Ryujinx can open normally on Steam Deck while the buttons, sticks, or external controller do nothing. The usual break is the handoff between Steam Input and Ryujinx, especially in Game Mode. Start by using the current Ryubing/Ryujinx setup or the EmuDeck-managed install, then point Player 1 at Steam's virtual controller.
Start with the current Ryubing or EmuDeck build
Use the current Ryubing/Ryujinx product page or the Ryujinx install managed by EmuDeck before changing controller settings. The original Ryujinx project is discontinued, so old original-project downloads and old update instructions are no longer the right starting point.
On Steam Deck, open EmuDeck, select Manage Emulators, choose Ryujinx, and use the available update or reinstall controls. That keeps the emulator aligned with the controller setup EmuDeck expects.
If the controller still does not respond after updating or reinstalling, set Player 1 to Steam Virtual Gamepad next.
Set Player 1 to Steam Virtual Gamepad
This is the main fix for Ryujinx Steam Deck controller not working in Game Mode.
- 1.Open Ryujinx from Steam or your EmuDeck shortcut.
- 2.Go to Options, then Settings, then Input.
- 3.Under Player 1, select Configure.
- 4.Open Input Device and choose Steam Virtual Gamepad.
- 5.Select Load, select Save, then exit Ryujinx and relaunch it from Game Mode.
Launch Ryujinx through Steam
Use this when Ryujinx was opened directly in Desktop Mode or added outside Steam. Steam Input needs Ryujinx to run through Steam so it can expose the virtual gamepad Ryujinx can select.
In the Steam desktop client, click + ADD A GAME....
Choose Add a Non-Steam Game... and follow the prompts to add Ryujinx.
Launch Ryujinx from your Steam library. Return to Options, Settings, Input, and set Player 1 to Steam Virtual Gamepad.
EmuDeck users can add Ryujinx to Steam with the Emulators parser in Steam ROM Manager. Once Ryujinx launches from Steam, use the same Player 1 input setting.
Check Steam Deck inputs before changing more settings
Open Steam, go to Settings, then Controller, and run Test Controller Inputs. If the Steam Deck buttons fail there too, fix the SteamOS or controller hardware issue before spending more time in Ryujinx.
If the buttons pass the Steam test, go back to Ryujinx and focus on Steam Input routing. The Steam test separates a Deck-wide input problem from a Ryujinx configuration problem.
For an Xbox, PlayStation, or generic controller, open the Steam desktop client and go to Steam, Settings, Controller. Confirm the controller is detected there, enable the matching Steam Input or controller support setting shown on that page, and relaunch Ryujinx from Steam.
Reset the Ryujinx configuration in EmuDeck
Use this when the correct controller is selected but Ryujinx still ignores input, or after an update changes Game Mode behavior.
- 1.Open EmuDeck on the desktop.
- 2.Select Manage Emulators.
- 3.Choose Ryujinx from the emulator list or drop-down.
- 4.Select Reset configuration and wait for it to finish.
- 5.Reopen Ryujinx and set Player 1 to Steam Virtual Gamepad again.
Choose your gamepad directly in Ryujinx
Use Ryujinx's native controller picker when a connected controller is exposed directly to Ryujinx in Desktop Mode. This path is for direct controller input, not the normal Steam Deck Game Mode virtual-controller route.
Open Ryujinx, go to Options, then Settings, then Input. Open Player 1 and choose Configure.
In Input Device, select your gamepad. Choose Load, then choose Save.
If direct selection does not hold or the mapping behaves strangely, reset the configuration with EmuDeck or rebuild Ryujinx's config file.
Route external controller gyro around Steam Input
The most common cause is Steam Input sitting between the external controller and Ryujinx, which blocks the native motion feature you are trying to use.
Switch to Desktop Mode. Exit Steam from the taskbar with Exit Steam, use Steam and Exit, or run killall -9 steam in Konsole.
Connect the controller from the Bluetooth icon in the taskbar. Open Ryujinx, go to Options, Settings, Input, and open Configure under Player 1.
Set Input Device to your external controller. Choose Controller Type, select Joycon Pair or Pro Controller, then click Load next to Controller Type.
Under Motion, turn on Enable Motion Controls and turn off Use CemuHook compatible motion. Exit Ryujinx, return to Game Mode, open the Nintendo Switch game, select the Controller icon on the Play screen, choose your controller tab, open the Gear icon, select Disable Steam Input, and restart if needed.
Turn Steam Input back on after the gyro test
Disabling Steam Input is a targeted workaround for external controller gyro, not the normal Steam Deck setup. For standard controls, Ryujinx on Steam Deck works through Steam's virtual gamepad.
In Game Mode, select the Nintendo Switch game, open the Controller icon on the Play screen, choose your controller tab, open the Gear icon, and select Enable Steam Input. Restart if needed so the game and Ryujinx pick up the change.
Older guides may mention Big Picture Mode and old Controller Settings configuration-support checkboxes. Use the current path: Steam, Settings, Controller, plus the per-game Controller icon and Gear settings.
Fix multiplayer and wrong Player 1 order
When the wrong controller controls the game, launch Ryujinx or the game in Game Mode with all controllers connected. Open the Steam overlay controller controls and use the controller-order option to put the Steam Deck controls or the intended external controller in the first slot.
For local multiplayer, open Ryujinx input settings from the Settings menu. Set Player 2 to Steam Virtual Gamepad 1, Player 3 to Steam Virtual Gamepad 2, and Player 4 to Steam Virtual Gamepad 3.
Choose the controller type or profile, then use Load and Save.
If multiplayer input is still inconsistent, reset the Ryujinx configuration in EmuDeck and reassign each player slot from scratch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I delete Ryujinx config files if input mapping is broken?
Use it as a deeper reset. In Ryujinx, open File > Open Ryujinx Folder, delete config.json or LDNconfig.json for the LDN version, restart Ryujinx, then rebuild Player 1 input settings and re-add your games directory.
Does the Flatpak version need extra controller permissions?
If Ryujinx was installed as a Flatpak, open Flatseal, select Ryujinx, review device or input permissions, then relaunch Ryujinx. Flathub lists the package as community-supported rather than officially supported by Ryubing.
Can a SteamOS update break Ryujinx Game Mode controls?
Yes. Open Settings > System > System Update Channel and apply available updates. Stay on Stable unless a specific Beta or Preview fix is documented for your exact issue.
What fixed the SteamOS 3.8 Ryujinx Game Mode controller issue?
For that EmuDeck-noted issue, open EmuDeck > Manage Emulators > Ryujinx, reinstall or update Ryujinx, then run Reset configuration so EmuDeck reapplies its controller setup.