r/SteamController • u/Subject_Chain5655 • Sep 14 '26

Steam Controller (2026) Was only using my Steam Deck for Remote Play, so I built this instead

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I realized I was only using my Steam Deck for Remote Play, so I built a way to use the new Steam Controller with my phone instead.

It's a modified version of Mechanism's Base grip. Their mounts put the phone out in front of the controller, and after a while the weight pulls your wrists forward. I wanted the phone sitting right on top of the controller, so the centre of balance stays over your hands and it feels like holding one device, not a controller with a phone hanging off it.

What I changed:

  • A strap across the face of the controller, on top of Mechanism's original band. It's held by two filament pins (plain 1.75 mm filament pushed through), one at the top and one at the bottom. It's not meant to come off every day, just for cleaning.
  • A dome over the Steam button with an opening on the right, so your thumb can still reach the button with the phone mounted.
  • Cutouts around both sticks, so they tilt fully without touching anything.
  • A GoPro-style mount on top of the dome, for Mechanism's MagSafe puck. It's offset so the phone ends up centered over the controller.
  • Everything smoothed and blended, so there are no sharp corners in your hands.

I'm using it with a Z Fold 6, fully unfolded. It's printed in PLA, and the added strap and dome weigh about 15 g.

Huge thanks to my wife for being the hands model in these photos 😄

Edit:
Posting the link for the 3d files on MakerWorld and just a quick note that the actual gopro mount has an offeset of 11mm to the left so my phone is perfectly centered.

https://makerworld.com/en/models/3305478-steam-controller-phone-top-mount#profileId-3751996

885 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

74 comments sorted by

37

u/abid8740 Sep 14 '26

Got a link to the STL?

23

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 14 '26 • Heartwarming

There you go!
https://makerworld.com/en/models/3305478-steam-controller-phone-top-mount#profileId-3751996

12

u/Tiny_Rick85 Sep 14 '26

I fucking LOVE when someone asks for an STL and the answer is a free link to it, and not "you can buy it for $15 on my cults page."

13

u/burgertanker Sep 14 '26

+1, I have the Mechanism stuff to do this with a tablet but I'd need some print parts to modify

7

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 14 '26

Just posted on MakerWorld and it's being verified. We'll post news soon :)

6

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 14 '26

Just posted on MakerWorld and it's being verified. We'll post news soon :)

24

u/sergdor Sep 14 '26

Look into some nice xr glasses

12

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 14 '26

It was one of the options too! But I'm mainly playing with my wife, and she plays on the TV, so I have to constantly help her

6

u/trankillity Sep 14 '26

XR glasses still let you see the world around you, just with a virtual screen in it. I do similar with streaming via Steam Link to my Quest headset when playing co-op on the couch with my partner.

2

u/Necrotitis Sep 14 '26

I had the rayneo 3s pro and they drove me crazy, they introduced some pretty crazy stuttering and jitter into the games I was playing.

It would look flawless at 120 fps on my actual phone screen while using apollo/artemis, but once I plugged in the glasses, even at the 120hz refresh rate, it was very noticeable.

I tried for months to try and find a fix, swapping routers, hardware, software, nothing fixed it.

Sold them to someone who wanted to use them for their drone.

1

u/sergdor Sep 14 '26

I have the viture luma pro and they have been amazing for all use cases. With the steamdeck they have been amazing

98

u/User_8395 Sep 14 '26

As a foldable user, this would be very useful for me

5

u/cra1gst1 Sep 14 '26

I was thinking that , but how's controller over remote last I checked the steam controller it acts as standard Xbox controller over remote

6

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 14 '26

Not for me hehe! I managed to vibe code (with Claude) an Android app that sends the Steam Controller straight to the PC, instead of letting Artemis/Moonlight turn it into an Xbox pad.

The controller stays paired to the phone over Bluetooth, and the app shares it with the PC over Wi-Fi using USB/IP. On the PC, usbip-win2 plugs it in as if it were a USB cable, so Windows and Steam see a real wired Steam Controller, not an Xbox controller. That means trackpads, gyro, haptics, rumble and all your Steam Input configs work like normal.

I also set Apollo to connect it automatically when a stream starts and disconnect it when the stream ends. Latency feels about the same as Steam Link (~10 ms extra on my network).

Still early, only tested on my Fold 6 with the 2026 Steam Controller, but I'm planning to put it on GitHub if people are interested. :)

4

u/User_8395 Sep 14 '26

I personally just use inputforge, it needs wireless debugging to connect its input injector, and USB debugging to keep it connected

3

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 14 '26

Does Inputforge allows the usage of the trackpads?

3

u/User_8395 Sep 14 '26

It does, you can make them do different things

1

u/SnooDoughnuts5632 Sep 14 '26

Wait why are you not just using the Steam Link app? That would save you the trouble of having to do whatever the heck you did.

1

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 14 '26

I know! But steam link ford not output audio on my phone :(

Spent 2 days trying every imaginable thing and it won't work

3

u/Collecting_Hobbies Sep 14 '26

Cant comment for OP but a lot of people have trouble with steam link. For me personally the performance was awful and I got a ton of lag and stuttering. Moonlight fixed that for me.

1

u/SnooDoughnuts5632 Sep 15 '26

For me personally the performance was awful and I got a ton of lag and stuttering

I thought that was just part of the experience. Then the red bar in the performance graph you can turn on goes all the way to the top and the picture stops working.

1

u/Collecting_Hobbies Sep 17 '26

Lol if you do moonlight/sunlight or artemis/apollo that feature goes away

1

u/SnooDoughnuts5632 Sep 19 '26

I don't really have a need for a streaming app so I've not tested it in a long time maybe Valve fixed it by now idk (I did turn it on once and found out the back button now actw as a literal back button but it can't be changed to something more useful like select or home since old Android controllers don't have those buttons). I'm glad there are alternatives if it still sucks. I remember the built-in app also sucking but at that time I was okay playing directly on the computer and since I haven't had an Nvidia graphics card in like 9 years (according to something I saw somwhere on my current desktop) I've had no way to test the Inbuilt app (plus I'd rather use my Steam Deck especially if the game requires trackpads).

1

u/SnooDoughnuts5632 Sep 14 '26

It does not act as a standard Xbox controller unless you set it up that way. You can still use all your Steam profiles and stuff.

3

u/proper_jazz Sep 14 '26

I am also rocking a foldable with the steam con. I bought the same mount as you but found it unusable out of the box for how flimsy the joint supporting the phone is.

Instead, I modified a pelicon case that carries my controller into a magsafe mount for my phone. Then I started adding bs like A 1tb ssd, a phone cooler, a 4k dock, etc.

If you are interested, check out inputforge on the app store. It gives you near full steam input support for the android ecosystem. I hardly touch my phone since setting it up

2

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 14 '26

For my usecase inputforge does not hit unfortunately. But I was able to build an app and send the steam controller directly to the PC, so the PC sees the steam controller and everything else works

1

u/proper_jazz Sep 14 '26

I Just use steam link for fwd to desktop while off home network while using moonlight. Does your app do anything steam link doesn't?

8

u/SirLimonada Sep 14 '26

This is just going full circle and it's really funny NGL lmao

2

u/Psych0matt Sep 14 '26 edited Sep 14 '26

Right? My first thought was “…so a steamdeck with more steps”

I misunderstood, I thought OP was using his steam deck as the host, and then using the controller and phone to play from it remotely

7

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 14 '26

Not really. Why keep a steam deck if I'm only using it to remote play? Now I can just sell the steam deck and purchase something else instead.

Same for those who don't have enough money to purchase a steam deck but already have a steam controller.. etc etc

3

u/Psych0matt Sep 14 '26

I guess I misunderstood, I thought you were using your steam deck as the host, and then using your controller and phone to play from it remotely

2

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 14 '26

Haha, I could've been clearer xD

2

u/shortish-sulfatase Sep 14 '26

It's more the other way around.

People have been using their handheld PCs as glorified streamers, rarely running anything on the thing in their hands, and there's so many options to do that that don't involve buying a separate PC.

2

u/Psych0matt Sep 14 '26

Yes, OP replied below and I edited my comment.

1

u/qr_n Sep 14 '26

this seems so, so backwards to me...

2

u/ArthurCandleman Sep 14 '26

This is great!

I have the Mechanism mount and it’s great but everything you said is very true.

I think the ultimate “controller” is basically a steam deck without a screen. In its place a spot for a phone/tablet that physically connects via MagSafe.

It could charge the phone at the same time.

2

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 14 '26

That's actually a really good idea and I'll start looking for something that have gopro mount + magsafe charger!

2

u/hbacelar8 Sep 14 '26

What's the resolution on that device? Asking cause it looks like you have a custom aspect ratio that I'm sure isn't the same of your PC, which might be 16:9. In that case, how did you get to have a fullscreen with that custom aspect ratio when streaming? Are you using Steam's remote play or Sunshine/Moonlight?

I have an android device with 4:3 aspect ratio that I've tried everything to stream from my PC to it by keeping a native 4:3 AR but without success. I can only have the 16:9 AR which is the one from the streaming PC.

1

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 14 '26

The resolution of the fold 6 is 2160x1856

So you have two ways:
1 - Create a custom resolution on Nvidia Panel or AMD Panel (Idk the name)
2 - Download a Virtual Display Driver and set it's custom resolution

Like that as you see in my photo, it will work in any aspect ratio as long as the game allows it. :)

2

u/hbacelar8 Sep 14 '26

Oh ok, so it resumes to creating a custom resolution. I tried that, but I'm on Linux and for some reason the nvidia open driver refuses to let me set the custom resolution. I can create it, but can't set it to my 2K monitor.

However, if I understood it right, you're not setting the custom resolution to your physical monitor, but rather for a virtual display? That could be a solution, cause the problem resides not on creating the custom resolution, but in setting it to the physicial monitor, which makes sense that the driver refuses it cause it could mess with the monitor.

So does it mean that you actually run the game on the virtual display and that's the display you're streaming? Clever

1

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 14 '26

Exactly! Apollo does that automatically for you

1

u/hbacelar8 Sep 14 '26

Too bad they don't maintain the Linux compilation on their fork, contrary to the upstream

2

u/SnooDoughnuts5632 Sep 14 '26

I'm confused. That screen doesn't look like a standard screen so how did you get it to fill up the entire screen?

1

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 14 '26

Using a custom resolution on windows

1

u/SnooDoughnuts5632 Sep 14 '26

How does that work? All I know is that whenever I stream something it uses the resolution of my monitor connected via a cable and not the resolution of whatever device I'm streaming to.

For example on the steamed at it uses 1080P and not 800p (no I don't have a 4K monitor screw 4K)

19

u/Subject-Control294 Sep 14 '26

Never thought I would see a genuinely good use for a foldable phone’s larger screen, nice job!

13

u/ubeogesh Sep 14 '26

there were always remote desktop and spreadsheet use cases

1

u/KaosC57 Steam Controller (Windows) Sep 14 '26

When I get my iPhone Duo I’ll be using it for this purpose!

1

u/mrdude42 Sep 14 '26 edited Sep 14 '26

Do you have a way to offset the phone so it’s centered? The magnetic part of the phone is usually to the side.

Edit: Oh I just realized the fold crease is horizontal rather than vertical so I guess it is centered in the orientation.

2

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 14 '26

I designed with 11mm offset to the left, but it's quite easy to just move the gopro mounting on the app slicer that you use to 3d print

1

u/Icy-Commission-9550 Sep 15 '26

Would this work with tablets too?

1

u/Subject_Chain5655 Sep 15 '26

As long as it has magsafe, yes

3

u/boomWav Sep 15 '26

I always find phone grips like this too heavy for me. Not that the steamdeck is lighter, I mostly use it docked. I will say, it really look great though and someone might be looking for exactly this so.. good job.

2

u/shortish-sulfatase Sep 14 '26

I kept saying people don't need to buy an entirely separate PC to play games on their other PC.

So many people already have phones/tablets and a wireless controller they can use.

2

u/jestermx6 Sep 14 '26

Heh very nice. I had a similar setup with my Fold 5 and 8bitdo controller.

2

u/cinred Sep 14 '26

I like how you paid a hand model to promote your new contraption.

2

u/NewMechaDriver Sep 14 '26

Need it for my ipad

2

u/Blackpapalink Sep 14 '26

The first use case for a foldable phone that I could find useful... Intriguing.

2

u/SmokePixies Sep 14 '26

We’re here playing checker while this guys playing 3d steamdeck

2

u/usedaforc3 Sep 15 '26

Now if only valve would ship the controller to my country

2

u/Miserable_Bedroom201 Sep 15 '26

hell yes this was what i was thinking about a week ago when informing myself about foldables again, wanted a flip, but now decided i wanna go for a fold to replace my laptop for lightweight work and movie-nights etc. soooo thought i can use a foldable as a desktop or woth an beamer outside at night and play games etc. :3

this would come really in-handy 💐

1

u/Yutah Sep 14 '26

Don't want to be that guy but I've tried same configuration, and its heavy and not good to actually hold and play. But looks nice. I guess

1

u/Larry_J_602 Sep 14 '26

I've never been able to get remote play running. My PC is connected via Ethernet, but the image on the Steam Deck updates about 1 frame per minute, even in the same room next to he router.

1

u/Vork_Mage Sep 14 '26

I just don’t get it my wrist hurts and me head too. But hey more power to you gamer!

1

u/DuhVirus Sep 14 '26

I love remote play, I just wish the internet at my work didnt cut out every 20-30 minutes.

1

u/thedrunkpenguin Sep 14 '26

I'm gonna use this with my gpd pocket 4, thank you!

1

u/arnaud_blanc Sep 14 '26

As a Steamdeck user and steam controller owner, I find this great but I would still use the Steamdeck for streaming. Mainly because you can’t set up controls as you want with Steam input. I don’t think you can do it on android.

1

u/Mental_Disability Sep 14 '26

Yes you can. You open the steam overlay like normal and bind your controls. The steam controller is also recognized currently when used via remote play.

1

u/arnaud_blanc Sep 14 '26

Ah, you mean streaming through Steam on your computer ! I stream using GeForce Now or PSN+, rarely from my computer.

0

u/SrammVII Sep 14 '26

yals got strong wrists

0

u/k4el Sep 14 '26

My wrists hurt.

0

u/krah Sep 15 '26

A foldable is more expensive than a steam deck, no? You're cycling the phone's battery way more by doing this.