protonscr

Steam overlay keyboard input not working for almost the entire keyboard

steamclosed overlayDistro Family: Arch
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#11236 · opened 2024-09-03 by EXtremeExploit · updated 2026-01-09 · 4 comments · github
EEXtremeExploit 2024-09-03 github

Your system information

  • Steam client version (build number or date): Steam Beta Update (1724878532)
  • Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Arch Linux
  • Opted into Steam client beta?: Yes
  • Have you checked for system updates?: Yes
  • Steam Logs:steam-logs.tar.gz
  • GPU: AMD RX580 (Mesa 24.2.1-arch1.1)

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

Steam overlay keyboard input does not work for non-special keys (No keys work except for kb modifiers).
Even if the keyboard event gets sent. I cannot type ANYTHING on panels inside the overlay, input on the steam app itself works fine
Ctrl+V DOES and CTRL+Z work so thats how i've gotten around using the overlay for some time now.
Below is a video example of how the event.code property is something completely else using this site
I have no idea if this the actual problem or its just a symptom of the actual problem somewhere deep within the overlay

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/6da7d510-45cf-4a9f-ab92-93c218ff6e34

I've already tried pressing all the keyboard modifiers at least once as maybe the overlay thought i had pressed one but it didnt help
Also tried pressing the same key multiple times as that seemed to be the issue for other people here too but that didnt help either
And the issue happens on EVERY GAME, doesnt matter if its native or running through proton

Running AwesomeWM on X11 with startx
XKBLayout: latam
vconsole KEYMAP: la-latin1

Steps for reproducing this issue:

  1. Open any game with the steam overlay enabled
  2. Open the overlay
  3. Try typing in a chat window
NNeubulae 2024-10-16 github

Same issues here

Uu00101010 2024-11-27 github

I also have this issue but I use Debian. (gist of system details)

I can open and close the overlay, click on things but cannot chat with anyone because the keyboard doesn't function properly.

Ccprn 2025-09-21 github

It seems like a duplicate of #11158.

EEXtremeExploit 2026-01-09 github

The issue seems to be solved now.
While it was fixed i was running with XMODIFIERS=@im=xim so minecraft doesnt drop inputs
I dropped that environment env var, so it could be that both dropping the env var and steam updating fixed the issue
All keys work as intended now

Nothing extracted yet.