Hello @gusgalarnyk, Steam shouldn't directly interact with keyboard firmware. This is an issue between the kernel and your hardware that is coincidentally being agitated by Steam.
Wow you got back to me fast! Well thanks for the reply. It sounds like you think Steam is not the cause, despite it only happening when the Steam application is running and instantly when the Steam application is running. I'll speak to my keyboard manufacturer and see if they can help. I guess my next best bet would be... to leave a bug on the steam arch package manager's page or something? If you have any better ideas, I'm all ears.
Does Steam list your keyboard as a controller?
Steam > Settings > Controller, at the top (above any settings)
Yes, and then no, and then yes, and then no. While it's rebooting it's oscillating between detected and missing. On the firmware that is stable from Steam's perspective it is always present as a controller in the settings as you described.
I've not heard of this specific symptom (keyboard restarting), but there have been other unexpected behaviour caused by the same root cause (keyboard detected as controller).
Try blacklisting your keyboard from being detected as a controller (joystick) by the kernel
https://github.com/denilsonsa/udev-joystick-blacklist
You don't have to use the files from above; you can just create a file in /etc/udev/rules.d/ like this:
# Prevent keyboard from being detected as joystick
# Keychron C3 Pro 8K (3434:0437)
SUBSYSTEM=="input", ATTRS{idVendor}=="3434", ATTRS {idProduct}=="0437", ENV{ID_INPUT_JOYSTICK}=="?*", ENV{ID_INPUT_JOYSTICK}=""
SUBSYSTEM=="input", ATTRS{idVendor}=="3434", ATTRS{idProduct}=="0437", KERNEL=="js[0-9]*", MODE="0000", ENV{ID_INPUT_JOYSTICK}=""
Replace 3434 and 0437 with the vendor and product ID of your keyboard (see lsusb).
Some keyboards may present as different devices in different modes. Check Steam/logs/controller.txt if you're not sure which one to blacklist. Example log:
[2025-10-10 17:40:23] Local Device Found
type: 3434 0437
path: sdl://1
serial_number: - 0
[2025-10-10 17:40:23] Manufacturer:
[2025-10-10 17:40:23] Product: Keychron C3 Pro 8K System Control
Okay, I uploaded the newest firmware (still v25) and rebooted steam to make sure the keyboard was still rebooting before trying what you suggested and the keyboard was not rebooting. Something changed that wasn't the firmware or my kernel. I did what you suggested, updated my entire system, rebooted, and the problem is no longer present but Steam is still seeing my keyboard as a controller so I must have messed something up there. I'll try again to properly blacklist it, but for the moment the problem has disappeared. I have two work arounds if it reappears and you're saying the issue is with the kernal and known so I think we can close this ticket if you agree.
Thank you for your help with this matter, it means a great deal. Stay healthy and enjoy the holidays, please don't work too hard if you can help it.
Nothing extracted yet.
Your system information
Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:
Sometime in December, when I would boot up Steam, my keyboard (Ergodox EZ) begins to reset frequently and sporadically. This is an issue because the keyboard has multiple layers and I use one of the layers for gaming (as my normal layer is not QWERTY).
If I focus the Steam window, the resets eventually stop and it stabilizes, but even in a game it will randomly reboot half a dozen times before staying good for several minutes and then begin rebooting again.
The moment I close the Steam application (exit), the keyboard reboots one more time (or so) and then never reboots until I reopen Steam.
This makes playing games nearly impossible as I'm essentially frozen for 30 seconds at a time every couple of minutes.
When this first started happening (early december) I left the Steam Beta and it stopped happening. Within the last two days or so it has begun to happen again despite not being in the Beta. I have tried changing several settings, going in and out of the beta, and nothing fixed it.
Support suggested I open this ticket.
I have found a temporary solution. I reverted my keyboard to several firmwares back to see if potentially it was a firmware issue. I reverted one version back, which I adopted in June, and the problem persisted. I reverted several versions back, which I haven't used in 3 years, and the problem went away.
What this tells me is my keyboard's firmware from BEFORE this problem made a change that today Steam does not like. BUT Steam made a change recently that made it not like my keyboard's firmware. Steam has the problem, but some part of this equation my keyboard manufacturer has control over and can resolve it.
I have contacted them to see if together we can all resolve this :D because I really like not having my keyboard reset constantly.
I am on Arch Linux, KDE desktop, Wayland. June new firmware no issues, December new steam issues, December steam and several years old firmware no issues. That's all I got.
Steps for reproducing this issue:
Thank you for any help, I recognize Linux is a small share community with many configurations. I appreciate you and your work.