The Forest Controller/Gamepad Not Working on PC: In April 2018, Endnight Games Ltd launched an open-world survival crafting video game named ‘The Forest,’ which has garnered overwhelmingly positive feedback on Steam for its PC version.
However, following a recent update, some players have reported issues, including problems with the gamepad or controller functionality. If you’re experiencing this problem, this guide offers potential solutions.
Certain game genres, particularly survival games, often benefit from the use of a gamepad or controller, even on PC. Many gamers prefer the tactile experience of using a controller for gameplay.
Unfortunately, there are instances where a connected controller may not function properly on your PC, which can be quite frustrating. This issue doesn’t necessarily indicate a fault with your controller or USB port; rather, it suggests that there may be a conflict affecting the device’s performance.
The Forest: Fix Controller Not Recognizing or Detecting on PC
There are instances when your Xbox, PS5, or other controllers may be recognized by your computer, yet they fail to register button presses or may even produce incorrect inputs.
Fortunately, we have compiled several potential solutions to address these issues. We encourage you to explore each method systematically until you find a resolution. Let’s delve into the details without delay.
1. Reboot the PC
It is advisable to restart your computer after exiting both the game and Steam. A standard system reboot can often resolve various temporary glitches and issues related to cached data. Consider giving this a try for potential improvements.
2. Reconnect your Controller/Joystick
To resolve the issue, please start by quitting The Forest game and closing the Steam application. Next, disconnect your controller or gamepad and power it down.
After that, turn the controller or gamepad back on and reconnect it to your computer. Once you have completed these steps, relaunch The Forest on your PC to see if the problem persists.
3. Unplug Mouse/Keyboard or Other Peripherals
It is advisable to disconnect all external peripherals connected to your computer, including the keyboard, mouse, printer, and USB drives.
Afterward, reconnect only the essential USB devices to your PC to investigate the issue further. If the problem is resolved, it indicates that either the USB device may be faulty or there was a temporary glitch in your computer’s system.
4. Press Alt+Enter keys
If you experience an automatic disconnection of your controller during gameplay, or if it suddenly becomes unrecognized, try pressing the Alt+Enter keys on your keyboard. This action will exit the game screen. Afterward, return to the game screen, as this may resolve the issue.
5. Launch Steam in Big Picture Mode
- Launch the Steam application on your computer and navigate to the top-left corner where you will find the ‘View‘ option.
- From the dropdown menu, select ‘Big Picture Mode.’ If a prompt appears, simply click ‘Continue‘ to proceed.
- Once in Big Picture Mode, head over to your Library and locate the ‘Games‘ section under ‘Browse.’
- Find and select ‘The Forest.’ Afterward, exit Big Picture Mode and re-evaluate the issue you were experiencing.
6. Switch Screen Refresh Rate to 60Hz
To ensure optimal performance, it’s advisable to adjust your monitor’s refresh rate to 60Hz, as this is the standard recommendation. A higher refresh rate can sometimes lead to unexpected glitches. Follow these steps to make the adjustment:
- 1. Open Windows Settings by pressing the Win+I keys.
- 2. Navigate to the System section and select Display.
- 3. Scroll down on the right side and click on Advanced display settings.
- 4. Here, you can easily check and select the 60Hz refresh rate. If your display is already set to 60Hz, no further action is needed.
7. Launch the Game in Windowed Mode using the Config file
Players experiencing issues with gamepad or controller functionality in The Forest on PC may benefit from launching the game in Windowed Mode via the configuration file.
To do this, follow these steps:
- 1. Open File Explorer or This PC and navigate to the Documents folder.
- 2. Locate the The Forest folder and find the Config.ini file.
- 3. Right-click on Config.ini and select “Open With,” then choose Notepad to edit the file.
- 4. In the configuration file, look for the line that indicates [window] mode. If it is set to “no,” change it to “yes.” If it already says “yes,” you can leave it as is.
- 5. Remember to save your changes by pressing Ctrl+S.
- 6. Close the file and relaunch the game to see if the issue persists.
This adjustment may help resolve any controller-related problems you are encountering.
8. Enable Steam Overlay
If you’re continuing to experience difficulties with your controller, we suggest activating the Steam overlay feature for The Forest. To do this, follow these steps:
- 1. Launch the Steam client and navigate to your Library.
- 2. Locate The Forest in your game list, right-click on it, and choose Properties.
- 3. In the Properties window, go to the General tab and ensure that the box for “Enable Steam Overlay while in-game” is checked.
This may help resolve the issue you’re facing.
9. Configure the Steam General Controller Settings
- To begin, open the Steam client on your computer. Next, navigate to the top-left corner and select the Steam option, then proceed to click on Settings.
- Once you’re in the Settings menu, locate the Controller section and select General Controller Settings.
- Depending on the type of controller you are using, you have the option to enable PlayStation Configuration Support, Xbox Configuration Support, or Generic Gamepad Configuration Support.
- After making your selections, be sure to click OK to confirm and save your changes.
- To implement these updates, restart the Steam client. Once it’s back up, try launching The Forest game again to see if the issue is resolved.
10. Select High Performance in Graphics Settings
- To adjust the graphics settings for your game, begin by opening the Start menu and searching for “Graphics Settings.”
- Once you access this option, ensure that “Desktop app” is selected and then click on the “Browse” button.
- This action will launch a File Explorer window.
- Navigate to your Steam installation directory, typically found under the path: Steamapps > Common. Inside this folder, locate and select “The Forest” folder, then find the WWE2K22.exe file and select it.
- After adding the executable to the list, find “The Forest” entry within the list and click on “Options.” From there, choose “High Performance” to optimize graphics settings.
- Don’t forget to click “Save.” Finally, try launching the game again to see if the issue has been resolved.
11. Uncheck Controller in Steam Controller Settings
If you’re experiencing issues with your gamepad not being detected or functioning properly, adjusting the controller settings in Steam might help resolve the problem.
- 1. Start by opening the Steam client on your computer.
- 2. Navigate to the top-left corner and click on “Steam,” then select “Settings” from the dropdown menu.
- 3. In the Settings menu, go to the “Controller” section and then click on “General Controller Settings.”
- 4. In the General Controller Settings, ensure that all options for controller configuration support are unchecked.
- 5. Click “OK” to apply your changes.
- 6. Finally, restart the Steam client and launch The Forest again to see if the issue is resolved.
12. Disable/Enable Steam Input
- To begin, open the Steam client and navigate to your Library.
- Locate The Forest in your game list, right-click on it, and choose Properties from the context menu. Once in the Properties window, head to the Controller section.
- You’ll find a drop-down menu labeled ‘Use default settings.’ From this menu, select ‘Disable Steam Input’ and then attempt to launch The Forest.
- If you continue to encounter issues, revisit the Controller settings and this time select ‘Enable Steam Input’ from the drop-down menu before trying to start the game again.
13. Use Steam Input Per Game Settings as Forced On or Forced Off
- To configure your controller settings for “The Forest” on Steam, start by launching the Steam client on your computer.
- Navigate to the top-left corner and select the “View” option. From there, activate Big Picture Mode; if a prompt appears, simply click “Continue.”
- Once in Big Picture Mode, head over to the “Library” section and locate “Games” in the Browse menu.
- Find “The Forest” in your list of games and click on the gear icon labeled “Manage Games.”
- In the menu that appears, select “Controller Options” under “Steam Input.” To reveal more settings, click on the down arrow next to “Change the Steam Input Per-Game Settings.”
- Choose the “Forced On” option and click “OK” to apply and save your changes.
- After making these adjustments, restart your Steam client to see if your controller is functioning properly.
- If you still encounter issues, repeat the process but this time select “Forced Off” and save the changes again. Finally, check if the controller works to resolve any ongoing issues.
14. Use DS4Windows
- Begin by downloading the DS4Windows application from the internet onto your computer.
- After the download is complete, proceed to install the application.
- Within the installation folder, locate and run the DS4Updater executable file.
- To do this, navigate to the directory where the file is located and double-click it. If a User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears, select ‘Yes’ to grant administrative permissions.
- This process will ensure that the latest version of DS4Windows is installed on your system.
- Once the installation is finished, launch the DS4Windows application and navigate to the Settings tab in the interface.
- Look for the option labeled ‘Hide DS4 Controller‘ and enable it by checking the corresponding box.
- After making this adjustment, close the interface and test to see if the issue persists.
15. Try Using a Wired Controller
If the previous troubleshooting methods did not resolve the issue, consider connecting a wired or generic controller to your PC using a USB cable.
This can help determine if the problem lies with the Bluetooth connection of your controller, which may not be stable with your PC, or if there’s another underlying issue.
We hope you found this guide helpful. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.