Dirt 5 is one of those games that can be best experienced with the controller as the input. Steam provides you a range of options to use controller in games. You can even play a non-Steam game using Steam and enable controller with a few simple tweaks, but that’s not required here as Dirt 5 is available on Steam. Using the Steam client, you can integrate Xbox, PS4, and generic controllers as input for almost all games.
Dirt 5 and the previous installments in the series are known to cause problems for controller users. In this we will fix the Dirt 5 controller not working problem and also help you set up the Dirt 5 controller Deadzones. Scroll-down for more.
Fix Dirt 5 Controller Not Working
To fix the Dirt 5 controller not working on PC, you have to change the General Controller Settings or the Big Picture Configuration from the Steam Controller Configuration. If the problem still persists, specifically with Gamepad, you would want to run the hardware and device troubleshooter, install the latest driver for Gamepad, or reinstall the gamepad. If it’s the Xbox controller that’s causing the issue, unplug and plug again, change the USB cable, and update the driver for controller. The above fixes should fix the controller not working issue with Dirt 5 for both Gamepad, PS4 and Xbox controller.
To help you resolve the problem quickly, here is a step-by-step instruction on how to fix controller compatibility problem on PC with Dirt 5.
Change Steam Big Picture Mode
Here are the steps to change the Big Picture Mode in Steam.
- Launch Steam from the desktop shortcut
- Click View on the top-left corner and select Big Picture Mode
- Click on Library. Click on Games under Browse and select Dirt 5
- Click on Manage Games with the Gear Icon under Your game
- From Steam Input, select Controller Options
- Click on the downward pointing arrow to expand the options for Chang the Steam Input Per-Game Settings, select Forced On and hit OK.
Relaunch the game after Steam restart and the controller not working in Dirt 5 should be resolved. If the problem persists, try the next fix.
Change Steam General Controller Settings
Depending on the controller you are using whether the Xbox controller or the DualShock, you need to set the device on Steam. This can be done via the Controller Settings options. Here are the steps you need to follow.
- Launch Steam from the desktop shortcut
- Click Steam on the top-left corner and select Settings
- From the Setting menu, go to Controller
- Click on General Controller Settings
- Depending on the type of controller you wish to use, you can check PlayStation Configuration Support, Xbox Configuration Support, or the Generic Gamepad Configuration Support.
- Press Ok to save changes, exit from the Window and start the Dirt 5.
Set Up Dirt 5 Controller Deadzones
Now that you have the controller working on Dirt 5, let’s set up the Controller Deadzones. The game by default cuts 50% of your input, which is usually a good thing but not in a racing game. You would not know when to turn the wheel or when the wheel is turned to the max. Here is how you can set up the Controller Deadzones in Dirt 5.
- Click on the Controller Configuration option from the Main Menu
- Head over to the Left Stick Configuration and Additional Settings. Not change the following settings:
Settings | Value |
Stick Responsive Curve | Custom Curve |
Custom Responsive Curve | 0.474 |
Dead Zone Shape | Cross |
Dead Zone Inner | None |
Dead Zone Outer | Max |
Invert Horizontal Axis | Off |
Invert Vertical Axis | Off |
Sensitivity Horizontal Scale | 0.810 |
Sensitivity Vertical Scale | Max |
Gyro Lock at Edges | Off |
Outer Ring Binding Radius | 80% |
Outer Ring Binding Invert | Off |
Output Anti-Deadzone | 0.309 |
Output Anti-Deadzone Buffer | None |
Some of the things to keep in mind if you are experiencing stick drift is to slowly increase the Deadzone Inner until the drift stops, but do not change the anti-deadzone. Once you have made the above changes head back to the Controller Overview and make the following changes to the Dirt 5 triggers.
Left Trigger Analog Input | Left Trigger |
Trigger Range Start | None |
Trigger Range End | Max |
Dead Zone Inner | None |
Dead Zone Outer | Max |
We hope that the guide has resolved the Dirt 5 deadzone issues and the controller not working on the game. We welcome your comments with additional solutions and input.