You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Xbox One S controller connected via Bluetooth in macOS 10.15.4 has mismatched controls

Hello!


XBO S controller with firmware version 4.8.1923.0, connected via BT to MBP running macOS 10.15.4.


Many of the controller button/trigger/stick functions are "mismatched" and doing the wrong things, in multiple applications (Steam, GeForce NOW, Shadow, local games).


As one example: Run Steam in Big Picture Mode, then go to Settings - Controller Settings - Xbox One Controller (under Detected Controllers) - Calibrate. Then, slowly squeeze the right trigger, and notice how the "right stick" is moving on the Y axis. And if you move the right stick up and down, it moves on the X axis. The left/right triggers are supposed to only move the Z axis, whereas the right stick is supposed to only move the X and Y rotation.


Mismatched behavior can also be confirmed via http://html5gamepad.com (the site needs to be browsed via vanilla HTTP).


The controller is "known good" and works fine when using Windows operating systems. These issues have been reported by multiple people in multiple places (GFN forums, Shadow Discord, etc.).


If anyone has any clues, they would be appreciated.



MacBook Pro Retina

Posted on May 25, 2020 2:27 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 23, 2020 7:50 AM

As another update, it appears as though this controls mapping problem (when using Bluetooth + macOS) can be worked around.

I still don’t know what the “trick” is, but I’ve found that if you just keep doing this:

  1. Pair the controller to your Mac via Bluetooth
  2. Test the controller via https://html5gamepad.com
  3. If all of the controls work properly, you’re done...as long as you don't unpair the controller later
  4. If the controls are messed up (verify with the right trigger), unpair the controller, and return to step 1


...you’ll eventually get the controls to work properly. And as long as you don’t unpair the controller, it will continue to function normally, across Bluetooth being disabled/enabled, and across reboots.

So it seems that this problem often occurs during Bluetooth pairing, and will likely be more frequent for people who use the same controller with several devices, and unpair it from the Mac frequently. You just need to get a good, “functional pairing” and then things should continue to work, as long as you don’t unpair.


Hopefully this makes sense!

Similar questions

10 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 23, 2020 7:50 AM in response to PleasantSpectrum

As another update, it appears as though this controls mapping problem (when using Bluetooth + macOS) can be worked around.

I still don’t know what the “trick” is, but I’ve found that if you just keep doing this:

  1. Pair the controller to your Mac via Bluetooth
  2. Test the controller via https://html5gamepad.com
  3. If all of the controls work properly, you’re done...as long as you don't unpair the controller later
  4. If the controls are messed up (verify with the right trigger), unpair the controller, and return to step 1


...you’ll eventually get the controls to work properly. And as long as you don’t unpair the controller, it will continue to function normally, across Bluetooth being disabled/enabled, and across reboots.

So it seems that this problem often occurs during Bluetooth pairing, and will likely be more frequent for people who use the same controller with several devices, and unpair it from the Mac frequently. You just need to get a good, “functional pairing” and then things should continue to work, as long as you don’t unpair.


Hopefully this makes sense!

May 26, 2020 3:25 PM in response to PleasantSpectrum

Hey there PleasantSpectrum,


Thanks for reaching out to Apple Support Communities. I understand you’re having issues using your Xbox Wireless Controller with your Mac. I’ll be happy to help with this.


A good starting place for this would be the steps under ‘If your controller won't connect or doesn't work as expected’ from the following article:


Connect a wireless game controller to your Apple device


Regards.

May 27, 2020 6:08 AM in response to PleasantSpectrum

Hey PleasantSpectrum,


Thanks for that info. It sounds like you’ve done a great job isolating the issue. To verify, does this occur in safe mode as well? Test and see if this has any impact on the issue:


How to use safe mode on your Mac


If the issue is still occurs after going through the safe mode article, you’ll want to reach out to Apple Support at the following link so they can continue to look into this with you:


Get Support


Take care.

May 26, 2020 6:14 PM in response to jeremy_v

Thank you Jeremy,


Indeed there have been no issues with pairing, which is working properly - and I've gone through that cycle many times. It should also be noted, that the controller is the only Bluetooth device being connected and used.


My wife has an identical MBP running the same OS version. I also have a 2nd XBO wireless controller with the same firmware version. Her MBP has never been used for any gaming whatsoever. I paired that 2nd controller to her Mac, and it has the exact same problems.


Other people have reported success with older firmware versions (on the controller). However, it is not possible to downgrade the firmware. There is definitely some combination of this version of XBO wireless controller and macOS not inter-operating properly.


I don't know how one would go about reporting this to Apple software engineers to verify it independently, but I think that's what needs to happen.


Cheers!

May 27, 2020 8:23 AM in response to chris_g1

Hello Chris,


Thank you for that suggestion. For whatever reason, I cannot get my MBP to boot into safe mode. Safe mode does work on my wife's, however. Weirdness. Anyway, the controller problem is indeed present in safe mode. I had to use Chrome on that http://html5gamepad.com site; under Safari, the controller couldn't be detected.


These MBP laptops are old (mid 2014) - is Apple Support going to give me the time of day? Secondarily, perhaps the age of the hardware plays a role in this issue. I wish I had access to newer hardware. Perhaps I could take the controller to an Apple Store and try it on a new one :-).


Thanks again!

Jun 21, 2020 2:10 PM in response to PleasantSpectrum

I continue to encounter people on the Shadow forums having this same problem. What's weird, is the mapping problem isn't always present...the controls sometimes do work properly after a Bluetooth pairing, but it seems to be rare.


This problem doesn't exist under Windows, Android, nor Linux (at least Ubuntu 20.04). It really seems like something Apple needs to address, since the problem only occurs on their operating system.

Xbox One S controller connected via Bluetooth in macOS 10.15.4 has mismatched controls

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.