This article covers potential reasons and troubleshooting steps for when someone cannot use their controller to move on a game through Parsec. If people are trying to use the mouse and keyboard, refer to the article about issues with the mouse and keyboard instead.
Table of contents
Parsec is passing the controller but the game won't use it
Parsec can't see the controller on the guest
Parsec is not running as system on the host
The host controller driver is not installed
The host controller driver requires Parsec to be restarted
The host gamepad setting is disabled on the host
The host controller driver fails to install
There are additional requirements for using Dualsense
Issues with the legacy driver
Parsec is passing the controller but the game won't use it
In some cases, Parsec will pass the controller as normal but the game won't use it. To test if Parsec is working correctly, follow these steps:
- Open gamepad-tester.com on the host computer (the computer that has the game people will play)
- If Parsec settings > Approved apps is enabled on the host, approve the internet browser so that Parsec can send inputs
- Ask the people who are connected to press a lot of buttons, then check if it shows on the website. Parsec only connects the controllers if guests press buttons on them
If the guest's controller is not showing in the website, it's possible that Parsec on the guest's computer is not finding a controller, or the host's controller driver is not working correctly. You should read the rest of this article to learn more about how to resolve these issues.
However, if the guest controller is working correctly on the website, it means Parsec is passing the controller correctly, and the rest is up to your game or emulator:
- Most emulators need you to configure the controllers in their settings, and some games require you to enable multiplayer somewhere, or configure it further. If you're confused about how to configure your game/emulator or whether the game has multiplayer, look for online guides about configuring multiplayer or regular controllers, relating to your game. As a general advice, keep in mind that Parsec's controllers work the same as if an ordinary xbox controller was plugged on the host computer via USB. If the Parsec controller does not work on the game, then a regular xbox controller would likely not work either in the same scenario
- Some games don't detect controllers that got plugged in after the game was opened. Try restarting the game to ensure this isn't the case
- If the host has 'Virtual Gamepad Type' in the host settings set to something different from Xbox 360, your game may not work as well. If you don't have a specific reason to use a different controller type, change it back to Xbox 360 and restart Parsec from the tray bar. The guest's controller will still work correctly regardless of what controller type they have on their hands
- If you've ever messed with Steam's controller settings, it may be preventing controllers from working on games added to Steam. Double-check your Steam settings if you recall making changes to it. You can also confirm this is an issue with the Steam configuration by trying to play something outside Steam
- If your game is not multiplayer, but you want to take turns with other people, keep in mind that not all games let both controllers move in the game whenever you want. You may want to reorder the controller position with this guide
Parsec can't see the controller on the guest
If you couldn't see the controller on the host with the gamepad tester website, then the guests should disconnect from the host and go to Parsec's settings > Gamepad, which will list the controllers seen on the guest machine (do not use this on the host computer, as the host will only see their own controllers).
If guests can press buttons and see their controller working correctly in the settings, it means the issue is on the host machine and you should look further below at other possible reasons for the issue.
However, if guests cannot see their controllers in their own settings when plugged in properly, here's what can be attempted depending on their operating system.
Windows
Most popular controllers work just fine, such as genuine Dualshock 4, Dualsense, Switch Pro, Joycon, and Xbox controllers. We also support Stadia controllers in bluetooth mode. Gamecube controllers will work with a Mayflash adapter set to PC mode.
If the controller isn't showing in the settings, consider using a program to convert it to Xinput, the xbox controller API.
- Wii U Pro Controller: WiinUSoft
- Switch Pro Controller: Genuine ones should work. It might require you to restart Parsec if the controller was plugged in while Parsec was already running. If you have issues with genuine or non genuine controllers, see BetterJoy
- Switch Joycon: To combine both joycons into a single controller, see BetterJoy
- Wiimote: WiinUSoft or Wiimotehook
- Gamecube: Mayflash adapters work in PC mode. For others, see Delfinovin
- Steam Controller: GlosSI
macOS
On macOS 11 or newer, you should be able to use bluetooth Xbox, Dualshock 4 and Dualsense controllers, which are officially supported by Apple, as well as any other controllers that are supported by them. If you're having issues with controllers, generally try it both with bluetooth and USB cables.
On macOS 10.15, USB is likely to work better instead (for instance Dualshock 4 controllers will work with a USB cable). macOS 10.15 Catalina does not recognize Xinput controllers, and requires this driver when trying an xbox controller. If the xbox driver requests security permissions, you must approve them to get the controllers working.
Android
Controller support on Android is inconsistent due to the large amounts of phone makers offering different levels of compatibility. Your best bet is to update your gamepad firmware (e.g. there was a major firmware update for Xbox One controllers with Bluetooth that improved compatibility with Android). You may also have different results with an OTG cable instead of Bluetooth.
Linux
Controllers on Linux work via evdev, using kernel drivers already on your system. You will likely need a kernel driver to make your controller work, such as;
- xpad or xboxdrv for Xinput
- hid-sony for PS3/PS4
- hid-nintendo for Switch Pro and Joycons
- hid-playstation for DualSense (PS5)
Parsec is not running as system on the host
Parsec needs to run with system permissions on the host computer, to be able to use the Parsec Virtual USB controller driver. Running as administrator is not enough for Parsec to work properly. Learn how to make sure Parsec is running as system.
The host controller driver is not installed
Open the Parsec settings on the host computer, and in the Host section, find the "Parsec Virtual USB Gamepad" setting. Below the setting, you should see text that says 'Driver [version] installed'. If you do not see this, use the link below the setting to download the driver.
The host controller driver requires Parsec to be restarted
If the controller driver is installed on the host computer, right-click the icon in the taskbar and select 'Restart'.
The host gamepad setting is disabled on the host
Make sure that the "Parsec Virtual USB Gamepads" setting is enabled on your host computer's Parsec settings, and restart Parsec if you have altered the setting.
The host controller driver fails to install
If you are trying to install the Parsec Virtual USB Driver, but it never allows you to finish installation and repeatedly shows the same messages, follow these steps to make it work again:
- Open the Windows start menu
- Type regedit and press Enter to open Registry Editor
- Copy and paste these locations into the address bar and check for whether they contain Parsec related information
-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\volatile: If it contains the item ParsecVUSBPendingRebootFlag, right-click the item and remove it -
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\PendingFileRenameOperations: If it contains the item PendingFileRenameOperations with the value 'parsec', right-click the item and remove it -
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{36fc9e60-c465-11cf-8056-444553540000}: If it contains the item UpperFilters with the value 'parsecudeaudio' inside, double-click UpperFilters and remove parsecudeaudio from the value, while keeping anything else that may be there -
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\ParsecVUD: If it contains the item UninstallString, right-click the item and remove it
-
- Re-run the installer, ensuring that you're using the latest driver installer available in the Parsec settings
If you're having trouble installing the controller driver after doing this, report this in the Parsec Discord server, accessible from your Parsec app in the help icon.
There are additional requirements for using Dualsense
If the "Parsec Virtual Gamepad Type" setting is set to 'Dualsense' on the host computer, then there are additional requirements the clients connecting to this host need to follow in order to have a working controller. Clients need to use a Dualsense controller as well, plugged in with a USB cable, and they must be using Parsec from a Windows device.
These requirements don't apply to other controller types, so consider using a different controller type if necessary. Learn more.
Issues with the legacy driver
Older Parsec users might still be using the older legacy driver. Consider installing the newest one from your Parsec Virtual USB Gamepads setting. Otherwise, you must be mindful of the following issues.
Windows Server issues
The ViGEm driver may refuse installation on Windows Server or produce duplicate controllers that don't work. You must install the archived copy of the Xbox 360 controller drivers and the specific version of ViGEm that still installs correctly on Windows Server (1.17.333). After installation is complete, restart the machine and check if the controller shows up in gamepad-tester following the instructions at the top of the article.
Something is interfering with the drivers
Go to Device Manager (Press Windows key + R, type devmgmt.msc, press Enter), and check if you see something named "SCP Virtual Bus" in the System devices section. This is used for Dualshock 3 controllers, but it may conflict with our drivers. If you have it, try uninstalling it, restart the computer, and test if your issue is fixed.
There's also Zadig, which is commonly used for Gamecube controllers. It can potentially hide Parsec's xbox controllers and make it not show up at all depending on how it was set up. If you've used Zadig, revert any changes you've made with it and check if Parsec's controllers start to show up correctly.