Steam Input

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
  • Used whenever in a menu, such as the Backpack menu or the main menu.
• 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:

In-game actions
Action set	Type of in-game action	In-game actions
In-game	Digital	Attack Alt Attack Special Attack Reload Jump Use Item Duck Next Weapon Previous Weapon Drop Item Change Class Change Team Inspect Taunt Push-to-Talk Open Loadout Open Backpack Toggle Menu Show Contracts Show Scoreboard Toggle Ready Call a Vote Yes / Accept No / Decline Vote Option 3 Vote Option 4 Vote Option 5 Call Medic! #VoiceThanks Say: Go go go! Say: Move up! Say: Spy! Say: Ubercharge ready! Say: Help!
	Analog (Joystick)	Move
	Analog (Mouse)	Look
Menus	Digital	Toggle Menu Cancel Select Menu Up Menu Down Menu Left Menu Right
	Analog (Mouse)	Mouse Emulation
Spectator Controls	Digital	Next Target Previous Target Push-to-Talk Change Class Change Team Open Loadout Show Scoreboard Toggle Menu Use Item / Buyback
	Analog (Mouse)	Look
In-Game During Pop-up	Digital	Jump Duck Next Weapon Previous Weapon Drop Item Inspect Taunt Cancel Select Menu Up Menu Down Menu Left Menu Right Alternate Function Push-to-Talk Open Loadout Open Backpack Toggle Menu Show Scoreboard Toggle Ready
	Analog (Joystick)	Move
	Analog (Mouse)	Look

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
	A	Use Item	Select	Use Item / Buyback	Select
	B	Show Contracts	Cancel		Cancel
	X	Taunt		Change Class	Alternate Function
	Y	Drop Item		Change Team	Toggle Function
Bumpers and triggers
	Right Bumper	Next Weapon	Left Mouse Click	Next target	Next Weapon
	Left Bumper	Previous Weapon	Middle Mouse Click	Previous target	Previous Weapon
	Right Trigger Full Pull	Special Attack			Select
	Right Trigger Soft Pull	Attack
	Left Trigger Full Pull	Alt Attack
	Left Trigger Soft Pull	Reload
Back Grips
	Right Grip	Jump			Jump
	Left Grip	Duck			Duck
Thumbstick
	Left Joystick	Move	(Directional Pad) Up: Menu Up Down: Menu Down Left: Menu Left Right: Menu Right		Move
	Left Joystick Click	Toggle Ready			Toggle Ready
Menu buttons
	Back Button	Show Scoreboard		Show Scoreboard
	Start Button	Toggle Menu
	Guide Button	Steam overlay (when using Big Picture)
Trackpads
	Right Trackpad	Look	Mouse Emulation	Look
	Right Trackpad Click	Push-to-Talk	Left Mouse Click	Push-to-Talk
	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
	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

• Keyboard and mouse controls
• PlayStation 3 controls
• Xbox 360 controls