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Steam input eventually stop registering controller inputs on Ubuntu 26 LTS

steamopen Distro Family: UbuntuGeneral controller / Steam Input
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#13387 · opened 2026-07-06 by liamgabouge · updated 2026-07-10 · 1 comments · github
Lliamgabouge 2026-07-06 github

I'm experiencing issues with controller inputs on Kubuntu 26.04:

  • After a fresh boot, Steam Input works normally.
  • After a few hours, Steam sees the controller as before but Steam Input stops responding to it (checking with the integrated "Test controller inputs" in Settings > Controler > details)
  • Restarting Steam does not resolve the issue.
  • Disconnecting and reconnecting the controller does not resolve the issue
  • Rebooting the system restores functionality until the issue occurs again.

I could confirm a few things while steam input doesn't work - to try to rule out an issue at my system's level:

  • Linux continues to receive controller input correctly (both evtest and hid-report show all button and axis events).
  • Steam has opened the correct /dev/hidraw file, and shows valid HIDraw API read() calls from steam when I press buttons
sudo strace -f -yy -e read -p $(pidof steam) 2>&1 | grep --line-buffered hidraw
[pid 3266] read(142</dev/hidraw15<char 238:15>>, "\1\24~\327\207\36tvt\0\0\0\0\0\2\0\0\0\n\0", 64) = 20
# ...
  • Steam's controller.txt log doesn't show any errors - and still prints controller connection and disconnection messages.

Some system and controller details if that helps:

  • Kubuntu 26.04
  • Controller is an XBox elite 2 connected via bluetooth. Using the xpadneo driver
  • Steam client version info:
    Steam Beta Branch: Stable Client
    Steam Version: 1782866176
    Steam Client Build Date: Thu, Jun 25, 2026 12:24 AM UTC -08:00
    Steam Web Build Date: Fri, Jun 26, 2026 1:15 AM UTC -08:00
    Steam API Version: SteamClient023

That's the extent of my diagnosis, but If there's any extra debug I can run on my end, do let me know.

LLimeysoda1 2026-07-10 github

I can confirm I have this issue aswell. I am using a wired PS3 controller.
I am on Lubuntu 26.04 LTS. I have tested in evtest and can confirm the controller input works on linux. Additionally controller works on other computers. Since updating to 26.04 I cannot get steam to recognize this controllers input for more than a few moments before it stops and becomes dead until I reboot computer.

Nothing extracted yet.