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Steam Input
Bellevue, Washington, USA
What it is
Steam Input is controller configuration software built into the Steam client. It lets players adjust supported controllers and route physical inputs to game actions or to keyboard, mouse, and gamepad inputs. Supported devices include Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch Pro, PlayStation 3, and DirectInput gamepads. Players can make multiple custom configurations for a game and share them online, then open controller settings in the Steam desktop client or Big Picture mode.
Games that use the Steam Input API can receive named actions and identify the physical controls assigned to them, which can help display matching on-screen glyphs. For games without API support, Legacy mode maps inputs to other inputs; this can cause glitches when a game expects mouse and gamepad activity to stay separate, and its glyphs may not reflect the configured inputs. The API is action-based, while Steamworks is a free suite of tools for developers. Steam Input is free and supports Windows, macOS, and Linux.
For and against
For
- Free to use.
- Supports major console controller families.
- Players can share custom game configurations.
- Settings are available in desktop and Big Picture modes.
- API supports named game actions.
Against
- Legacy mode can cause input glitches in some games.
- Legacy-mode glyphs may not match configured inputs.
The verdict
Steam Input provides controller mapping options for both API-enabled games and titles that use legacy bindings. Players should note the possible control conflicts and mismatched glyphs in Legacy mode.
Who it suits
Steam Input suits players who want to customize supported controllers for games, including titles without native API support. Developers can use its action-based API to add controller support and define game actions.
On the record
- API
- The Steam Input API is an action-based API that supports Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch Pro, and Steam Controllers.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Built-in configurator
- The Steam Input Configurator is built into the Steam client and translates input from a device according to the player's settings before passing it to a game or application.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Community configurations
- Players can publish controller configurations publicly, and developers can designate configurations as official for their games.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Configuration guidance
- Steam no longer recommends Steam Workshop for managing official configurations in new titles and recommends bundling Action Manifest Files with game depots.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Configuration modes
- Input source modes include mouse, joystick, scroll wheel, touch menu, mouse region, and radial menu modes.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Controller support
- The configurator supports major controllers including Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch Pro, PlayStation 3, and DirectInput gamepads.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Customization
- Steam Input's developer guidance says games should allow players to customize controls and mix mouse, keyboard, and gamepad input simultaneously.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Custom mappings
- Players can create multiple customized controller configurations for a game and share them online.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Developer integration
- The Steam Input API lets developers communicate directly with the Steam Input Configurator in Native mode; the API is not required for Legacy mode.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Free tools suite
- Steamworks is described as a free suite of tools available to developers for games or software on Steam.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Game actions
- Developers can define in-game actions and action sets so players bind controller inputs to game actions instead of keys or buttons.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Input types
- Recognized physical input examples include buttons, joysticks, D-pads, triggers, trackballs, trackpads, and gyroscopes.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Intended users
- The documentation describes Steam Input guidance for players configuring controllers and developers adding controller support to games.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Legacy bindings
- For games without native Steam Input API support, players can bind controller inputs to keyboard, mouse, or gamepad inputs.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Legacy mode
- Legacy mode maps physical inputs to other inputs for games that have not implemented the Steam Input API.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Legacy mode limitation
- Legacy configurations can cause glitches in games that assume gamepad and mouse controls will not be active at the same time, and their on-screen controller glyphs may not match the configured inputs.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Maker location
- Valve says it makes its products collaboratively in Bellevue, Washington.valvesoftware.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Native mode
- In Native mode, games receive named actions from the configurator and can query which physical controls are bound to those actions to display suitable on-screen glyphs.partner.steamgames.com · read 30 Sep 2026
