How to Stop a Controller from Controlling the Mouse on Steam?

Controllers on Steam can sometimes interfere with your desktop experience by acting like a mouse. If you’re facing this frustrating issue where your controller is controlling your mouse.

Fortunately, you can stop Steam from taking input from your controller using a few simple methods. If disabling Steam Input doesn’t work, be sure to try the third and fourth methods, as they are more likely to resolve the issue.

1. Disable Steam Input

Steam Input allows users to customize how controllers interact with games. However, it can sometimes reconfigure your controller to act as a mouse, especially in Desktop Configuration mode. Disabling Steam Input can stop this behavior and restore your controller to normal functionality.

1. Open Steam and click the Steam icon in the top-left corner.
2. Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
3. From the left sidebar, select Controller.
4. Disable the option labeled Enable Steam Input for Xbox Controller.
5. Once done, check if the issue is resolved.

2. Reset the Controller to Default

If your controller is misconfigured, resetting it to default settings can help. This clears any custom mappings or settings that might be causing the problem.

1. Press Win + S to open Windows Search.
2. Type Set up USB game controllers and press Enter.
3. Select your controller from the list and click Properties.
4. In the Properties window, click Reset to Default.
5. Click OK to save the changes.
6. Launch Steam and check if the issue is resolved.

3. Unbind Controller Buttons from the Layout

If the problem persists, unbinding the controller buttons from the layout can help. This removes any mappings that allow the controller to act like a mouse.

1. Open Steam and click the Steam icon in the top-left corner.
2. Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
3. From the left sidebar, select Controller.
4. Click Edit next to Desktop Layout.
5. Unbind the controller keys that are acting like your mouse.
6. Once done, check if the issue is resolved.

4. Disable the Controller from Device Manager

If none of the above methods work, disabling the controller from Device Manager will stop it from sending signals to your computer.

1. Right-click the Start Menu and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the Sound, video, and game controllers section.
3. Right-click your controller and select Disable.
4. Click Yes to confirm.
5. Once done, the issue should be resolved.