Troubleshooting Controller Issues on PC | Hextech Mayhem

Here are some basic troubleshooting steps that may help gain control of your controller.

Verify the Controller Works

First off the bat is just making sure the controller itself is in working order. To do that, check the following:

  • Does the controller work with other games? If you boot up a different game you usually play with a controller, and the controller is working fine, you at least know the controller is working!
  • Is the battery charged? If your controller uses a battery, make sure it's charged (or that it has some fresh AAs).
  • Does it work when you connect it via USB? If you're having trouble with a wireless controller, try seeing if it'll work when you connect it to your PC via USB.
    • If you have multiple USB ports, try switching to a different one if it doesn't immediately work.
    • And just to be thorough, try a different USB cable if applicable.

Install/Update Drivers

Sometimes your PC won't recognize your controller if you have a missing or corrupt drivers. To cross this off the list of potential causes for your controller woes, let's look at installing and updating those drivers.

  • Windows has an assortment of native drivers included in the operating system to support peripherals, including controllers. That being the case, the drivers needed should automatically install when a controller is plugged in. Usually one of two controller drivers are installed:
    • Generic DirectInput driver
    • Microsoft Xbox One Controller driver
  • If drivers aren't automatically installed, they may require manual installation. This can be done through Device Manager:
    1. Press the Windows Key
    2. Type device manager and press enter
    3. Find the controller peripheral (it may be listed as a Generic Device under Other devices)
      Riot Forge Hextech Mayhem Support – The Device Manager window open showing the controller peripheral to select.
    4. Right click the controller peripheral and Scan for hardware changes to automatically install the proper driver.
      The Controller Peripheral in the Device Manager window has been right-clicked to show a pop-up menu with the option to Scan for hardware changes available.
    5. If scanning for hardware changes doesn't automatically install or update your driver, click Update driver to begin the driver updating process. In the next window that opens, select Search automatically for drivers.The window shown when you select to Update Driver from the Device Manager window. The text in this window says: How do you want to search for drivers? Search automatically for drivers or Browse my computer for drivers.
  • If that doesn't work, here are a few support sites which can help with locating and installing the proper peripheral drivers based on your gamepad's brand:

Configure Your Controller Through Steam

If you're playing a game on Steam and your controller isn't working, it may need to be configured through Steam itself.

  1. Open Steam
  2. Go to Settings under the Steam tabAn image of the Steam client’s menu system, with the Steam drop down menu open and the Settings buttong highlighted.
  3. Go to Controller
  4. Click General Controller SettingsThe Settings menu in the Steam Client, with the Controller tab open and highlighted.
  5. In Controller Settings, check the boxes to activate the configuration support for the controller you'll be using. If you're using an Xbox series controller, for example, you'll check the Xbox Configuration Support box. The Controler Settings menu open in the Steam client, with the Xbox Configuration Support option highlighted and checked.

Configuring Through Big Picture Mode

  1. Launch Big Picture Mode by clicking the highlighted icon shown below
    A close-up cropped image of the Steam client, highlighting the icon for button that launches Steam’s Big Picture Mode. The icon shows a rectangle within facing outward and pointing at opposing corners of the rectangle.
  2. Click the Gear icon to go to Settings
    A close-up cropped image of the Steam client’s Big Picture mode option icons. The Gear icon that leads to the Settings menu is highlighted.
  3. Go to Controller Settings
    Steam’s Big Picture Mode Settings menu, with the Controller Settings section highlighted.
  4. In Controller Settings, check the boxes to activate the configuration support for the controller you'll be using. If you're using an Xbox series controller, for example, you'll check the Xbox Configuration Support box.Steam’s Big Picture Mode Controller Settings window, with Xbox Configuration Support highlighted and checked.

If you've gone through the troubleshooting steps above and still find yourself having trouble, you can /submit a ticket below and we'll see what we can do.

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