I'm having the same issue. I would really like to see it resolved
This is an old issue, still not fixed it seems... but here I am in 2026 and I cannot use joystick input in desktop mode. The option is entirely missing. I wanted to make an action set for desktop mode that switches to generic controller input, hoping that would solve another unfixed issue, as described here (NOT fixed): https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/10551
That is to say Steam Input stays in desktop mode for some non steam games and launchers, even if I choose "Disable steam input" for the game, and/or "Use desktop mode in launcher" is disabled. Desktop mode interferes with in-game controls, making many games unplayable via Steam, so I was hoping to switch it to a normal controller layout manually as a bypass.
The only solution I have at the moment is to close Steam, and that's been good enough until now.
But I have just learned it is only possible to use the new Steam Controller with SteamInput. So closing Steam means the controller will not work at all for non-steam games affected by this issue.
That really sucks, so I will not consider buying the Steam Controller until at least one of these issues is fixed.
the only possible way to set pads to
joystick moveis to apply template, but as soon as you edit pads action, the input style resets tonone.running steam beta channel.