Questions
How to use a controller with Steam on a Mac
Steam on a Mac works with the same controllers the Mac does, and for many games it needs nothing from you. The order that saves time: get the Mac to see the pad, let Steam see it, check the game supports one, then pick a layout. I make a free controller mapper, and I will say plainly where Steam already does the job and where it does not.
Steps
- Connect the controller to the Mac and check it is listed in Game Controllers in System Settings.
- Open Steam, Settings, Controller and turn on Steam Input for your type of pad.
- Check the game supports a controller on the Mac.
- Pick a layout from the game's controller page, or flip its Steam Input override.
- For games Steam cannot reach, map the pad to keys with a mapper and turn Steam Input off for that game.
1. Connect the controller to the Mac first
Steam cannot use a pad the Mac does not see. Pair it in System Settings, Bluetooth, or plug in a cable, then open Game Controllers in the System Settings sidebar and check it is listed. If it is not, fix that before touching Steam: the connect guide has the pairing button for each pad, and controller not recognized covers the rest.
2. Let Steam see it
Open Steam, then Steam, Settings, Controller. Your pad should be listed there. Turn on Steam Input for its type, PlayStation, Nintendo or generic controllers, if you want Steam's layouts. On recent macOS Steam also needs Input Monitoring: if it asks, allow it in System Settings, Privacy and Security, then quit Steam fully and open it again. If the Mac lists the pad and Steam does not, controller works on Mac but not in Steam goes through the causes.
3. Check the game supports a controller on a Mac
A game's Steam store page shows Full Controller Support or Partial Controller Support in its right column, but that label does not always describe the Mac version. Look for a controller setting in the game's own options too; some games want it switched on. A game with no controller support on the Mac only listens to the keyboard and mouse, whatever Steam does. Step 5 is for that case.
4. Pick a layout for the game
On the game's library page, the controller icon opens Steam Input for that game: its layout, and often community layouts made by other players, including keyboard layouts for games that never had pad support. In the game's Properties, Controller, the override decides whether Steam Input runs for that game at all. If the game sees the pad twice, or not at all, switch it between Enable and Disable Steam Input and relaunch. The works in Steam but not in the game page has the full checklist.
5. When Steam cannot do it
Steam Input reaches games Steam launched. It does not reach a game from another store or launcher, or a browser game, and on a Mac some Steam games ignore it. For those, a mapper that sits below Steam sends real key presses and mouse movement that every app receives. InputConfig does that for free: its Smart Preset Maker has ready layouts for more than 450 games and apps, and a preset can switch on by itself when the game comes to the front. Set Steam Input to Disabled for that game first, so the two do not both answer the same button. The play any game with a controller guide walks through it.
InputConfig is free on the Mac App Store. macOS 14 or later, no account, no tracking, open source.
Big Picture mode on a Mac
Big Picture is Steam's full-screen interface built for a controller, and it works on a Mac. Open it from the View menu, Big Picture Mode, or the Big Picture button at the top right of the Steam window. The PS, Xbox or Home button opens the Steam menu inside it. To leave, open that menu and choose Power, Exit Big Picture. To start in it every time, turn on Start Steam in Big Picture Mode in Steam, Settings, Interface.
It is the easiest way to run Steam on a Mac plugged into a TV, and on recent macOS it is also where a pad works most reliably: some people find the controller works in Big Picture and is ignored once a game or the desktop takes focus. For the rest of the Mac from the sofa, browsing and video, the couch guide has a layout.
Which pad, which setting
| Controller | Connect to the Mac | In Steam |
|---|---|---|
| PS5 DualSense, DualSense Edge | Bluetooth or USB | Steam Input for PlayStation controllers |
| PS4 DualShock 4 | Bluetooth or USB | Steam Input for PlayStation controllers |
| Xbox Wireless (One, Series) | Bluetooth; Series X|S needs macOS 11.3 or later | Works as it is; Steam Input optional |
| Wired Xbox 360 | Not supported by macOS | Do not count on it |
| Switch Pro Controller | Bluetooth | Steam Input for Nintendo controllers; A and B position setting |
| 8BitDo | D mode, or B and Start on an SN30 Pro | Seen as the pad its mode imitates |
| Steam Controller | USB or Valve's dongle (original); through Steam (2026 model) | Handled by Steam; see the Steam Controller page |
Questions
Can I use a PS5 controller on Steam on a Mac?
Yes. Pair it with the Mac, turn on Steam Input for PlayStation controllers in Steam, Settings, Controller, and it works in Big Picture and in games that support a controller. PS4 DualShock 4 pads work the same way.
Can I use an Xbox controller on Steam on a Mac?
Yes, an Xbox Wireless controller over Bluetooth; the Series X|S pad needs macOS 11.3 or later. A wired Xbox 360 controller is not supported by macOS, so do not count on it.
Can I use a Switch Pro Controller on Steam on a Mac?
Yes. Pair it in Bluetooth and turn on Steam Input for Nintendo controllers. If confirm and back feel swapped, change Steam's setting for Nintendo's button positions.
Does Big Picture mode work on a Mac?
Yes. Open it from Steam's View menu or the Big Picture button at the top right of the Steam window. It is the most reliable place for a controller in Steam on recent macOS.
How do I exit Big Picture mode on a Mac?
Press the controller's PS, Xbox or Home button to open the Steam menu, then choose Power, Exit Big Picture. If Steam opens in Big Picture every time, turn off Start Steam in Big Picture Mode in Steam, Settings, Interface.
Does the Steam Controller work on a Mac?
Both Valve models work with Steam on a Mac. Outside Steam, InputConfig reads the original model, wired or through its dongle, and not the 2026 model yet. The Steam Controller page has the details.
Does a controller work in Steam Link or Remote Play on a Mac?
The pad connects to the Mac, and Steam passes it to the computer running the game, so that computer's Steam Input settings apply. If it fails, check the pad is listed in Game Controllers on the Mac, then the game's controller setting on the host.
Do I need a mapper for Steam games?
Not for a Steam game that supports a controller on the Mac; Steam and the game handle it. A mapper such as InputConfig is for games that ignore the pad, games outside Steam, and the rest of the Mac. Use one or the other per game, not both.
Related
Free. macOS 14 or later. No account, nothing leaves your Mac. Open source on GitHub.