diff --git a/README-STEAM.md b/README-STEAM.md
index f06f964..dd21a7b 100644
--- a/README-STEAM.md
+++ b/README-STEAM.md
@@ -136,9 +136,17 @@ gamepadAPI.setDebug(true);
 If Steam is still applying mouse emulation:
 
 1. **Configure Steam Input per-game** (most reliable fix):
-   - In Steam, right-click Nebula → Properties → Controller
-   - Set **"Override for Nebula"** to **"Disable Steam Input"**
-   - This completely disables Steam's input emulation for this app
+   - **Windows / Desktop Steam UI**:
+     - Library → right-click Nebula → Properties → **Controller**
+     - Set **"Override for Nebula"** to **"Disable Steam Input"**
+   - **Steam Deck / SteamOS Gaming Mode**:
+     - Open Nebula → press the Steam button → **Controller Settings** (or the controller icon)
+     - Set the layout to a **Gamepad** template (not “Keyboard/Mouse”), or disable Steam Input if the toggle is available
+   - This stops Steam from translating controller input into keyboard/mouse events (“Desktop Layout” behavior).
+
+   If you **don’t see a Controller tab** (common when the Steam entry is treated as an “application/tool”):
+   - Use **Big Picture / Gaming Mode** and edit the **Controller Layout** for that specific entry.
+   - Or change Steam’s global Desktop Layout: Steam → Settings → Controller → **Desktop Layout** → pick a gamepad-focused template or remove mouse/keyboard bindings.
 
 2. **Verify gamepad polling is active**: Open DevTools (F12) and run `gamepadAPI.getState()` - check that `isPolling` is `true`
 3. **Check gamepad connection**: Run `gamepadAPI.getConnected()` to see detected gamepads
@@ -148,6 +156,20 @@ If Steam is still applying mouse emulation:
 
 ### Steam Launch Options
 
+#### Windows
+
+The `VAR=value %command%` syntax does **not** work on Windows. Use the Steam UI instead:
+
+1. **Library** → right-click Nebula → **Properties** → **Controller** → set to **"Disable Steam Input"**
+2. If no Controller tab exists, open Steam in **Big Picture Mode** → Nebula → **Manage Game** (gear) → **Controller Options** → **Disable Steam Input**
+
+If you must use launch options on Windows, use this wrapper syntax:
+```bat
+cmd /c "set SDL_GAMECONTROLLER_ALLOW_STEAM_VIRTUAL_GAMEPAD=0 && %command%"
+```
+
+#### Linux / SteamOS / Steam Deck
+
 Add these to your Steam launch options (Right-click game → Properties → Launch Options):
 
 ```bash
@@ -187,6 +209,16 @@ The solution is two-fold:
 1. **Environment variables** (`SDL_GAMECONTROLLER_*`) signal to Steam's SDL-based input layer early
 2. **Steam Input settings** ("Disable Steam Input") bypasses the emulation entirely
 
+### Shipping Defaults (Steamworks “Software/App” limitation)
+
+If your Steamworks package is categorized as **Software/Application**, Steamworks may not expose per-title Steam Input configuration the way it does for games.
+
+In that case:
+- You generally **cannot force a global Steam Input toggle** for all users from Steamworks.
+- The practical, shippable approach is to (a) **consume controller input natively** (Nebula does this via early Gamepad API polling) so Steam Deck/Game Mode backs off Desktop emulation, and (b) provide user-facing guidance for disabling Steam Input / choosing a Gamepad layout.
+
+If you need Steam Input defaults controlled centrally, the usual path is to ask Valve Partner Support to enable the relevant Steam Input configuration for your App ID, or to re-categorize the title where appropriate.
+
 ### Force Big Picture Mode
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index 31bc496..8c7c5d4 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -15,7 +15,10 @@ process.env.SDL_GAMECONTROLLERCONFIG = process.env.SDL_GAMECONTROLLERCONFIG || '
 
 // Signal that this app handles gamepad input natively
 // This prevents Steam from applying mouse emulation in Game Mode
-process.env.SDL_GAMECONTROLLER_ALLOW_STEAM_VIRTUAL_GAMEPAD = '1';
+// IMPORTANT: set to 0 to avoid Steam's virtual gamepad layer when possible.
+// Forcing this to 1 can keep Steam virtualization/emulation active.
+process.env.SDL_GAMECONTROLLER_ALLOW_STEAM_VIRTUAL_GAMEPAD =
+  process.env.SDL_GAMECONTROLLER_ALLOW_STEAM_VIRTUAL_GAMEPAD ?? '0';
 
 // Prevent Steam from remapping the controller to keyboard/mouse
 // Setting to '1' tells Steam we want raw controller access
@@ -26,9 +29,8 @@ process.env.SteamNoOverlayUIDrawing = process.env.SteamNoOverlayUIDrawing || '0'
 
 // Tell Steam Input we're a native controller app
 // When STEAM_INPUT_ENABLE_VIRTUAL_GAMEPAD is 0, Steam won't virtualize the gamepad
-if (!process.env.STEAM_INPUT_ENABLE_VIRTUAL_GAMEPAD) {
-  process.env.STEAM_INPUT_ENABLE_VIRTUAL_GAMEPAD = '0';
-}
+process.env.STEAM_INPUT_ENABLE_VIRTUAL_GAMEPAD =
+  process.env.STEAM_INPUT_ENABLE_VIRTUAL_GAMEPAD ?? '0';
 
 // Hint that this is a game/controller-focused app
 process.env.SDL_HINT_JOYSTICK_ALLOW_BACKGROUND_EVENTS = '1';
@@ -48,10 +50,13 @@ process.env.SDL_HINT_JOYSTICK_ALLOW_BACKGROUND_EVENTS = '1';
 let steamworksClient = null;
 let steamworksInitialized = false;
 let steamInput = null;
+let steamworksModule = null;
+let steamCallbacksInterval = null;
 
 function initializeSteamworks() {
   try {
     const steamworks = require('steamworks.js');
+    steamworksModule = steamworks;
     
     // Initialize with Nebula's Steam App ID
     steamworksClient = steamworks.init(4290110);
@@ -67,6 +72,27 @@ function initializeSteamworks() {
       steamInput = steamworksClient.input;
       if (steamInput) {
         console.log('[Steamworks] Steam Input API available - native controller mode enabled');
+
+        // Explicitly initialize Steam Input.
+        // Also ensure Steam callbacks are pumped; Steamworks features (including input)
+        // depend on runCallbacks being called regularly.
+        try {
+          if (typeof steamInput.init === 'function') {
+            steamInput.init();
+          }
+        } catch (initErr) {
+          console.log('[Steamworks] Steam Input init failed:', initErr.message);
+        }
+
+        if (!steamCallbacksInterval && typeof steamworks.runCallbacks === 'function') {
+          steamCallbacksInterval = setInterval(() => {
+            try {
+              steamworks.runCallbacks();
+            } catch {
+              // Ignore callback pump errors to avoid crashing the app.
+            }
+          }, 100);
+        }
         
         // Try to get connected controllers to verify input is working
         try {
@@ -101,6 +127,19 @@ function initializeSteamworks() {
 // This is critical for Steam Input to recognize native controller support
 initializeSteamworks();
 
+// Cleanup Steam callback pump on exit
+try {
+  app?.once?.('before-quit', () => {
+    if (steamCallbacksInterval) {
+      clearInterval(steamCallbacksInterval);
+      steamCallbacksInterval = null;
+    }
+    try {
+      steamInput?.shutdown?.();
+    } catch {}
+  });
+} catch {}
+
 const { app, BrowserWindow, ipcMain, session, screen, shell, dialog, Menu, clipboard, webContents } = require('electron');
 const { autoUpdater } = require('electron-updater');
 const { pathToFileURL } = require('url');