If a keyboard or mouse is not working in Batocera, first check whether the problem is the device, its USB or wireless connection, or one particular game. Test one device at a time, try another port, and compare behavior in Batocera’s menus with behavior in the affected game before changing configuration. A device that works in the interface but not in a game may be unsupported or configured differently at the emulator level.
First identify where the input stops working
Note whether the keyboard, mouse, or both are affected; whether each connects by cable, USB receiver, or Bluetooth; and whether the failure occurs throughout Batocera or only in a particular emulator or game. If the problem began after a hardware, configuration, or Batocera change, include that in your diagnosis.
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Check that the device is powered and, if possible, test it on another computer. These are practical isolation checks, not a Batocera-specific diagnostic requirement. If you do not have a spare keyboard, borrowing a basic wired USB keyboard can help test the connection path; it is not a guaranteed fix for the existing device or a faulty port.
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- Shut Batocera down safely before changing connected hardware.
- Connect only one input device directly to the machine. For a wireless model that uses a USB receiver, leave that receiver connected; temporarily remove other unnecessary USB devices and hubs.
- Try another USB port. If the device starts working, investigate the original port, hub, power, or another connected device before editing software settings.
- Reconnect other devices one at a time. This can help identify whether a peripheral or hub is involved.
Batocera’s System Troubleshooting page recommends unplugging external USB devices, including USB mice and keyboards, as an isolation step. Its context is troubleshooting boot problems, so this is a useful low-risk check—not a dedicated diagnosis for every keyboard or mouse failure.
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If the device is wireless
Wireless input adds possible causes that do not apply to a wired keyboard or mouse. Check the device’s power, its receiver or Bluetooth pairing, and the radio environment before treating the device as faulty.
- For a USB receiver: check the battery or charge, make sure the receiver is connected, and try a different port. A device with its own receiver does not necessarily pair through Batocera’s Bluetooth menu.
- For Bluetooth: put the device into the pairing mode specified by its manufacturer. In Batocera, open the controller and Bluetooth settings and choose Pair a Bluetooth Device. Batocera’s menu documentation says this pairs with the first Bluetooth device it sees in pairing mode.
- If pairing fails: Batocera’s Bluetooth troubleshooting guidance says to check that
controllers.bluetooth.enabled=1is present and not commented out insystem/batocera.conf, clear remembered devices before retrying, reduce wireless interference, and avoid using onboard and USB Bluetooth interfaces simultaneously. - Try another port for a Bluetooth dongle: Batocera notes that some adapters can have issues on USB 3.0. Testing a USB 2.0 port is reasonable if one is available.
These are general Bluetooth troubleshooting suggestions; the exact pairing process can vary by device and does not apply identically to every wireless receiver.
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If it works in Batocera but not in a game
Input that works in Batocera’s interface but fails in one game points to a different layer than a device that is not detected at all. Keyboard and mouse support can vary by system, emulator, and game. Check the input settings and documentation for the affected emulator or game rather than assuming that menu-level success means every game accepts that input.
For advanced diagnosis, Batocera’s input and joystick documentation explains that Linux input events handle keyboards, mice, and other peripherals. Its evtest instructions can help an SSH-capable user inspect low-level input events. The page’s sdl2-jstest procedure is for joystick behavior at the SDL/EmulationStation layer; it is not a keyboard or mouse test.
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Special case: arcade encoders that act like keyboards
Some arcade control encoders send keyboard events even when a system or game expects a gamepad. In that case, the encoder can be detected as a keyboard without functioning as the game’s controller. This is a specialized arcade-controls issue, not a fix needed for an ordinary keyboard used in Batocera’s menus.
Batocera’s DIY arcade controls guide documents keyboardToPads, which can convert certain keyboard-style encoders into virtual controllers. Use keyboardToPads --search to look for built-in device configurations. After configuring the tool, unplug and reconnect the encoder as the guide directs, then configure the virtual pad in EmulationStation. The virtual pad must be configured to work in an emulator.
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Special case: trackballs and spinners
Batocera treats arcade trackballs and spinners as mouse devices. Its arcade controls documentation describes a RetroArch issue in which mouse IDs can be assigned unpredictably across boots, disrupting setups that depend on a particular device index. This concerns multi-device arcade configurations, not a typical desktop mouse. For a standard mouse, first establish whether pointer movement is available in Batocera and then check the target emulator’s mouse or input settings.
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