Bethesda Game Studios’ latest action/RPG title, Starfield, is finally coming out on September 6, 2023, for Microsoft Windows and Xbox Series X/S. Furthermore, the developers have already released the game on Early Access for the players who purchased the Premium Edition. This Early Access edition, however, has faced significant criticism from the players due to different errors and bugs. Now, one common error that occurs in most of the games is that the controller does not work properly. The same issue is ruining the experience of many players in Starfield as well. So, if you’re facing the controller not working issue on PC in Starfield, continue reading this article until the end to find out how to fix it.
The PC edition of Starfield is experiencing quite a few errors and bugs, which are really frustrating. Especially if the controller or gamepad doesn’t respond to the inputs, the game becomes absolutely unplayable for the players. Of course, you could always use your keyboard to play the game on PC; however, this is a personal preference, and people who are more comfortable with controllers may not enjoy being forced to play using a keyboard or mouse on PC. In such a scenario, it becomes imperative that players understand how to fix the controller not working issue in the game. So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at how to fix this problem.
Starfield Controller Not Working Issue on PC: How to Fix?
If you’re trying to play Starfield using your controller or gamepad and it doesn’t work, check out the list of workarounds we have shared below. Try them, and the issue should get fixed eventually.
Restart game/PC
The first workaround involves closing the game and launching it again to see if the controller starts working. If not, you’ll have to perform a PC restart. Turn the device off, wait for a few minutes, and then turn it back on. Launch the game and check if the issue persists.
Use Steam Big Picture Mode
You should try launching the game in Steam Big Picture Mode and check if it fixes the issue. Open the Steam client and click on the Big Picture icon at the top of your screen. Then, launch Starfield and see if it solves the controller error.
Configure Steam controller input
- Open the Steam client and click on the Steam option in the top-left corner of your screen.
- From the drop-down menu, go to Settings, and then open the Controller tab.
- Under the External Gamepad Settings tab, disable Steam input for all kinds of controllers.
- Run the game and see if the issue persists.
- If you’re still facing the error, then follow the first two steps. Now, under this External Gamepad Settings tab, enable Steam Input for the controller that you’re using. For example, if you’re using an Xbox controller, then enable Steam Input for Xbox Controllers.
- Run the game and see if the issue persists.
Disable Steam Input (for Starfield only)
- Open the Steam client and go to your Steam Library.
- Locate Starfield from the list of installed games and right-click on it.
- From the context menu, click on Properties, and then select the Controller tab.
- Open the drop-down menu corresponding to the “Override for Starfield” option and select the “Disable Steam Input” option.
- Launch the game and see if the issue persists.
Disconnect other peripherals
Make sure to disconnect all unnecessary USB devices before launching the game on your PC. You should also disconnect your controller while launching the game. Connect it to your PC once the game launches and see if the issue persists.
Turn off the Steam Overlay
- Open the Steam client and go to your Steam Library.
- Locate Starfield from the list of installed games and right-click on it.
- Now, click on Properties, and then open the General tab.
- Here, disable the “Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game” option.
- Run the game and see if the controller works.
If you are using any other overlay featuring apps like Discord, make sure to disable them too.
Verify game files
- Open the Steam client, and visit the Steam Library.
- Find Starfield here and right-click on it.
- From the context menu, click on Properties, and then select Local Files.
- Click on the “Verify integrity of game files” option.
- Let Steam run the verification and then see if the issue persists.
Reinstall the game
If nothing works, then uninstall and reinstall the game and see if that solves your issue. However, make sure that you install the game on a different drive, preferably an SSD.
Well, this is how you can fix the Controller Not Working Issue in Starfield on PC. If you find this guide helpful, stay tuned to DigiStatement for more such gaming-related content.
