Steam Link not recognizing controllers [FIX]

Milan Stanojevic
by Milan Stanojevic
Windows & Software Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about PCs ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Read more
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Steam Link is an easy-to-use console that connects your PC to your TV. So, this way you can play on a bigger screen from the comfort of your living room.

Also, Steam Link is versatile, which means you can use almost any controller from Xbox or Play Station.

Usually, you only need to plug your devices, make sure your network connection is strong, and select some options from the Steam Link menu.

However, quite a few users reported a major issue while trying to connect the controller to Steam Link. Today we will show you what to do if you encountered this problem.

It is worth mentioning that this issue appeared on wired controllers. This type of controllers should work on Steam Link without any trouble.

What to do if you can’t connect the controller to Steam Link

1. Plug and unplug the controller

  1. Connect your wired controller.
  2. Go to your steam-client in big picture mode.
  3. Press Add Steam controller.
  4. Unplug the Steam controller by wire and follow the instructions from the screen.

2. Go through the setup process with a mouse

Steam Link has a great feature: you can use your mouse or a keyboard to access the options, so you don’t necessarily need a gaming controller for changing some settings.

  1. Plug in a mouse and go through the setup process.
  2. Link your PC. Make sure everything is running smoothly on your computer.
  3. Go to Add controller, and plug in your Xbox One Controller (or any other type of controller).
  4. After the firmware update, it should recognize the controller.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are some easy steps to follow if you need to connect your controller properly. Usually, Steam Link should recognize the controller at the first go, so this is a bug Valve needs to fix.

Also, if you have another controller, try that one as well to see if you can replicate the problem. If not, your controller has a compatibility issue.

We recommend the best and most versatile controllers. Choose one from our new list to avoid problems and to enhance your gaming experience with Steam Link.

Did our solutions help you solve the problem? What controller do you use on your Steam Link? Let us know in the comments section below.

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