Play controllers - linked but no Virtual Shifting

My controllers work with the exception of the virtual shifting.

All buttons work, including the brakes and steering.

The all-important virtual shifting does not appear. I prefer this.

I could not find an on/off selection in my settings.

Any help?

Is the trainer paired for Resistance via Bluetooth? You can’t use Zwift virtual shifting with ANT+.

Yes it is through bluetooth. And it struggles to Connect until I use the Companion app. I don’t connect through my phone, though. That didn’t work.

I do have an ANT+ dongle, yet that’s for my cadence or heart rate. Long ago I needed that.

(Mac OS.)

Hmmm. Should I remove that and see?

Hi @Jim_Coop1953, Welcome top Forums. This is Juan from Zwift.

I appreciate you are seeking help from the community. I took a peek at your in-game logs and noticed there are some Bluetooth disconnections coming from your Zwift Click. These disconnections could affect the reliability of your Zwift Play connection. Please take a look at this article.

Let’s try pairing your devices via Bluetooth to rule out this possibility. Also, you can try to use Zwift Companion app as a bridge. Another important factor, please verify that the virtual shifting feature is enabled in-game settings>Hardware tab. Please refer to this article to better illustrate it.

If you continue encounter issue, the best way to move forward is to contact us for a one-on-one assistance.

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@Juan_Lopez10 thanks for the comprehensive links and help.

Success now. Well, I did a few things.

  1. I ‘reset the bluetooth module’ (Shift/Option click icon on upper bar and a hidden menu appeared. Done.)
  2. Rebooted the Macbook Pro
  3. Pulled the ANT+ dongle to see what that was needed for (my Garmin Heartrate watch. Did not work with Bluetooth, even though you could connect with the Zwift Hub.) Plug back in, HR =OK.
  4. Went into settings. ‘Enable virtual shifting’ WAS enable, yet I clicked it off, then back on. Hmmmmm.
  5. Waited for all the controls to show up while it paired. It took a bit. The L/R Play controllers, Cadence, and Hub all connected. HR only after ANT+ dongle installed.
  6. Went into game and there it was. Just like it used to be.

It’s voodoo, I tell ya! fortunately I leave this laptop untouched, except for Zwift (and Spotify!)

Resolved until next time. Thank you.

Coop

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Well… I’m back. Not working consistently OR at all.

Really hard getting the controllers to be recognized, and I HAVE to have my phone open on the companion app. However, I do NOT connect with the phone, I use the Macbook Pro instead.

When my Play controllers DO connect, the availability for shifting isn’t even on the menu. See my screenshots. THat’s when they don’t work.

Older Macbook Pro.


Now… I did hook up another NEWER iMac, and that recognized it and had the preference option and also had the shifters working in-game. The way it used to be.

Does the pay controllers NEED to have a newer OS? I’m at my limit, so this requires a complete computer purchase.

I spent an hour back and forth with both computers and can’t get my original older macbook (which worked for over a year) to mate.

Thank you.

I don’t have access to a system like yours for testing, but I would not be surprised if the limitation on the old mac is more related to the Bluetooth adapter than the OS version. It is possible to use a Bluetooth dongle to replace the internal Bluetooth adapter on macOS, though it can be a bit of a nuisance to get it to prefer the dongle. If you are determined to avoid the cost of a new system that’s the first thing I would try. There is a Zwiftalizer video that includes advice about using a Bluetooth dongle with macOS, though it’s not specific to Catalina. Using a dongle also gives you control over the location of the antenna, so you can position it farther away from the other wireless transmitters in the laptop via an extension cable.

You also have the option of running a newer OS on your mac via OpenCore Legacy Patcher, although if there are any issues with Zwift running on it you might get limited support. That would also get you a newer Bluetooth driver and costs nothing but your time. The YouTube videos from Mr Macintosh are good walk-through tutorials on installing it.

Hi @Paul_Southworth
Great tips here. I lookked intensively at the USB dongle workaround. I ordered two of them after watching Zwiftalizer’s informative video. That’s DEEP!

I will report back. If I can save hundreds of dollars for new macbook pro, instead using a $15 dongle I’ll be pleased! Worth the time.

I’ll report back. I will connect my other mackbook in the meantime while they are in transit.

Thank YOU!

OK… Added $12 ASUS USB Bluetooth Dongle INSTEAD of the built-in USB antenna on my 12-yr old Macbook.

The instructions required me to program recognizing it in Terminal:
[sudo nvram bluetoothHostControllerSwitchBehavior=always]
[Enter password:XXX (Hit Enter)]
Slow, tedious syntax, but I got it. I hoped.

Reboot.
New USB Bluetooth recognized (via system report - different address)
Start Zwift.
Recognized everything FAST.
Opened game: ALL working as wished, including my shifters!

I shut everything down, and reopened everything a second time. All good again.

It took a boatload of watching vids, and ordering a dongle, but it saved me from purchasing another laptop.

I’m told if I reboot or shut off my laptop I have to enter that command again. I simply close it and let it sleep, and never actually shut it off anyway.

Thank you @Paul_Southworth and @Juan_Lopez10

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