Steamdeck Trackpads not working when in Handheld Companion Menu

[Kamikaze01git]

Hello.

Thank you for the wonderful work and the really great app. It has become an indispensable helper for all handhelds with Windows!!

I'm trying to use the app on the Steamdeck myself, but I'm not succeeding as well as you can see in many YouTube videos :(

I have following questions: After starting the app for the first time on the Steamdeck, a physical controller and a virtual controller are displayed. At the same time I am advised to deactivate or mute one of the two. It's not entirely clear to me what a virtual controller is supposed to be or how it should be used. Also I don't see any graphics of the controllers in the controller menu like in all the Tutorial Videos. Additional there is no option to start or stop the service!!

The sensors (Overview Menu, I think) for the Valve Steam controller only say N/A and some options are also grayed out in the settings. With a lot of trial and error, I managed to adjust desktop mode and use the SteamDeck's trackpads. But as soon as I'm in the menu of the Handheld Companion (or in its quick menu), for example, I can only control with the DPad or the sticks and the trackpads are dead.

I've seen so many videos and read so many positive reports that I'm sure it must be me or my preferences. That's why I installed the entire Win11 on the deck again. But the problems are exactly the same. Am I doing something wrong??! And if so, how can I do it correctly? Is there perhaps some kind of WIKI or complete instructions for all that somewhere?

My setting is: "Win11 Pro Go" on a MicroSD with dual boot

THANKS SO MUCH !!

[CasperH2O]

Hello @Kamikaze01git

After starting the app for the first time on the Steamdeck, a physical controller and a virtual controller are displayed. At the same time I am advised to deactivate or mute one of the two. It's not entirely clear to me what a virtual controller is supposed to be or how it should be used.

Virtual controllers are used to play with a different type of controller for certain games, some games might not recognize the built in controller of a handheld and this makes sure sure you have an "xbox" controller or DS4 with motion.

Also I don't see any graphics of the controllers in the controller menu like in all the Tutorial Videos. Additional there is no option to start or stop the service!!

This is from older versions of HC and these have been removed.

The sensors (Overview Menu, I think) for the Valve Steam controller only say N/A and some options are also grayed out in the settings.

Not sure what you are talking about.

With a lot of trial and error, I managed to adjust desktop mode and use the SteamDeck's trackpads. But as soon as I'm in the menu of the Handheld Companion (or in its quick menu), for example, I can only control with the DPad or the sticks and the trackpads are dead.

Mouse doesn't currently work in HC, as to not conflict with gamepad navigation. We are still debating if this is a good approach.

[Kamikaze01git]

Thank you @CasperH2O for your answers and clearing a lot of things 👍

I understand now some things more then before.

I dreamed of using some STEAM inputs like the STEAM+X for the very comfy Stem-Keyboard at any time. Or when playing a game and hit a hotkey for the Quickmenue, i just wanted to swipe over the Trackpads to navigate in the Quickmenue (I was not aware, that the Trackpads in general are disabled when in HC (Main- or Quickmenue)).

For the Controller Sensors showing N/A i meant this one https://imgur.com/6lTYGyG

Anyway - i now understand a lot of things better and try to config it better for my usings.

Thank you !!!

[bjaudon]

I've experienced something similar when upgrading to build 0.21.0.1 on Steam Deck. I have desktop and controller modes set up the same, with mouse trackpads. Everything works as expected except when bringing up the main Handheld Companion window, the trackpads stop working. Right click set up on short press of left trackpad, Left click short press on Right trackpad, scroll wheel on left trackpad, and move cursor on right trackpad. All stops working when opening the HC quick menu or full interface.

Downgrading to version 0.20.4.1 works as expected and this is where I have remained.

[andrewmackrodt]

+1 please restore the ability/provide a setting to allow mouse bindings to keep working while Handheld Companion is open.

[Kingabomination]

please give us track pad functionality back. you have disabled the whole point i bought a steam deck. other handhelds are more powerful, but the steam deck has the best controller interface. it makes sense for the quick access menu, but not for the full program. setting up controller profiles is a tedious and annoying task now. adding a .exe to a profile manually is practically impossible without mouse support. i have to minimize HC, find it in file explorer, copy the address, pull back up HC and past it in its file explorer. Then hope to god i can fat finger all this and the tiny .exe with the terrible touch controls. taking this function away without even an option of reenabling it manually is absolutely absurd. don't make us suffer for other handhelds half baked controller designs.