Steam Input

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Steam Input is a system that allows multiple types of controllers to be used in games on Steam. Team Fortress 2 comes with a default controller layout for the Steam Controller and the Steam Link mobile app, but can convert these binds to other controllers. Steam Input also allows for mouse-like camera controls for controllers that have a gyroscope and/or trackpads, and the sensitivity of the camera is controlled by Steam Input rather than the in-game sensitivity option.

Action sets

Steam uses a layout editor in the Steam client that lets the user rebind in-game actions for each input on every action set. An action set represents what is currently happening in the game (such as being on the main menu, playing the game, spectating, etc.) and changes the control scheme accordingly. By default, the action sets for Team Fortress 2 are as follows:

  • In-game
  • Menus
  • Spectator Controls
  • In-Game During Pop-up
    • Used whenever a pop-up happens in-game (such as the Disguise Kit or the class selection screen).

List of in-game actions

An in-game action is a defined action by the developer when using the Steam Input system (such as "Jump" or "Use item"). Below is a list of in-game actions:

Default layouts

Team Fortress 2 has two pre-made layouts for the Steam Controller and touchscreen for the Steam Link mobile app. For other controllers, the layout for the Steam Controller will be automatically converted to the user's controller. Not all binds will transfer over if the user's controller is missing a button or feature, such as a gyroscope, a trackpad, grip buttons, etc.

Steam Controller layout

Official Steam Controller Layout for Team Fortress 2
Input Action sets
Input icon/glyph Input name In-Game Menus Spectator Controls In-Game During Pop-up
Face buttons
Shared color button a sm.png A Use Item Select Use Item / Buyback Select
Shared color button b sm.png B Show Contracts Cancel Cancel
Shared color button x sm.png X Taunt Change Class Alternate Function
Shared color button y sm.png Y Drop Item Change Team Toggle Function
Bumpers and triggers
Sc rb sm.png Right Bumper Next Weapon Left Mouse Click Next target Next Weapon
Sc lb sm.png Left Bumper Previous Weapon Middle Mouse Click Previous target Previous Weapon
Sc rt sm.png Right Trigger Full Pull Special Attack Select
Sc rt soft sm.png Right Trigger Soft Pull Attack
Sc lt sm.png Left Trigger Full Pull Alt Attack
Sc lt soft sm.png Left Trigger Soft Pull Reload
Back Grips
Sc rg sm.png Right Grip Jump Jump
Sc lg sm.png Left Grip Duck Duck
Thumbstick
Shared lstick sm.png Left Joystick Move (Directional Pad)
  • Up: Menu Up
  • Down: Menu Down
  • Left: Menu Left
  • Right: Menu Right
Move
Shared lstick click sm.png Left Joystick Click Toggle Ready Toggle Ready
Menu buttons
Xbox360 button select sm.png Back Button Show Scoreboard Show Scoreboard
Xbox360 button start sm.png Start Button Toggle Menu
Sc button steam sm.png Guide Button Steam overlay (when using Big Picture)
Trackpads
Sc touchpad sm.png Right Trackpad Look Mouse Emulation Look
Sc touchpad click sm.png Right Trackpad Click Push-to-Talk Left Mouse Click Push-to-Talk
Sc dpad sm.png Left Trackpad (Directional Pad)
  • Up: Yes / Accept
  • Down: No / Decline
  • Left: Change Class
  • Right: Call Medic!
(Directional Pad)
  • Up: Menu Up
  • Down: Menu Down
  • Left: Menu Left
  • Right: Menu Right
(Directional Pad)
  • Up: Open Backpack
  • Down: Open Loadout
  • Left: Previous target
  • Right: Next Target
(Directional Pad)
  • Up: Menu Up
  • Down: Menu Down
  • Left: Menu Left
  • Right: Menu Right
Gyroscope
Shared gyro sm.png Gyroscope Look (activated by Right Trackpad Touch)

Custom controls

Enabling the controller on Steam

A visual guide to choose and enable which controller type to use on the Steam client.
  1. In the Steam client, click "Steam" on the top left and select "Settings".
  2. Click on "Controller" on the left and choose which controller type to enable.

Editing layouts

Editing layouts in the layout editor will allow the game to accurately reflect those changes by showing the correct glyphs (button icons) that matches the edited commands and match the controller used. To edit the layout of the controller, do the following:

  1. Right click the game in your Steam library and select Manage > Controller Layout, click the controller icon on the right of the game's library page, or click on "View controller settings" on the right of the game's library page.
  2. A new window will pop up with the options to find layouts made by the community or to edit the current layout yourself.

Controller differences

  • The Steam Controller, Steam Deck, and Steam Link mobile app require no steps to enable Steam Input as it is always enabled for these controllers.
  • Xbox controllers do not have a gyroscope to use, meaning they cannot have mouse-like aiming. Some models do have extra buttons to use, e.g, Xbox Elite's 4 grip buttons, and the Series' share button.
  • The PlayStation's Sixaxis/DualShock 3 controllers do not have a gyroscope. The DualShock 4 and DualSense controllers have a gyroscope and the option to use a split touchpad or unified touchpad.
  • Nintendo Switch controllers, both the Joy-Cons and Switch Pro Controllers, have a gyroscope to use and the triggers are digital.

See also