Is there a way to force 3rd party Switch Pro Controllers to be recognized as Switch Pro Controller on Steam?

[Fantasyworm]

I got a 3rd party Switch Pro Controller from a Korean company called Steel Interactive and I wanted to use it as Steam Switch Pro Controller, so I connected it to the PC... and it is detected as a X-Box 360 Controller. I googled the similar incidents and found out that the 3rd party controllers tend to do that.

Is there any way for the Steam user to directly force the Steam to recognize the controller as a Switch Pro Controller? I can still use the controller as a X-Box 360 Controller, but I really want to use the gyro function as a mouse point support.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Basically what this employee said...

Originally posted by mikela:

We have to add support on a case by case basis for controllers that we haven't seen before so this controller should actually be identified as a Switch controller rather than as a generic controller...

https://steamcommunity.com/app/353370/discussions/0/1744478429675026218/#c1744479064006305953

[Fantasyworm]

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

Basically what this employee said...

Originally posted by mikela:

We have to add support on a case by case basis for controllers that we haven't seen before so this controller should actually be identified as a Switch controller rather than as a generic controller...

https://steamcommunity.com/app/353370/discussions/0/1744478429675026218/#c1744479064006305953

:qr:

I saw that, but that was last year.... so I was kinda hoping new changes.

[austinp_valve]

I could add a way to allow users to add USB VID/PIDs for us to try to open as PS4, 1st party Switch, or 3rd party Switch controllers but they may not work. Is it actually showing up as an Xinput controller? If it is, after any change list this ships you'd need to see if you can change the active driver for the device to generic HID gamepad - example using Steam Raiju:

Open Device Manager
Find "Razer Raiju" under "Human Interface Devices"
Right Click and Update Device Software
Select "Browse my computer for driver software"
Select "Let me Pick from a list of device drivers on my computer"
Choose "HID-compliant game controller" and click "Next"
After the driver is updated, close the window and click "Yes" to restart your computer

[austinp_valve]

This change is in beta - you can go to Steam/config/config.vdf and add values for "controller_hid_ps4", "controller_hid_switch_pro", or "controller_hid_switch_input_only" with the format "0x1234 0x5678," where those values are replaced with the USB VID and PID of your device. For Switch controllers you may want to try both variants (one at a time) though most 3rd party switch controllers are the "input only" variant.

[twilightramblings]

I'm sorry, I've never modified a Steam config before - what exactly should we be entering to add a new controller? And will it work if the PID and VID match ones that are already matched to another controller?

[austinp_valve]

You would go to the last } in the file and insert a new line before it. Put in:
"controller_hid_switch_pro" "0x1234 0x5678,"
where the values are changed like the last post I put in there and it should work. The VID/PID pair should be unique per device in any normal circumstances as VID values are assigned to individual companies.

[twilightramblings]

Thanks for the answer. I think since the VID and PID match the XBOX controller that means the 3rd party controller was adapted from one of them instead of a proper Switch Pro (it's an unbranded 3rd party one). I might be better off sending it back and going for a proper one this time.

[viram1]

Hi, I thought I'd do a write-up for this. I was able to use the instructions above to get full functionality (gyro, vibration, correct axis input on both sticks) off the Switch Pro Controller Clone (Xenoblade version) I bought from AliExpress. Anyway, I hope this helps someone.

1. Pair your 3rd Party Switch Pro Controller to your Windows 10 PC via Bluetooth.
2. Start Steam and let Steam recognize the controller.
3. Exit Steam.
4. Navigate to your Steam folder on your computer.
5. Within your Steam folder, go to the logs folder and open controller.txt (open with notepad or something similar).
6. CTRL+F and search for what windows calls your controller (Windows recognizes my controller as "Wireless Gamepad").
7. Look for the type. This will get you your VID and PID for your 3rd Party controller. Mine was 057e and 2006.
8. Go back to your main Steam folder on your PC and now go into the config folder.
9. Open config.vdf file with notepad.
10. Scroll all the way down to the bottom and add the following line before the last }: "controller_hid_switch_pro" "0x057E 0x2006,"
11. Save config.vdf file.
12. Open Steam and test controller to see if it has full functionality. If it works, you're done.

If not, exit Steam.

13. Open config.vdf file with notepad again.
14. Scroll all the way down to the bottom and add the following line before the last }: "controller_hid_switch_input_only" "0x057E 0x2006,"
15. Save config.vdf file.
16. Open Steam and test controller to see if input is working (not full functionality). If it works, you're done.

[Bipolar Sloth]

Originally posted by austinp_valve:

You would go to the last } in the file and insert a new line before it. Put in:
"controller_hid_switch_pro" "0x1234 0x5678,"
where the values are changed like the last post I put in there and it should work. The VID/PID pair should be unique per device in any normal circumstances as VID values are assigned to individual companies.

This did not work for me with my controller, any idea why? this is my controller https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T8B45M7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I checked the VID and PID and tried in both input only and the other one, i even tried the VID and PID in device manager and in fact steam recognizes the controller as a Switch Pro Controller but it becomes unusable and i have no control over it, this controller shows 2 different sets of VID and PID i tried with both, one is 057E 2009 and the other is 045E 028E, with this last ones i get Steam to recognize the controller but as i told you the controller gets crazy to the point none of the buttons works and the sticks do crazy things.

[austinp_valve]

There first vid/pid is a legit switch pro and the second one is an Xbox controller. My guess with be that none of the switch specific features would work on this device anyway so if it shows up as an Xbox controller you're better off going to controller settings->define layout and then saving it out as switch if you want the which button prompts in Steam.

[Moldi Stromboly]

Thanks for the guide, viram! I was able to add my Afterglow Wireless Switch Pro controller and get functional gyro and everything, seems to work great so far!

I really missed the grip buttons from my steam controller and with it being discontinued, I've been trying to find a suitable substitute. Nothing will ever replace the SC for me, but hopefully this will be close enough.

For steam devs:
"controller_hid_switch_pro" "0x0e6f 0x0186,"

https://www.amazon.com/Afterglow-Nintendo-Switch-Wireless-Controller-500-137/dp/B07VFCJHFQ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2EH5CR1KLHUNX&keywords=afterglow+switch+controller+wireless&qid=1582336595&sprefix=afterglow+switch%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-3

[Nico198X]

please add this to: /usr/lib/udev/rules.d/70-steam-input.rules

# PowerA Fusion Wired Fightpad PS4
KERNEL=="hidraw*", ATTRS{idVendor}=="20d6", ATTRS{idProduct}=="792a", MODE="0660", TAG+="uaccess"


every so often when Steam updates it will overwrite my manual addition and i need to put it in again. please add this controller to your official list for support.

thank you!

[Gad]

Using Viram1's instructions I was able to get my third party Switch controller recognized as a switch controller.
The controller in question: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KPGY7G9
Notably the controller.previous stopped logging into may, but the controller log did continue, and I was able to identify it via that one.

The reason I am responding however, is that after being recognized, the inputs were quite incorrect, it believed that the left analog stick was always holding up, and the right was always holding down, actually moving the left one up and down moved it left and right, and moving it left pressed the capture button. Etcetera. These malfunctions did not occur before changing its identification.

I am not sure where to move forward from here.
Any advice on what things I should try to get it working properly?

Alternately, could it be used as a generic, with full gyro functionality? Before I changed the config it thought it was an xbox 360 controller. If Gyro functionality could be added to the 360 controller's customization that might by itself a lot of the 3rd party switch controller issues.

[austinp_valve]

If the device was showing up as an Xbox controller it may have a Windows driver that makes it pretend to be an Xbox controller instead of how it shows up to the Switch console. I've seen a bunch of Switch and PS4 controllers do this. If that's the case then you might not be able to get gyro or capture button on PC.

Maybe try "controller_hid_switch_pro" instead of the input only version? It depends on what protocol the device is talking. The VID/PID the person posted is the VID of a legit Joycon which uses the same protocol as the Switch Pro.

FWIW all the normal licensed gamecube style controllers from HORI.POWER A/etc though some models have gyro and some don't so make sure to check the specs if that is important to you.

[viram1]

For me, my clone controller will behave differently based on how it’s connected to my PC. When connected via cable, it is recognized by Windows as an Xbox 360 controller. When wireless, it’s seen as a direct input pad similar to the real Switch Pro controller. My belief is that some of these 3rd party/clone controllers have something built in to make them compatible with PCs (like an override function) so that they force themselves to be seen as X360 pads inside Windows. In my case, as long I use my controller wirelessly after I’ve added it to the configure.vdf file, it works exactly as it should. However, knowing that my controller essentially functions like two different pads is probably the reason why you might have two VIDs/PIDs. It’s important to first look at how Windows is recognizing your controller. You have to isolate the correct VID/PID (the direct input one) and then manually add that one in. BTW, even after doing all this, my controller still maintains its dual functionality: wired-Xbox/wireless-Switch Pro. So play around with how you’re connecting your controller to your computer.