Unleash Your Steam Controller with Bluetooth: The Complete Guide
As an avid Rocket League player, I always strived to have the highest responsiveness to pull off my fancy aerials and dribbling moves. So when I got the Steam Controller, I was eager to cut the cord and experience that wireless bliss. If you want to use your Steam Controller to its full potential, then Bluetooth is the way to go.
In this guide, you‘ll learn everything about putting your Steam Controller in Bluetooth mode to unlock wider compatibility and wireless freedom.
Step Into Bluetooth in Just 2 Seconds
Enabling Bluetooth on the Steam Controller only takes a few button presses:
- With the Steam Controller powered on and connected via USB, press and hold the Steam Button and B Button simultaneously for 2 seconds.
- The light ring around the Steam Button will switch to blue, indicating Bluetooth mode is active.
And that‘s all you need to do! The controller will now be visible to pair with any nearby Bluetooth device. Pretty simple right?
Now let‘s dive deeper into why ditching the dongle for Bluetooth is an excellent choice.
Cut the Cord with Bluetooth Connectivity
Bluetooth provides reliable wireless communication between devices. It uses radio waves to transmit data over short distances without needing cables or internet connectivity.
This means your Steam Controller can directly interact with any hardware that has Bluetooth built-in or added via a dongle. From phones and tablets, to smart TVs, headphones, speakers, and other PCs.
Going wireless with Bluetooth gives you flexibility to use your controller in more places:
- Play Steam games on the big screen using the Steam Link app
- Control music or video playback from bed
- Game on the go with mobile devices like your phone or tablet
Since more and more devices are becoming Bluetooth enabled, this future proofs your Steam Controller with wider hardware compatibility too.
Bluetooth vs Wireless Dongle
Previously, the Steam Controller utilized a proprietary wireless USB dongle for connectivity. How does Bluetooth compare?
| Feature | Bluetooth | Steam Dongle |
|---|---|---|
| Latency | Slightly higher ~10ms | Very low <1ms |
| Range | Up to 30ft | Up to 33ft |
| Power Usage | Low | Medium |
| Compatibility | Almost Universal | Only Steam devices |
Latency refers to the delay between inputting a command on your controller and seeing its effect on screen. While Bluetooth has slightly higher latency, we‘re talking milliseconds here. Most gamers will be hard pressed to notice the minuscule difference.
Where Bluetooth pulls ahead is ubiquitous compatibility with other devices. It has become the standard wireless communication protocol, included in virtually every phone, tablet, laptop, and computer.
Bluetooth also uses less battery power. So you may gain a bit of extra playtime when gaming on the go.
Step-By-Step Guide to Pair Your Controller via Bluetooth
Follow this straightforward process to pair your Steam Controller with any Bluetooth device:
Activate Bluetooth mode by holding Steam + B buttons for 2 seconds until the light ring turns blue.
On your target device, enable Bluetooth discovery in Settings if it‘s not on already.
The Steam Controller should pop up in the Available Devices list within 30 seconds. It may show up as Wireless Controller or a generic Gamepad.
Select the Steam Controller from the list to Initiate pairing.
Upon successful pairing, the Steam Controller‘s light will change to solid white.
And voila, you‘re wirelessly connected without any cables!
Steam Controller seamlessly paired over Bluetooth with a mobile phone
If for some reason pairing fails or the devices won‘t connect, simply reboot both and try again. Updating firmware may also help.
In Conclusion
Adding Bluetooth connectivity vastly increases the usefulness of the Steam Controller. It only takes seconds to put into pairing mode and works with practically any modern device.
So free yourself from the cable leash, cut latency down to size, and roam freely with Bluetooth activated on your Steam Controller today. No dongles required!
Have you gone wireless with your Steam gear? Let me know your experience in the comments!
