win.gg
Win.gg Counter-Strike How to fix Steam Deck mouse bug in CSGO, Apex Legends

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

Steven Rondina
Steven Rondina Published 27/08/2022
Google Preferred Source
CSGO spin bot icon

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.

Steven Rondina Steven Rondina
About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

View full profile
Read Also
IEM Cologne Major Stage 3 preview: who’s making it to the playoffs? Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major Stage 3 preview: who’s making it to the playoffs? Owen Harsono The IEM Cologne Major is the biggest tournament of the year, and after two stages of play, it’s finally time to unleash the big boys. Stage 3 will feature the 16 best teams in the world, but only eight can advance to the Playoffs and play on the big stage. Here’s our IEM Cologne Major Stage 3 preview. Before we got to Stage 3, a lot of things happened in ...
IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Stage 3 Pick’Em Predictions Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Stage 3 Pick’Em Predictions Owen Harsono It’s that time of the year again, as the next Counter-Strike 2 Major is right around the corner. The IEM Cologne 2026 Major is set to start on June 2, meaning you still have some time to lock in your Pick’Em predictions. The Pick’Em Challenge is one of the most exciting parts of the CS2 Majors, as it allows you to test your knowledge and predict which teams make it ...
Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major Counter-Strike
Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major Owen Harsono It was pretty weird seeing Team Spirit having to start the IEM Cologne Major from Stage 2, but they quickly proved why that was a mistake. With donk shooting on all fronts, the Eastern Europeans speed ran the competition to book their spot in Stage 3. With how they’ve been playing, it’s hard not to wonder whether they can actually win the entire thing. These boys can sometimes be known ...
BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap Counter-Strike
BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap Owen Harsono We’ve just witnessed arguably the worst choke in Counter-Strike Major history, and we’re only on the first stage of the IEM Cologne Major. If you didn’t tune into the Stage 1 matches, here’s what you need to know heading into Stage 2. Many fans tend to underestimate Stage 1 teams for fair reasons, but some survivors in this tournament look extremely promising. Two Eastern European teams, BetBoom Team and B8, ...
Who will win the IEM Cologne Major 2026? Counter-Strike
Who will win the IEM Cologne Major 2026? Owen Harsono If you’re looking to play it safe and back one team at the Counter-Strike 2 IEM Cologne 2026 Major, traders prediction markets platforms have a clear frontrunner – it’s Team Vitality. But if it’s not meant to be, there are a few other candidates that could lift the trophy. Here’s what traders on Polymarket and Kalshi think. If you haven’t been watching CS2 this year and are only jumping on ...
The 10 best CS2 players who have never won a Major Counter-Strike
The 10 best CS2 players who have never won a Major Owen Harsono In Counter-Strike, winning a Major immediately puts you into legend status. It’s an achievement that proves you won the game’s biggest trophy. However, there have been some really good players that could never get their hands on the biggest trophy that Counter-Strike esports has to offer. Here is WIN.gg's list of best CS2 players who have never won a Major. ScreaM is one of Counter-Strike's most famous players for one ...
IEM Cologne Major 2026: All the teams, favorites, and outright betting odds Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026: All the teams, favorites, and outright betting odds Owen Harsono Mark your calendars, as the IEM Cologne Major kicks off on June 2, 2026. We’re going to see the best teams in the world compete, but which ones are actually favored to take the title? This will be the first time in 10 years that IEM Cologne will return as a Counter-Strike Major, so the stakes this year are much higher than they’ve been in a decade. In this guide, ...