Fix: Need for Speed Unbound Wheel Not Detecting

Need for Speed Unbound (shortly called NFS Unbound) is a new racing video game developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X/S. It is the twenty-fifth instalment in the Need for Speed series, the first for Criterion since 2013’s Rivals with Ghost Games and the first as the main developer since 2012’s Most Wanted. However, multiple reports are coming out that the NFS Unbound Wheel is unexpectedly not detecting on the PC.

Apart from the crashing issues and lags, the title is also prone to multiple other issues, such as the gaming controller not working on the PC. And the wheel not detecting issue is one of them because plenty of NFS Unbound PC players via Steam have reported the same issue recently. Now, if you’re also one of the victims of such an issue, then follow this troubleshooting guide completely to resolve it.

Compatible Wheels for Need for Speed Unbound on PC

It’s worth mentioning that NFS Unbound Developers have shared dedicated information about the supported wheels for Need for Speed Unbound on the Steam Community that you can check. We’ve also briefly mentioned all the officially supported wheels for NFS Unbound below so that you can understand better whether you’re using a compatible wheel.

Logitech:

• Driving Force
• G25
• G27
• G29
• G920
• G923PS
• G923XB
• Momo

Thrustmaster:

• T150 RS
• T300 RS
• T500 RS
• T-GT
• TS-PC

Fanatec:

• V1
• V2
• V2.5
• CSL
• CSL DD
• DD1
• DD2
• Universal HUB device

Note: All the driving wheels controllers require the latest and official drivers & firmware for the Windows PC to work properly. The model-wise drivers and firmware files are respective to the manufacturer’s website.

Fix: NFS Unbound Wheel Not Detecting

Apart from the wheel not detecting or the inputs not registered issue, some reports also claim that the force feedback of the wheel controller isn’t working properly. At the same time, some unfortunate players face the wheel controller getting connected and disconnected automatically on the PC. It says “Controller disconnected – Please reconnect a controller” message often, which becomes frustrating. Luckily, there are some ways to fix it.

1. Reinstall the Wheel Controller Drivers and Firmware

Irrespective of which wheel controller model you’re using, visit the official manufacturer’s website, and grab the latest drivers & firmware for the particular wheel controller. Just like installing any other program on your Windows PC, you should also install the required drivers & firmware for the wheel to get it detected by the system. After installing files, reboot the PC to apply changes and reconnect the wheel.

2. Connect to Another USB Port

Make sure to use another USB port on your computer to connect your wheel controller to cross-check whether the device is detected or not. Sometimes issues with the gaming controller connected via USB cable may trouble you a lot. Also, check for physical damage to the USB cable (if any). You should also check if the USB port is working fine or not. In some cases, a wobbly USB port can also create loose connections. Keep that in mind too.

3. Update NFS Unbound

If in case, you haven’t updated your NFS Unbound game for a while, then make sure to follow the steps below to check for updates and install the latest patch (if available). An outdated game version will trigger multiple issues with the launching or wheel controller connectivity. To check the update:

• Open Steam > Go to Library.
• Click on NFS Unbound from the left pane.
• It’ll automatically search for the available update.
• Click on Update if any > Wait for a while to complete the update process.
• Once done, make sure to close the Steam client.
• Reboot your PC to apply changes.

4. Update Windows Build

An outdated Windows OS version or build number can eventually trigger performance issues, program crashes, device driver connectivity issues, etc. Just like updating the game, updating the system software to the latest version is always recommended. To do so:

• Press the Win+I keys to open Settings.
• Click on Update & Security > Select Check for updates under Windows Update.
• If there is a feature update available, select Download and install.
• It may take a while to complete the update.
• Once done, restart your computer to install the update.

5. Verify and Repair Game Files

Missing or corrupted game files on the computer might have a huge impact on the game launching or even the controller working on the PC. Steam offers a built-in game file verification process to fix issues automatically. You should follow the steps below to repair potential game files which are missing or corrupted.

• Launch Steam > Click on Library.
• Right-click on NFS Unbound from the list of installed games.
• Now, click on Properties > Go to Local Files.

• Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
• You’ll have to wait for the process until it gets completed.
• Once done, restart your computer.

6. Choose Steam Controller Settings to Force ON

The chances are high that the controller settings issue with the Steam client on your PC somehow conflicts with the connectivity. Make sure to forcefully turn on the Steam Controller Settings in the Steam client to fix the issue easily.

• Open the Steam client on your PC > Click on View from the top-left corner.
• Now, choose Big Picture Mode > If prompted, click on Continue.
• Click on Library > Go to Games under the Browse section.
• Select NFS Unbound > Click on Manage Games (Gear Icon).
• Choose Controller Options from the Steam Input option.
• Click on the drop-down arrow icon to expand the list of ‘Change the Steam Input Per-Game Settings’.
• Select Forced On > Click on OK to save changes.
• Once done, restart your Steam client, and check whether the controller is working or not.

If it’s not working, then follow the steps again, and this time select ‘Forced Off’ or ‘None’ and save changes.

7. Launch Steam in Big Picture Mode

Make sure to launch Steam in Big Picture Mode, which comes inbuilt inside the Steam client. Some games run properly with the controllers in Big Picture Mode on Steam in some cases. So, it would be best if you tried it once.

• Open the Steam client on your PC > Click on View from the top-left corner.
• Now, choose Big Picture Mode > If prompted, click on Continue.
• Click on Library > Go to Games under the Browse section.
• Select NFS Unbound > Now, exit from the Big Picture Mode, and check for the issue again.

8. Enable Xbox Game Bar on Windows

It would be best if you tried enabling the Xbox Game Bar option on the PC while in the NFS Unbound game and then try reconnecting the wheel to check whether the problem has been fixed. A couple of affected players did find this trick helpful. To do so:

• Press the Win+I keys to open Settings > Click on Gaming.
• Turn On the Xbox Game Bar toggle > Now, connect the Wheel to the PC and launch Need for Speed Unbound.
• Once inside the game, bring the Xbox Game Bar Overlay option by pressing the Win + G keys.
• Click on Performance (monitor icon) of Xbox Game Bar.
• It’ll open a small new screen with the performance of your computer while in-game. Just pin the performance monitor at any corner.
• Next, make sure to start using the controller when you’re in the game racing to check if it’s working or not.

If not then reconnecting the wheel during the gameplay session should work fine.

9. Update the Device Driver

If none of the methods worked for you then make sure to follow the steps below to update the device driver on your Windows computer. Sometimes outdated device drivers which are specific to the issue may cause more trouble than anything else. External USB devices require to have drivers to be installed properly.

• Press the Win+X keys to open the Quick Link Menu > Click on Device Manager.
• Double-click on the specific device adapter that you want to update.
• Click on Update Driver > Select Search automatically for updated driver software.
• If there is an update available then make sure to follow the on-screen instructions and complete the update process.
• Once done, reboot the PC to apply changes.

Please Note: If in case, there is no driver update available on the PC and you’re in a position to update the device driver (USB Driver – to be precise) in this case then make sure to download and install a third-party reliable Windows driver updater tool by searching on the web. There are some popular free-to-use driver updater tools available online that you can go with.

That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For additional queries, you can comment below.