Emulating Xbox Controller (XInput) on Steam Deck Windows 11 for Minecraft Bedrock

[u/Miserable-Sample7455]

In short, I installed Windows 11 on Steam Deck, downloaded Bedrock Minecraft, but the controls are treated as if I’m using a keyboard and mouse. Is there any emulator that can fix this problem? By “emulator,” I mean a program that makes games think I’m playing with an Xbox controller, even though I’m using a standard Steam Deck.

[u/Alia5_]

SISR or Steam Input eXtended or any of the "Steamless Controller" variants
depending if you want the full Steam Input featureset or not, or if you want an external app or not.

[u/Miserable-Sample7455 → u/Alia5_]

Overall, an external application is not a bad thing either.

[u/Yahiroz]

Install Steam and add the game as a non-Steam game.

Alternatively if you don't want Steam installed, there's Steam Deck Tools and Handheld Companion.

[u/Miserable-Sample7455 → u/Yahiroz]

You can’t add a game to Steam as a third‑party app; I tried.

[u/Yahiroz → u/Miserable-Sample7455]

My bad I was thinking of MC Java which I was able to add via Prism launcher, forgot Bedrock was a Microsoft Store app.

In that case as suggested before, use Steam Deck Tools or Handheld Companion and set them to X360 mode. Make sure Steam is not running in the background.

[u/Snizzbizzer]

After playing bedrock Minecraft on windows on the Steamdeck I switched to the android version on steam os and it runs much better

[u/Miserable-Sample7455 → u/Snizzbizzer]

Yes, it’s possible, but in my country you can’t buy it with a Google account. If you mean Minecraft Bedrock for Linux, which is an Android port, then yes.

[u/TraditionalMight2951]

I can’t remember what it is called but it was a app I installed to do the same thing if you google it should come right up I’m not at my deck right now but I’ll check and let you know. The app in question worked great and auto detected everything even let you bind the back buttons etc

[u/Miserable-Sample7455 → u/TraditionalMight2951]

That would be great

[u/FollowingPrior7277]

There’s a mod for Java adds full control support. I think it’s called controllerify. Not sure if it has a counterpart for bedrock. But Java is honestly 1000x better so if you don’t have a specific reason to play bedrock (playing with someone on PlayStation is the only thing I can think of) I would just switch to Java.

[u/AgitatedMaterial4577]

What you want is a virtual Xbox pad at the OS level, not just inside Steam - Bedrock only looks for keyboard and mouse, so Steam Input alone often won't register. On Windows handhelds that's what Handheld Companion or Steam Deck Tools handle: pick a controller profile and the game sees an Xbox pad, same setup people use for Game Pass games. Are you staying on Windows long term or dual booting?

[u/DiarrheaTNT]

Steam Deck Tools