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Joystick / Gamepad keeps disconnecting on Windows 10 [Solution]

Updated on / dernière mise à jour : 12/09/2023

 

 

Problem:

Pro Controllers for PC running Windows 10 keeps disconnecting after 10 or 15 minutes of playing. Another problem may be that the computer doesn't recognize the gamepad (notably when using wireless). For example, when playing Rocket League, the first gamepad worked flawlessly but the second one that was plugged in kept disconnecting without any particular reason…

Solution:

A) First of all, make sure your Windows 10 is up-to-date. If updates are indeed required, then do so through Windows Update on your PC.

B) Use the USB cable(s) to link the gamepad(s) to the PC (avoid playing wirelessly). If you are plugging the gamepad(s)/joystick(s) for the first time, Windows will automatically install the required USB drivers.

C) Install Steam on your PC: https://store.steampowered.com/.

D) Once installed, click on Steam (top left corner) ==> Settings ==> Controller ==> General Controller Settings. Under Controller Settings, make sure all of the Configuration Support options (Playstation / Xbox / Switch Pro / Generic Gamepad) are not checked.  If one or many of the boxes are checked, then uncheck them.  Under Detected Controllers, you should also be able to see all of the controllers that are presently connected to your PC through USB.

E) Restart your computer.

F) You now need Steam to run automatically when you open your PC. For this, you can notably use CCleaner. Install it and run this free program. Then, click on Tools on the left-side menu and click on Startup. Find Steam under the program column and make sure it is enabled; if it is not enabled, simply click on it ("Yes" shall then appear under the Enabled column). You can now close CCleaner.

G) Restart your computer.

H) Now, do the following steps…



1- open your PC's Device ManagerWinX. Once opened, click on the arrow indicating the USB Serial Bus controllers;

2- do a right-click on the USB Root Hub;

3- select Power Management;

4- make sure all of the shown options are unchecked (hence, do not check the "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" nor the "Allow this device to wake the computer" options). Click OK;

5- still in the Device Manager, click on Human Interface Devices.  Now, you will have to do a right-click on each USB Input Device and, for all of them, click on Properties. Then, click on the Power management tab and make sure the option "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" is unchecked. Click OK and close the Device Manager window once done;

6- click on the Windows Key on your keyboard + S. A new window opens;  click on Power settings. Select Power & sleep settings;

7- click on Additional power settings and make sure to select the High performance plan setting; once this is done, click on Change plan settings (on the right);

8- select Change advanced power settings, go to USB settings and select USB selective suspend setting and make sure this option is disabled;

9- click Apply then click OK; and

10- restart your computer.

If you are plugging two or more joysticks to your PC, you may want to use a USB 3.0 hub and plug all of your gamepads to it (the hub occupies only one USB port on the PC and such disconnection problems tend to be less frequent).

 


 

One thought on “Joystick / Gamepad keeps disconnecting on Windows 10 [Solution]

  • Tom Rapp

    Great article, thank you so much.

    Reply

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