Another iteration of the beloved F1 series has been released. Titled F1 25, the game was developed by Codemasters and published by EA. And, if you know a thing or two about games, then you wouldn’t be surprised when we say that F1 25 has many bugs. Past EA games are also riddled with tons of bugs, and EA in particular isn’t really bothered with fixing them most of the time. Anyway, talking about F1 25, if you are trying the game out and are encountering an issue where your controller doesn’t work in-game, consider reading this guide for workarounds to fix it.
After the recent release of F1 25 on May 30, 2025, many players joined in to try what’s new. While there is a bunch of additional content in the game, the overall feel and mechanics are similar to previous iterations. And this isn’t limited to just overall feel and mechanics. Bugs that were present in the previous games of the F1 series are present in the latest release too. The controller not working bug is one of them. So, how do you fix it? More details are shared below.
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F1 25 Controller Not Working on PC Issue: Is there any fix yet
Enable/Disable Steam Input (Steam Users)
One of the primary reasons for this issue’s occurrence is the Steam Input feature. For some, enabling it fixes the issue, while for many, disabling it does the trick. So, you will have to manually check which setting works for you. So, open Steam, go to Library, and then right-click on F1 25. Now, select Properties, and then in the Controller tab, right beside the Override option, check whether Steam Input is enabled or disabled. If it’s disabled, enable it. If it’s enabled, disable it. After this, restart Steam and then launch the game to check whether the connected controller works in-game.
Add F1 25/EA App to Steam (Non-Steam Users)
If you have purchased the game via the EA App and not Steam, you can add it to Steam and then check whether the controller issue persists. Install Steam first, and then once you open it, select the Add a Game option at the very bottom on the Library tab. In the Add a Game menu, add the game’s .exe by heading over to the installation folder. Once added, launch the game via Steam to check whether the issue persists.
If adding the game to Steam doesn’t fix the issue, you can also add the EA App to Steam using the same method. Once added, launch the application via Steam, and then launch F1 25. If you are lucky, the controller issue might be fixed.
Steam Big Picture Mode
If you are all set to play the game with your controller but are unable to do so, consider launching Steam in Big Picture Mode. How? Look over to the top-right corner of your screen. There will be a TV icon next to the minimize button. Click on it and then Steam will launch in Big Picture Mode. Now, use your controller to navigate the menus and then launch the game.
Update Controller
If you are using an official PS5 or Xbox controller, you can use the PlayStation Accessories App and then the Xbox Accessories App, respectively, to download and install the latest updates for your controller (if any). After updating, disconnect and reconnect your controller and then check whether the game recognizes it.
Disconnect extra peripherals
If you have multiple input devices connected to your system, consider removing the ones that are not in use. It is possible that the game is using another input device as its default input, which is why your controller is not working in-game. After removing such peripherals, connect your controller, and then launch the game.
PS5 Controller
If you are using a PS5 controller, you can use DS4Windows to configure your controller and then check whether the game recognizes it.
Wired Connection
While F1 25 comes with full controller support for both Xbox and PS controllers, do note that full controller support for DualShock and DualSense controllers is only available in USB mode, i.e., when connected via a wired connection. So, if you are using a wireless connection, switch to wired and then check whether the controller works in-game.
Well, these are the workarounds that we recommend you try to fix the controller not working issue in F1 25. We hope that you find this guide informative. If you did, consider visiting Android Gram daily for more such interesting reads on all things gaming.
