Steam Addon for Claw adds controller integration and game-specific performance controls for supported MSI Claw handhelds. It can present the built-in controller as a Steam Deck or DualSense Edge while Steam gaming is active, and as an Xbox 360 controller otherwise. You can choose a global Steam controller and an optional per-game Steam override, configure the controller's front and rear buttons, set per-game performance options, and use a performance HUD, shortcuts, a separate Quick Settings Overlay, and Windows gaming-home behavior.
This guide describes the features currently exposed by the app. The Main App includes Device, Controller, Steam, XBOX, ClawHUD, Shortcut, Tweaks, How to Use, and Settings. Quick Settings Overlay is a separate controller-friendly window; it is not Steam Quick Access and it is not the ClawHUD.
- Supported devices
- Requirements and compatibility
- Quick start
- How controller presentation works
- Gyroscope / IMU — Steam Input configuration
- MSI Center M and the built-in controller
- Main App guide
- Game profiles and setting priority
- Non-Steam games
- Quick Settings Overlay
- Steam Quick Access vs Quick Settings Overlay
- Controller mapping reference
- Background operation and updates
- Sleep, resume, and restart
- Recovery and troubleshooting
- Known limitations
- Return to stock MSI controller behavior and uninstall
- License
The app currently recognizes these MSI Claw models:
| Supported device |
|---|
| MSI Claw 7 AI+ A2VM |
| MSI Claw 8 AI+ A2VM |
| MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ CG3EM |
The app checks that the device is a supported model before starting controller management. If the model cannot be identified or is not supported, controller features will not start.
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ CG3EM has been tested on physical hardware. The A2VM models are supported by the software, but equivalent full-device validation is still pending; gyro output on the 8-inch A2VM has been verified in Steam Input and Aniimo. Hardware-specific controls may also be unavailable on a model that does not expose the required capability.
The A2VM 8's manual controller re-arm has physically restored a silent motor. A2VM 7 vibration-strength and LED support follows the shared A2VM protocol/firmware policy and has not been individually validated on A2VM 7 hardware.
- Windows 11 x64, build 26100 or later.
- One supported MSI Claw model listed above.
- An administrator account for the interactive Windows user. Windows may show a User Account Control (UAC) prompt for operations that need approval; approve it only when you initiated the action.
- Stock MSI Center M installed for the normal MSI controller environment.
- Steam installed and running for Steam Deck controller presentation, Steam game profiles, Steam Big Picture actions, and Steam Quick Access actions.
Do not run another controller-management or virtual-controller-routing application at the same time. Such applications can compete with the Addon and MSI Center M for the built-in controller. The Addon is designed for one interactive Windows user and one session; remote and multi-user sessions are not supported.
- Download the latest Windows installer from Releases and install it.
- Approve Windows prompts that appear during installation or first-time component setup. Follow any component-setup instructions shown by the app. If the app asks you to restart Windows, save your work and restart before continuing.
- Open Steam Addon for Claw and check the device status on Device.
- To let the Addon manage the built-in controller, choose Disable for MSI Center M and confirm Disable and Restart. Windows must restart for this controller-authority change to take effect.
- After Windows starts again, the Addon runs in the background. Open the Main App to configure controls, performance settings, profiles, or ClawHUD.
On A2VM 7/8, the Addon attempts its optional controller-mode rumble initialization once per actual Windows boot; EX/CG3EM is excluded. During a real Windows shutdown or restart, it may make one best-effort PID1901 command only after controller output and input have been safely retired. This does not release MSI Center M authority or change HidHide, and PID1901 arrival is not verified before Windows exits. Addon restarts, logoff, sleep, hibernate, and resume do not use this path.
If you prefer the stock MSI controller behavior, leave MSI Center M enabled or use Enable and Restart on the Device page.
When MSI Center M controller authority is disabled and the Addon is managing the controller, the Addon automatically chooses one controller presentation:
Supported virtual controller presentations are:
| Virtual controller | When it is used |
|---|---|
| Xbox 360 | Normal Windows use, outside an active Steam game or Big Picture |
| Steam Deck | Steam game or Big Picture, when selected by the global preference or an enabled game profile |
| DualSense Edge | Steam game or Big Picture, when selected in Controller → Controller for Steam Game or an enabled Steam game profile |
Choose the global Steam Deck or DualSense Edge option in Controller → Controller for Steam Game. The internal first-install preference remains Steam Deck. An enabled Steam game profile can select its own controller or Use default to inherit the global choice. The controller selector is locked while a Steam game or Big Picture Mode is active and shows the controller actually applied, including a game-profile override. Selection is available when neither Steam nor Big Picture is active, including normal Windows or Xbox-only gameplay. The separate Gyroscope switch remains available in every state. Steam game launch and exit still switch automatically to an enabled game's override and back to the global choice when Big Picture remains active. Outside Steam game and Big Picture activity, Windows continues to use Xbox 360. Only one virtual controller presentation is attached at a time. Button behavior configured for Normal or Steam Game / Big Picture follows the active presentation.
The global Gyroscope switch is on by default in Controller → Controller for Steam Game. When on and the Addon is presenting a Steam-facing virtual controller, available physical gyroscope and accelerometer data is passed to Steam Input. Turning it off stops motion-sensor collection and sends no motion input; ordinary controller input and the virtual-device connection remain active. The Addon does not perform gyro-to-mouse or gyro-to-joystick conversion itself, and its Xbox 360 presentation does not provide gyro input.
DualSense Edge presentation also forwards available motion data through its existing publisher path. Edge button, PS/Quick Access, rumble, and motion behavior have not been comprehensively verified across every supported device and game.
If gyro is a priority, current A2VM 8 observations favor DualSense Edge. Choose it at Controller → Controller for Steam Game or in an enabled Steam game profile. On the tested A2VM 8, DualSense Edge gyro felt smooth, while virtual Steam Deck Gyro To Mouse was still reported choppy with Addon 0.1.365. The Gyroscope switch only controls sensor collection/input; it does not resolve this reported smoothness issue. This is an observation from current testing, not a guarantee for every device or game. See the Steam Deck gyro investigation.
Verified on MSI Claw 8 AI+ A2VM (8-inch): Steam's gyro calibration screen shows live motion. All three rotation axes and all six direction signs matched the user's genuine Steam Controller in a direct calibration-screen comparison. Gyro-to-joystick camera control worked in Aniimo with Steam Input's gyro activation set to Always On (Addon build 0.1.350.0). This confirms the tested A2VM 8 end-to-end path, not every game's configuration or quantitative gyro accuracy.
Configure and fine-tune gyro in Steam Input, not in the Addon. Open the game's Controller Layout in Steam, configure Gyro Behavior (such as gyro-to-mouse or gyro-to-joystick), and adjust the activation button/condition, sensitivity, and other motion settings there. In particular, a gyro activation condition can prevent in-game movement even when the gyro calibration screen shows live values. For a quick test, select Always On; afterward, set your preferred activation button and sensitivity in Steam Input.
A2VM 7-inch and EX/CG3EM gyro behavior has not yet been physically verified. See the gyro architecture and hardware-validation record.
The Device page contains the MSI Center M controls. Disabling MSI Center M hands built-in controller management to the Addon after Windows restarts. Enabling MSI Center M returns controller management to MSI after Windows restarts.
This is a Windows-startup change, not an instant in-session toggle. The confirmation button explicitly says Disable and Restart or Enable and Restart. Do not power off or close the app part-way through a confirmed transition; let Windows complete the requested restart.
The Device page shows the detected manufacturer and model, compatibility status, board identifier, and detected GPU names. Its MSI Center M setting controls which app manages the built-in controller; see MSI Center M and the built-in controller.
The page also provides device-wide performance and battery controls:
- TDP Control — enables processor power-limit management. PL1 is the sustained power limit and PL2 is the higher short-duration limit. Values are separate for Plugged in and On battery. Available ranges depend on the detected Claw model. When available, the first setup may start from the existing MSI Center M Manual TDP values.
- CPU Boost — enables management of the Windows processor boost mode, separately for plugged-in and battery use. Choices are Disabled, Enabled, Aggressive, Efficient Enabled, Efficient Aggressive, Aggressive At Guaranteed, and Efficient Aggressive At Guaranteed.
- Maximum Processor State — optionally sets the Windows maximum processor performance state to 99% or 100% separately for AC and DC. It is off for new users, is not a CPU-utilization limit, and is independent of CPU Boost. Turning it off stops the Addon from applying the setting; it does not restore the previous Windows value.
- Windows Power Mode — enables management of the Windows power mode, separately for each power source: Best power efficiency, Balanced, or Best performance.
- Battery charge limit — enables a charging limit from 60% to 100% in 5% steps, when the device supports it.
For TDP Control, CPU Boost, Maximum Processor State, and Windows Power Mode, turning the feature off means the Addon stops managing that setting. It does not necessarily restore the exact Windows or MSI value that existed before the Addon managed it. Your saved choices are kept so you can enable the feature again later.
Battery charge limit is different: its switch directly enables or disables the MSI charge-limit function. The selected percentage remains saved for later use.
At the top of Controller, use Controller for Steam Game to choose Steam Deck or DualSense Edge and toggle Gyroscope. Steam Deck remains the internal default, but “(Default)” is not part of its display name. The selection is used by Big Picture and by Steam games whose enabled profile uses Use default. Controller selection is locked during a Steam game or Big Picture and displays the actually applied controller; Gyroscope remains changeable. Both controls are available in normal Windows or Xbox-only gameplay when Runtime settings are available.
Use Controller to choose actions for the Gamebar Button (WING) and Center M Button. Each has separate Normal and Steam Game / Big Picture assignments. The current controller presentation selects which assignment is used; the buttons do not have to be remapped when Steam starts or stops.
Available actions depend on the assignment group:
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Quick Settings Overlay | Opens the Addon's separate Quick Settings Overlay. |
| Steam Quick Access | Sends the Steam Deck Quick Access button to Steam. This opens Steam's own Quick Access Menu; it does not open an Addon page inside Steam. Available for Steam Game / Big Picture assignments. |
| Steam Button | Sends the Steam system-button input. It is different from Steam Quick Access. Available for Steam Game / Big Picture assignments. |
| Steam Big Picture | Opens Steam Big Picture. Available in Normal assignments. |
| Xbox | Opens the Xbox app. Available in Normal assignments. |
| Keyboard/Hotkey | Sends optional Ctrl, Shift, Alt, or Windows modifiers with one configured key. |
| Launch Application | Starts a selected executable, optionally with arguments. Its Run as administrator option is off by default; when enabled, the app uses the Runtime's existing administrator permission. |
The first-install defaults are Gamebar Button: Steam Big Picture in Normal and Steam Button in Steam Game / Big Picture; Center M Button: Quick Settings Overlay in both groups. In each mode, Gamebar Button and Center M Button must use different actions.
The M1 / M2 section configures the rear buttons while the Addon presents an Xbox 360 controller. Each can be Disabled or mapped to A/B/X/Y, D-Pad directions, LB/RB, LT/RT, L3/R3, View, Menu, or Xbox Guide. The same target may be assigned to both. In Steam Game / Big Picture, M1 remains R4 and M2 remains L4; these global Xbox 360 choices do not change that Steam Deck behavior. An enabled per-game XBOX mapping can override the global M1/M2 mapping for that game.
Where supported, Joystick LED can be enabled or disabled, with one static color and global brightness from 0% to 100%. The A2VM LED path is admitted only when the controller reports the exact firmware 0x0230; the EX uses its exact known firmware mappings. Vibration Strength adjusts the left and right motors independently from 0% to 100% and includes a Test action for each motor. Strength writes are enabled on CG3EM and A2VM 7/8; A2VM 7 uses the shared-family policy and has not been individually hardware-tested. These controls may be unavailable when the detected device or firmware is not supported.
The Vibration Strength expander also contains Vibration Recovery → Restore Vibration on all three supported models. It temporarily disconnects the virtual controller, so save your game and close it first. A success message confirms software restoration only, not physical motor output; run Left Test and Right Test afterward. EX/CG3EM supports only this manual action and does not receive the A2VM boot-time cycle.
The Steam page lists installed Steam games and Non-Steam shortcuts that Steam recognizes. Use Refresh, search, and the favorite control to find a game. Select a game to edit its profile. Profiles can be prepared before launching the game; use the profile's enable switch when you want it to apply.
The first profile card is Virtual Controller. Choose Use default, Steam Deck, or DualSense Edge. The choice can be edited only while the profile is enabled and Steam / Big Picture is idle; turning the profile off retains its saved choice. With Big Picture active, a game's enabled override is selected automatically when Steam reports that game as active, then the global choice is restored when the game ends and Big Picture remains active. Use default always inherits Controller → Controller for Steam Game.
Per-game options include:
- TDP Control — separate PL1 and PL2 values for Plugged in and On battery.
- CPU Boost — a Windows processor boost mode for each power source.
- Windows Power Mode — a Windows power mode for each power source.
- Minimum GPU Clock — a selectable Intel GPU clock floor for each power source, when available. Power or thermal limits can still keep the actual clock below the selected floor.
- Intel FPS Limit — a per-power-source target from 40 to 120 FPS in 1 FPS steps. It uses Intel's FPS-limiting support; some games may not support it.
- Resolution — Do not change, 1920 × 1200, 1920 × 1080, 1680 × 1050, or 1440 × 900.
For TDP Control, CPU Boost, and Windows Power Mode, an enabled profile setting takes priority over the matching Device setting. If one of those profile settings is off, an enabled Device setting can continue to apply. Minimum GPU Clock, Intel FPS Limit, and Resolution are game-profile-only controls and do not have Device-level fallback settings. When the game is no longer active, the profile-only controls stop applying and enabled Device settings for TDP, CPU Boost, and Windows Power Mode become effective again. If a Steam game is launched through a separate launcher and Steam no longer considers its shortcut active after the launcher exits, its profile may stop applying even while a child game process remains open; see Non-Steam games.
The XBOX page lists recognized installed Xbox/Microsoft Store games available to the current Windows user. Use Refresh, search, and favorites, then select a game to edit its profile. Enable the profile when you want its selected settings to apply while that game is active. Not every Store app or Game Pass title is necessarily recognized by the catalog.
The performance options match the Steam profile options: TDP Control, CPU Boost, Windows Power Mode, Minimum GPU Clock, Intel FPS Limit, and Resolution. The XBOX profile also has a controller section for Use global M1 / M2 mapping. Turn that off to choose per-game Xbox 360 targets for M1 and M2. Steam Deck presentation still keeps M1 as R4 and M2 as L4.
As with Steam, you can prepare a profile before the game starts. Its enabled settings apply when the Addon recognizes the corresponding XBOX title as active. For TDP Control, CPU Boost, and Windows Power Mode, an enabled Device setting can continue to apply when the corresponding profile setting is off. Minimum GPU Clock, Intel FPS Limit, and Resolution are game-profile-only and have no Device-level fallback.
ClawHUD is the performance HUD included and managed by the Addon. You do not need to install the standalone ClawHUD app. Enable the HUD, then choose In game only or Always for its display mode.
Depending on device and data availability, the HUD can show FPS, CPU usage and temperature, GPU usage and clock, CPU package power (TDP), RAM usage, VRAM usage, fan speed, and battery information. While running on battery, battery information can include charge percentage and estimated remaining time. Unavailable measurements are omitted rather than treated as a real zero.
With Intel XeFG, the FPS value may not include every driver-generated output frame because PresentMon may not observe all of those generated frames.
The page lets you adjust Size (-2, -1, Default, +1, +2), Font (Unispace or Segoe UI Variable), Alignment (Left, Center, Right), and Background width (Full width or Content width). Opacity ranges from 50% to 100% in 5% steps. Intel VRR Range Fix is a device/display-specific option for correcting a variable-refresh-rate range when applicable; it is not needed on every display. If the HUD reports a problem, use the page's Retry action when available.
Use Shortcut to add, edit, delete, and drag to reorder items shown in Quick Settings Overlay. Supported actions are:
- Launch an application, with optional arguments.
- Run a PowerShell script.
- Open a website URL.
- Capture the primary display as a JPEG screenshot.
- Open Steam Big Picture, the Steam client, or the Xbox app.
The Application (.exe) and PowerShell Add/Edit panels include Run as administrator, off by default. When enabled, the action uses the Addon's existing administrator permission and does not show a second UAC prompt. With the option off, the Addon requests the same user's normal (Medium-integrity) token; if that token is unavailable, the action fails instead of running elevated. Steam, Big Picture, Xbox, and website actions always use this normal-user launch path and have no administrator option. Screenshot continues to use its existing capture path.
The Screenshot action captures the primary display as a JPEG. Its save folder is configured inside that Screenshot Shortcut's Add/Edit dialog: choose a custom folder or use the default Windows Pictures\Screenshots folder. Browse stages a folder, Use default stages the default location, Open folder opens the currently selected location, and Save commits the folder with the Shortcut; Cancel discards staged changes. The normal editor allows at most one Screenshot Shortcut. A shortcut displayed in the Overlay runs the action you configured here; the Overlay receives only the tile and never the folder path.
Shortcut tiles use an action-specific Fluent icon by default. In the Main App's Add/Edit dialog, choose a curated icon or restore the action default; the icon appears before the tile title in both the Main App and Overlay.
The Tweaks page reads Windows state when opened and after each change. It keeps mixed, unavailable, and unsupported states distinct from a verified Enabled or Disabled state. A consolidated safety notice appears at most once per local calendar day. The app does not automatically restart Windows, sign out, or restart Explorer; some existing Windows settings may require one of those actions to become fully effective.
The Registry Tweaks group includes Faster Menus, Classic Context Menu, Disable Password on Wake, Disable Edge Background, and Disable Startup App Delay. Edge background policies do not immediately close existing Edge processes. Startup App Delay configures two Explorer values for future logins; actual startup changes may vary.
Choose Check to check again and download an available update. When a downloaded update is ready, the button changes to Install update. Selecting it restarts the Addon so the update can be applied at the next safe startup. If no update is available, the app reports that it is up to date.
Select Off, Xbox, or Steam Big Picture as the Windows gaming home. Off disables the Addon-selected gaming home. Start on Windows startup controls whether Windows starts directly in the selected gaming home. If Windows is already set to another app, Other Windows app shows that current selection; it cannot be selected as a new Addon-managed option, and the Addon does not manage its startup behavior.
When enabled, Quick Settings Overlay shows controls for the currently connected power source. The Main App continues to show both Plugged in and On battery values.
View whether components needed by controller features are ready. This is a status area, not a manual driver-install panel. Follow any setup or restart prompt shown by the app.
Developer Menu is reserved for developer diagnostics and is not needed for normal setup or use.
You can create and edit Steam and XBOX game profiles before starting a game. Saved values are kept when a profile is disabled.
A Steam game's Virtual Controller choice is available only while its master profile is enabled. Use default or a disabled/missing profile inherits the global Controller → Controller for Steam Game choice. When a game starts in Big Picture, its enabled explicit choice is selected automatically; when it ends and Big Picture stays open, the global choice resumes. Manual global and per-game controller choices are locked while any Steam game or Big Picture Mode is active. Turning a profile off keeps its saved controller choice for when the profile is enabled again.
TDP Control, CPU Boost, and Windows Power Mode exist at both Device and game-profile level. When one of these settings is enabled in the active game profile, the profile value takes priority. If that profile setting is off, the enabled Device setting can continue to apply.
Minimum GPU Clock, Intel FPS Limit, and Resolution are game-profile-only controls. They do not fall back to a Device setting when disabled or when no matching game profile is active. Battery charge limit and Maximum Processor State are Device-only and are not part of a game profile.
Recognized active game + enabled profile
-> enabled TDP / CPU Boost / Power Mode profile settings override Device
-> enabled GPU Clock / FPS Limit / Resolution profile settings apply for that game
-> disabled TDP / CPU Boost / Power Mode profile settings can use enabled Device settings
No active matching profile
-> enabled Device settings continue for Device-level features
-> no game-profile-only setting is active
When the game stops being active, the profile-only settings stop applying and enabled Device settings become effective again where a Device-level counterpart exists. Turning TDP Control, CPU Boost, or Windows Power Mode off at Device level stops the Addon from managing that Device setting; it does not promise to restore a previous Windows or MSI value. Battery charge limit uses its own direct enable/disable behavior described in the Device section.
To use a Steam profile for a regular Windows game, first add that game to Steam as a Non-Steam Game. The Steam page lists shortcuts that Steam recognizes, so you can prepare and enable a profile there. Start the game through its Steam shortcut and confirm Steam continues to show it as active. Some launchers close their own shortcut when they start a separate game process; if Steam then stops recognizing the shortcut, the Addon may stop applying that profile too.
Quick Settings Overlay is the Addon's separate controller-friendly settings window. It uses the same saved settings as the Main App. Its default tab order is Shortcut, Device, Controller, Setting, and Profile; you can change their order from Setting → Tab Order.
- Device — quick access to supported device-wide TDP Control, CPU Boost, Windows Power Mode, and battery charge-limit settings.
- Profile — settings for the currently active recognized game. When no game is active, the page says: “No game is currently running. Start a game to configure its profile.” The available rows depend on the game and device; XBOX profiles can also expose M1/M2 mapping.
- Controller — the shared Controller for Steam Game selection and Gyroscope toggle, Xbox 360 M1/M2 mapping, and (when supported) joystick LED and vibration settings.
- Shortcut — run your configured shortcuts. Add or edit shortcut details in the Main App.
- Setting — rearrange the Overlay tabs and choose whether to show only the current power source.
Controller navigation uses LB / RB to move between tabs, wrapping from the last tab to the first and vice versa. Use Up / Down to move through page rows, Left / Right to adjust the selected value or move within the shortcut grid, A to activate the selected control or shortcut, and B to go back or close the Overlay.
These are separate interfaces:
| Name | Owner | What opens |
|---|---|---|
| Steam Quick Access Menu (Steam Quick Access) | Steam | Steam's native Quick Access interface. The Controller action sends Steam the Quick Access button. |
| Quick Settings Overlay | Steam Addon for Claw | The Addon's own Device, Profile, Controller, Shortcut, and Setting tabs. |
| ClawHUD | Steam Addon for Claw / included ClawHUD runtime | A performance display over the screen. It is not a settings menu. |
| Steam Button | Steam | The Steam system-button input. It is not the Quick Access command and does not open the Addon's Overlay. |
The Addon does not place its own settings tab inside Steam's Quick Access Menu.
The built-in controller's face buttons, D-Pad, bumpers, triggers, sticks, and stick clicks are passed through as their corresponding standard gamepad controls. The current presentation changes the type of controller Windows sees, not the basic meaning of those controls.
| Built-in control | Steam Deck-style presentation | Xbox 360 presentation |
|---|---|---|
| A / B / X / Y, D-Pad | Corresponding controls | Corresponding controls |
| LB / RB | L1 / R1 | LB / RB |
| LT / RT analog travel | L2 / R2 analog triggers | LT / RT analog triggers |
| LT / RT fully pressed | L2 / R2 digital full pull | No separate digital full-pull output; XInput uses the analog LT / RT values |
| Left/right sticks and L3 / R3 | Corresponding sticks and clicks | Corresponding sticks and clicks |
| View / Back | View / Options function | View |
| Menu / Start | Menu function | Menu / Start |
| M1 / M2 | R4 / L4 | Configurable in Controller; Disabled by default |
WING and Center M are configurable front buttons; they are not part of the ordinary gamepad mapping table. In Steam Deck presentation, the Addon forwards fresh gyro and accelerometer data to Steam Input. Steam Input owns activation, gyro-to-mouse/joystick mapping, sensitivity and all fine-tuning. The 8-inch A2VM has passed direct Steam Input and Aniimo gyro testing; A2VM 7-inch and EX/CG3EM gyro validation is still pending. See Gyroscope / IMU.
Closing the Main App window does not stop the background Addon or controller presentation. The notification-area icon provides Open and Restart Addon. Use Open to bring back the Main App; use Restart Addon if you need to restart the running Addon. The tray menu does not provide a general Quit command. To return controller management to MSI Center M, use Device → MSI Center M → Enable and Restart; use the normal Windows uninstall path to remove the app.
The Addon checks for and downloads updates in the background after startup. This does not interrupt the current session. The downloaded update is applied on a later safe Addon startup. On A2VM 7/8, the optional rumble initialization is once per Windows boot, not per Addon or update restart. You can also use Settings → Application updates → Check to check and download now, then choose Install update when it becomes available. If checking or downloading fails, the Addon continues running; try Check again later.
The Addon is designed to recover its controller presentation and settings after Windows sleep, hibernate, resume, and restart. Resume uses normal ownership recovery and does not repeat the A2VM boot-only mode cycle. After waking, Windows may take a short time to reconnect the built-in controller. Wait for the device to settle before changing controller ownership or starting another controller utility.
If the controller has not returned after a short wait, try Restart Addon from the notification-area icon. If you want to stop Addon controller management, use Device → MSI Center M → Enable and Restart and let Windows restart.
Confirm that Steam is running and that Steam recognizes the game as active. Confirm that MSI Center M is disabled for Addon controller ownership. Set the global choice at Controller → Controller for Steam Game before starting a game, or enable the Steam profile and choose its Virtual Controller override. Manual changes are disabled while a Steam game or Big Picture Mode is active.
Check the game's Steam Input Controller Layout → Gyro Behavior and, especially, its separate gyro activation button/condition. Test with Always On first, then adjust your preferred activation button and sensitivity in Steam Input. The Addon does not provide an independent gyro activation or fine-tuning setting.
Wait briefly for Windows to reconnect the controller, then use Restart Addon from the tray icon if needed. If the Addon still cannot manage the controller, return to MSI Center M with Enable and Restart. Do not manually remove controller devices or change driver settings as a first troubleshooting step.
While the Addon manages the controller, use Controller → Vibration Strength and run Left Test and Right Test. If the motors remain silent, save your game and close it, then choose Vibration Recovery → Restore Vibration and retry both tests. The action temporarily disconnects the virtual controller. A success message means the software mode cycle, ownership, and presentation were restored; it cannot confirm physical motor output. If recovery fails, the Addon does not attach a virtual controller to an unproven physical input state; use Device → MSI Center M → Enable and Restart to return authority to MSI when available.
Open Controller and check the button's action under both Normal and Steam Game / Big Picture. The selected group follows the active controller presentation. Check that another controller utility is not also intercepting the button.
Check that the button you are pressing is assigned to Quick Settings Overlay for the current presentation group. Confirm that the Addon is running (the tray icon is present) and currently owns the controller. You can also restart the Addon from the tray.
In Steam or XBOX, select the correct game and confirm that its profile and the specific feature you want are enabled. For Steam, confirm Steam still recognizes the game as active. Check whether the setting is for Plugged in or On battery. TDP Control, CPU Boost, and Windows Power Mode override their Device counterparts only when enabled in the active profile. Minimum GPU Clock, Intel FPS Limit, and Resolution are profile-only settings and apply only when their profile controls are enabled.
Steam may stop recognizing the shortcut as active when a separate launcher exits, even if the launcher started another game. Addon game profiles follow the game activity Steam reports. Add or launch the game in a way that keeps its Steam shortcut active.
Open ClawHUD, enable Enable HUD, and check Display mode. If the status reports a problem, use Retry when available. Some metrics or display-specific options may not be available on every device.
Use Refresh and search again. The catalog contains recognized installed Xbox/Microsoft Store games for the current Windows user; it does not guarantee that every Store app or subscription title will appear.
Open Settings → Required Components to see the reported status. Follow the in-app setup instructions and restart Windows if requested. If the status remains unavailable, use Restart Addon and check again. Do not install or remove controller drivers manually to work around the status.
- Only the MSI Claw models listed in Supported devices are recognized.
- Some settings depend on hardware, Windows, Intel graphics support, or game support and may be unavailable on a particular device or title.
- Intel FPS limiting is not supported by every game. Minimum GPU Clock is available only when the graphics driver exposes selectable values; actual clocks remain subject to power and thermal limits.
- The XBOX catalog includes recognized installed titles, not every app in Microsoft Store or Game Pass.
- Steam profile tracking depends on Steam continuing to report the game or shortcut as active. Some launcher chains can cause a profile to stop applying when Steam loses that association.
- Quick Settings Overlay is separate from Steam Quick Access. The Addon does not inject an Addon tab into Steam's menu.
- Steam Deck and DualSense Edge gyro / motion output are implemented. A2VM 8 Steam Deck gyro direction/sign and Steam Input gyro-to-joystick gameplay have been tested, but Steam Deck Gyro To Mouse was still reported choppy in Addon 0.1.365. Current A2VM 8 observations favor DualSense Edge when gyro is needed; Edge controls and compatibility remain unverified across all devices and games. A2VM 7 and EX/CG3EM gyro validation remains pending. Activation and tuning are handled in Steam Input, not in the Addon.
- A2VM 7 vibration-strength support and A2VM 7/8
0x0230LED writes follow shared-family and exact-firmware policy; A2VM 7 strength behavior and physical LED effects have not been individually validated. Unknown firmware remains unsupported. The boot-only mode cycle confirms software transitions, not physical motor output; SteamOS rumble is outside this Windows Addon's control. - A general Device-page Fan Control is not currently available as a user feature.
- The product supports one interactive Windows user and session; Fast User Switching, Remote Desktop sessions, and multi-user use are not supported.
To return controller management to MSI Center M, open Device, choose Enable, and confirm Enable and Restart. Let Windows restart before using the stock controller environment.
To remove the app, use its normal entry in Windows Settings → Apps → Installed apps and choose Uninstall. The uninstaller prepares a safe controller handoff; if it reports that preparation did not complete, do not force-remove controller components—resolve the reported issue and retry. Your Addon settings, game profiles, shortcuts, and logs are retained after uninstall so they are available if you reinstall. The managed ClawHUD runtime is removed with the app.
Steam Addon for Claw is distributed under the license in LICENSE. Third-party components remain subject to their own licenses and notices included with the installation.