Hello @reydeljuego12345, if the issue you're seeing is common to SDL, then the issue should be reported and evaluated by that project's maintainer(s).
Hello @reydeljuego12345, if the issue you're seeing is common to SDL, then the issue should be reported and evaluated by that project's maintainer(s).
I have already opened an issue in the library's project repository, https://github.com/libsdl-org/SDL/issues/15713. However, my understanding is that Steam manages its own SDL implementation and compiles its own library at ~/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/steam-runtime/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libSDL2-2.0.so.0. Steam Runtime sets the controller's light bar color in its configuration section, where a custom color can be set. This same custom color is not respected because the system's SDL fights for control with Steam's internal SDL, causing instability and color flickering. I believe Steam could improve its implementation of the library to avoid this.
UPDATE: I have tested the controller's behavior a bit more. There are occasions when, upon launching a game, the color set in the Controller configuration section persists. However, after restarting Steam, the problematic behavior reappears. Regardless of whether the color is set in the configuration, when the controller does not receive a vibration signal, it reverts to blue.
In other words:
1 Inactive controller: the controller returns to blue, overwriting Steam's color.
2 When the controller vibrates due to a game signal, the color returns for a few minutes, until it stops receiving vibration signals or until action buttons send a signal to the game.
SDL_JOYSTICK_HIDAPI_PS4=1x1 2026-05
Your system information
steam-logs.tar.gz
Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:
Describe what you expected should happen and what did happen. Please link any large code pastes as a Github Gist
I am experiencing an issue regarding the DualShock 4 light bar control where Steam appears to override system-level configurations.
When I set the light bar color by writing directly to /sys/class/leds/, Steam interferes with this setting. It seems that when the controller receives a vibration signal, SDL—or the Steam Input mechanism—overwrites the custom color. This results in the light bar constantly resetting to blue or reverting to the default Steam configuration.
This behavior causes significant inconsistencies, characterized by flickering or the light bar color snapping back to blue whenever the controller triggers a rumble effect. It appears that the internal mechanisms are fighting for control over the LED brightness and color values managed by the native kernel driver.
Steps for reproducing this issue:
When disabling SDL, the light bar is no longer hijacked and works as expected; however, this results in the loss of trackpad button functionality. This is a problem with a SLD, because another apps the same happens