Controller inputs don't work in-game if Roblox is launched from `roblox://experiences/start`

Bug Reports Engine Bugs
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1
  1. Launch Roblox via the roblox:// URI: roblox://experiences/start?placeId=1818
  2. When the game has launched, attempt to move the character with a game controller. The character will not move.

Expected behavior

It should move the character. Leaving the server (and thus entering app mode) will cause the controls to work again.

System Information:
Windows 11 25H2
Roblox Version 145f189a6a974303

3 Likes
2

Hello! So far we weren’t able to reproduce this issue. A few questions if you don’t mind.

  1. What’s the game controller?
  2. Do you have Roblox client already open when you launch the game via URL? Or do you have Roblox client in tray?
  3. Can you control the character with keyboard and mouse?
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  1. I used a Steam Controller with a third-party software (SISR) that makes it emulate an Xbox 360 Controller. I tried switching it to emulate a DualShock 4, and the same problem occurred. I do not have an Xbox 360 controller or a PS4 controller on hand.
    After that, I tried using a PS5 wired/bluetooth controller and can confirm I get the same ‘no input’ issue as before. I then tried an Xbox Elite 2 Controller (wired/bluetooth). Same issue.
  2. I have the Roblox client in the tray before launching via the URL. When I closed the tray icon and tried to launch, the controller stopped responding to any input, even after switching to app mode. This only persists for that program instance — keeping the tray open will allow the app mode controls to work on subsequent launches.
    If I launch the URL while Roblox is open, the controls work as intended.
  3. I can still control the character with my keyboard and mouse.

Just in case, the latest Windows 11 update I have installed on my computer is “2026-07 Security Update (KB5101650) (26200.8875)”.

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Just in case, may I ask you to close both SISR and Steam client (if it was open) and try again?

5

I closed Steam and kept the tray open. PS5 Controller doesn’t work wired; Bluetooth connection has the same issue as before. Same with the Xbox Elite 2 (Bluetooth/Wired).

While I’m here, I decided to retest closing the tray icon with the options and while Steam is closed (which means excluding the Steam Controller). With PS5 Bluetooth/Wired, I could only control app mode.

The Xbox controller options are acting way too weird. Sometimes the usual bug occurs. Sometimes it doesn’t respond at all, even after going to app mode. One time, it worked for a moment before stopping completely for that launch instance. Sometimes (and it seems to be doing this right now), it just stops working with Roblox altogether. I am unsure whether this could be an issue with all controllers or just with a wired Xbox controller. I switched back to Bluetooth on Xbox (to check if it was still consistent) and also had the hot-and-go issues. I thought this would be easy.

I’m going to try restarting my computer. If that fixes everything, consider me delusional.
EDIT: Restarting did not fix the issue.

6

With the Xbox controller connected via Bluetooth, I tried to run a more consistent test for myself.

  1. Close the tray icon
  2. Launch the URI from above using Win+R
  3. Try controlling the character when the game launches

It might allow you to control it, it might not. It’s very inconsistent. It might flip-flop for a few launches before not working for a couple.

If I run with the tray icon open, I cannot control it at all. Except when I just wrote that sentence, in which it did. I… I can’t anymore.

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Thanks for trying so many options.
It really does act very strange and so far we unfortunately have no reasonable explanation for it.
I can’t really promise a quick resolve, but we’ll keep trying to find a minimal repro case, so we could fix it.

1 Like
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The only wild and highly speculative “theory” I had was that for some reason Roblox window didn’t always receive focus events. But again, since you said that KB&M input worked fine, there should be no focus issues.