam controller in the Windows Device Manager, and uninstall all of them. Then reconnect the steam controller and let windows install the drivers again, then try re-pairing it in steam. This is very clearly a software issue.

[Ryan]

Agreed on a software issue but I suppose I'm not sure about the HID devices.

I've uninstalled all of them (including, mouse/keyboard), unplugged all of my devices out of the computer, and then only plugged in the Steam Controller and it still does the same thing. Within the device itself here is what happens. I have the controller connected via micro-usb and it shows up as 'Wired Controller'. In 'Devices and Printers' the Wired Controller Properties 'Hardware' tab has these listed:

HID Keyboard Device
HID-compliant mouse
USB Composite Device
USB Input Device
USB Input Device
USB Input Device
Virtual HID Minidriver Collection

I've went and removed every single one of these and it popped back up again (presumably re-installing themselves) but nothing. Steam still doesn't detect anything. My PC detects the controller and I'm able to move my cursor around and all in 'lizard' mode though so I'm somewhat convinced the drivers are fine.

[Ryan]

@shadowboy813 Thanks for pointing me in the right direction - I finally got it.

To anybody who comes to this and has the same problem refer to the last comment by me and go through that process. Make sure to check out your controller while it is plugged in via Micro-USB. My problem was:

Virtual HID Minidriver Collection

That was not supposed to be there. Double click that, click 'Change settings' in the 'General' tab, go to 'Driver' tab, then go to 'Uninstall Device' at the bottom of that. From there unplug/replug the controller and it should find the right driver. The final correct order (at least on mine) will be:

HID Keyboard Device
HID-complaint mouse
HID-compliant vender-defined device
USB Composite Device
USB Input Device
USB Input Device
USB Input Device

[Bellus]

I had the same issue, but I solved it in a slightly different way. It's also important to note that you need to check the box to delete the drivers as well, if you don't, Windows reinstalls the faulty ones

To fix it I,

1. Went to device manager and looked under "GSPY Device" with my SC unplugged. If you see a Virtual HID Minidriver Collection already, disable it temporarily so you know which is which.
   
2. Plug in your SC using micro usb and refresh the device manager. A new Virtual HID Minidriver Collection should appear.
   
3. Right click>uninstall device, and when prompted if you want to delete the drivers, click yes
   
4. Unplug the SC, and re plug back in. Steam should reinstall the correct drivers and recognize the SC

Hopefully this helps anyone in the future who has similar issues, since the SC isn't in production anymore, us users gotta help each other out!

*EDIT: You may also have to repeat the process when connecting via dongle as well, just uninstall any HID Minidriver collections that pop up and you're good to go

[PsYcOw]

i had the issue today although my steam controller has been working for years,
uninstalling the dongle drivers didnt work, but when i used the usb cable it did work fine.
what i did was re-pair the controller and dongle in steam then it worked fine.

[Apneia]

Bellus, my man... you save me. Your step-by-step worked just fine to me. Thank you so much!

[wkearney99]

I got mine to work using an older xbox driver. Search for filename "xb1usb.11059.0.140526x64.msi"

[ProudTiger]

Mine lights up when connected to a cable but not seen in device manager at all.
Useless gamepad.
It was always flaky anyway.
Like walking on egg shells.

Sometimes it would be solid,then I would start up my PC and it would not work at all.

Like now,sitting on my desk for years gathering dust.
Decided to try yet again but the same issues sigh.

[ProudTiger]

Originally posted by PsYcOw:

i had the issue today although my steam controller has been working for years,
uninstalling the dongle drivers didnt work, but when i used the usb cable it did work fine.
what i did was re-pair the controller and dongle in steam then it worked fine.

Tried all that.
Nothing works,.
With the cable,the Steam Controller shows a constant light but nothing is seen in Windows 11 or Steam so it essentially a dead controller.

[Ryan]

Sorry to hear that nothing seems to work. It was very frustrating when I went through and troubleshot everything I could possibly go through.

I'm wondering if it's a Windows 11 issue considering support for the Steam Controller is long gone now. I'd venture to say most of the workarounds should work but, you never know.

If you do happen to stumble on something please let us know.

[maqpie]

It is not a Windows 11 specific issue - I have the issue in Windows 10 still.