How to fix Steam Deck mouse bug in CSGO, Apex Legends

The Steam Deck is great, but a long list of first-person shooters including Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Apex Legends, and more have a frustrating bug that causes the mouse to point straight up or down. Thankfully, there’s an easy fix.

Valve’s latest piece of gaming hardware is presented as a mobile gaming device, allowing people to play anything from Stardew Valley to Elden Ring on the go. But at its core, the Steam Deck is a PC that just happens to boot directly into a modified version of Steam Big Picture. This is a winning formula in many ways, but it does result in trouble for certain situations.

One of those troubles arises when using the Steam Deck as a desktop PC. If the Steam Deck is controlled with a mouse and keyboard connected by Bluetooth or USB, the mouse doesn’t work properly. When playing CSGO, Apex Legends, or other similar games on Steam Deck, a bug involving the mouse forces the player’s perspective to be locked straight up or down.

So how can players fix this? Thankfully, it’s a very simple solution even though it’s not particularly obvious.

How to fix Steam Deck mouse bug in games like CSGO, Apex Legends, and Battlefield

Players can fix the Steam Deck mouse bug in CSGO, Apex Legends, and Battlefield by launching the game in desktop mode.

The Steam Deck is an actual PC despite masquerading as a pure gaming device. This includes the ability to get out of the Steam OS and go directly into its Linux desktop. This can be done by pressing the Steam button, scrolling down to “Power,” and selecting “Switch to Desktop.” From there, users can open the Steam app and open the game as though they were on their regular PC. This fixes the mouse bug.

Here’s the step-by-step solution.

1. Close any open games
2. Press Steam button
3. Navigate to “Power” and select “Switch to Desktop”
4. Open Steam through desktop
5. Open Steam Library, select and open the preferred game

This is somewhat annoying but is completely effective, allowing players to enjoy first-person shooters on the Steam Deck similar to a desktop PC. Players can play with a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard on the Steam Deck’s screen, or they can use a USB-C hub to connect wired devices and a monitor. 

There’s a chance that the Steam Deck mouse bug will be patched out, allowing players to enjoy CSGO and Apex Legends without the extra steps. For now though, desktop mode is the saving grace for  Steam Deck owners.