Many PC and Mac games treat the keyboard as a first-class citizen and have poor support for game controllers. You can remap your controller buttons to keyboard key presses to get around this limitation.
You’ll lose some analog input—for example, the joysticks will just function as arrow keys that are on or off without the usual range of sensitivity—but for some games, that’s not a huge issue.
If you’re just looking to play Steam games with a controller, Steam already has great built-in tools for remapping controllers in its Big Picture Mode and will be a much easier solution than anything else listed here. For use system-wide or in non-Steam games, you’ll need a third party application.
Connect Your Controller
This step is obvious, but with so many kinds of controllers on the market, it can be a challenge to get them working correctly, especially on macOS. We have a comprehensive guide for most mainstream controllers that you can reference if you’re having issues, but most current-gen controllers will be plug and play on Windows and macOS. Last-gen and earlier controllers may need custom drivers and a bit of setup.
You can make sure the controller is connected by opening up the “Devices” tab in Window’s settings. Head to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & Other Devices and look under “Other Devices.”
On macOS, you can usually find USB controllers in the “System Information” app, under “USB.” Bluetooth controllers should show up in the Bluetooth menu in the top menubar.
Windows (And Linux) Setup – AntiMicro
There are a couple of good commercial options out there, most notably reWASD, but AntiMicro is free, open source, and does its job just as well. It also works on Linux as well.
Download the latest release from Github (or the portable version if you don’t want to install it) and open it up.
So long as your controller is connected, you’ll see this screen laying out all the sticks and buttons. You can click any of these to set a mapping to any keyboard key, or the mouse. If you press the buttons on your controller, it should light up the button in AntiMicro, so you won’t have to worry about figuring out which one “Button 14” is.
Mapping a joystick to WASD or arrow keys turn it from an analog input to a digital one, which can be less responsive, but you can configure the dead zones and other settings by clicking on the “L Stick” button in the middle.
The joysticks also work well when mapped to the mouse, which brings back some analog control. That’s good for any games requiring first-person aiming.
There are a few advanced options in the settings, like macro support and profile switching. But, out of the box, AntiMicro works well for simply remapping a controller to keyboard keys.
MacOS Setup – Enjoyable
For macOS, Enjoyable is a great alternative to AntiMicro that’s even simpler to use. Just run the app, press a button on your controller, then press a key on your keyboard, and repeat for each button you want to map. After that’s done, press the run button (it looks like a “>”) in the top right corner, and it should be good to go. It doesn’t have any presence on your Mac’s menubar, so you must have the window open while you want to use your controller.
Enjoyable supports multiple profiles, switching profiles with buttons, and moving the mouse. The joysticks can be a bit glitchy to map, as it tends to switch between multiple axes. But, with some trial and error, it should work fine.
The Xbox Series X | S is all about options, allowing players to access games in almost whichever ways they want. That means that if you want to remap your buttons on your Xbox controller, you can.
As with all things when it comes to the Xbox UI, nothing is all that complex — you’re just a few button presses away from having the ability to remap your inputs on the Series X | S. Read on to find exactly how it works.
How To Remap Controller Buttons On Series X | S?
– First off, press and hold the middle Xbox button to bring up the side-panel.
– Select Settings. It should be in the list of apps if you’e recently used it, otherwise scroll to the right with RB until you find the cog symbol.
– Choose Ease of Access on the left side, then Controller, then Button Mapping.
From here, you can remap almost anything you like on your Xbox Series X | S controller, including inverting all stick movement and making sure there is no vibrations in the controller whatsoever.
You can also map buttons to others, so you can make A become Y if you so wish. There are a lot of ways to customise your button inputs, so be sure to experiment if you are unhappy with the default settings. You can hit restore to default at any time if you want to go back to factory settings.
You can even select different controller profiles for different games, so if you have specific controller settings in Fortnite or Warzone, for instance, you will be able to swap to those at any time.
Why Remap Buttons On Xbox Series X | S?
Two reasons: options and accessibility.
Microsoft have always been about giving options to players while also being as inclusive as possible. By ensuring that the layout of the Xbox Series X | S controller can be customised, they’re making sure that nobody is left behind in the ninth generation.
If you’re getting either of the consoles, find out how you can redownload old games and also how you can game share to save yourself some money for the biggest games.
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site. We cover gaming news, movie reviews, wrestling and much more.
I was wondering if anyone knows a way to map my triggers to other buttons on the controller. I know that I can swap triggers left and right, but I wanted to be able to map them like you can with all the other buttons. Why is it only the triggers that cannot be remapped?
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You very much can on Windows 10 and Xbox One using the Xbox Accessories App.
Let us know if you have any questions or run into any problems configuring the controller!
Also make sure to keep the A button mapped to SOMETHING at all times.
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If you go to My Games and Apps menu on your Xbox there is an App that will let you set up your controller the way you like. From joystick sensitivity to changing the toggles on the back to which ever button you choose. if you use this link it should be a helpful way to walk you through changing/remapping the buttons. There are also many Youtube videos out there on how to do this if you need more help. You can also ask here for help if you need too.
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The triggers are analogue inputs instead of buttons.
While buttons can only send information about being on or off, the analogue triggers have a lot of values between a certain range.
Since a lot of games require more than just “on/off” information (for example in a racing game, the triggers act as throttle and braking pedal), you can’t usually map these triggers to buttons.
Otherwise your only option in a driving game would be “no braking / emergency braking” and “no gas / full throttle”.
If you need a different input scheme because you have special needs (e.g. a disability), you might try the Xbox Adaptive Controller, which you can customize by connecting various input devices to the ports of the controller.
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Windows 10 now allows you to remap an Xbox One Controller’s buttons, just like you can remap the buttons on an Xbox One console. This feature is part of the Xbox Accessories app, which isn’t installed by default.
Limitations
Unfortunately, this new remapping feature doesn’t fully eliminate the need for third-party controller remapping apps. There are a still few big limitations:
- You can only remap the buttons on Xbox One controllers. You can’t remap other types of controllers, including the popular Xbox 360 controllers.
- You can only remap the buttons on the controller itself to other buttons on the controller itself. This means you can’t remap controller button presses to keyboard button presses, as you can with third-party apps.
If you’re cool with those limitations, let’s get started.
How to Remap the Buttons
You’ll need the Xbox Accessories app for this. You can find it by launching the Microsoft Store on Windows 10 and searching for “Xbox Accessories.” This app also allows you to update an Xbox One controller’s firmware on Windows 10. In fact, it’s the only way to update the controller’s firmware without an Xbox One.
Launch the app once you’ve installed it. If you haven’t connected a controller to your PC, you’ll be prompted to connect one now. Ensure that the Xbox wireless adapter is connected to your PC and your controller is powered on. If the controller is connected via Bluetooth instead of the Xbox wireless adapter, make sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your PC.
After the app detects your controller, click the “Configure” button below the image of the controller.
Click the “Button mapping” button to configure the button mapping.
If you want to undo your changes in the future, you can come back here and click the “Restore original” button to restore the buttons to their original functions.
This screen provides a simple interface for remapping buttons and changing other settings. For example, you can swap the sticks or triggers, making the left ones act as the right ones, and vice versa. You can also invert the Y axis (that is, the vertical or up-and-down direction) of the right or left sticks, so they’ll send an up signal when you push them down or down signal when you push them up. And, if you don’t like the vibration feature on the controller, you can disable it entirely from here rather than attempting to disable vibration in each different game you play on your PC.
The button remapping boxes allow you to remap the primary buttons (A, B, X, and Y), the left and right bumpers (shoulder buttons), and all four directions of the D-pad. Any of these buttons can be remapped to any of the other buttons. You can also set a button as “Unmapped,” so that it won’t do anything when you press it.
Options you set here take effect in all games and other applications on your system.
If you need anything more advanced—like the ability to remap controller buttons to keyboard buttons—you’ll still need a third-party application like JoyToKey or Xpadder. If you’re playing games on Steam, you can also use Steam’s Big Picture Mode configuration to remap any type of controller’s buttons, including an Xbox One or Xbox 360 controller.
I was wondering if anyone knows a way to map my triggers to other buttons on the controller. I know that I can swap triggers left and right, but I wanted to be able to map them like you can with all the other buttons. Why is it only the triggers that cannot be remapped?
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You very much can on Windows 10 and Xbox One using the Xbox Accessories App.
Let us know if you have any questions or run into any problems configuring the controller!
Also make sure to keep the A button mapped to SOMETHING at all times.
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If you go to My Games and Apps menu on your Xbox there is an App that will let you set up your controller the way you like. From joystick sensitivity to changing the toggles on the back to which ever button you choose. if you use this link it should be a helpful way to walk you through changing/remapping the buttons. There are also many Youtube videos out there on how to do this if you need more help. You can also ask here for help if you need too.
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The triggers are analogue inputs instead of buttons.
While buttons can only send information about being on or off, the analogue triggers have a lot of values between a certain range.
Since a lot of games require more than just “on/off” information (for example in a racing game, the triggers act as throttle and braking pedal), you can’t usually map these triggers to buttons.
Otherwise your only option in a driving game would be “no braking / emergency braking” and “no gas / full throttle”.
If you need a different input scheme because you have special needs (e.g. a disability), you might try the Xbox Adaptive Controller, which you can customize by connecting various input devices to the ports of the controller.
18 people found this reply helpful
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Owners will now be able to swap button pairs, Microsoft’s Major Nelson announced this week.
Owners of Microsoft’s standard Xbox One controllers will now be able to change button mapping for better control over their titles.
After downloading the new Xbox One system software that launched last week, standard controller owners can remap controller buttons in settings or via the Xbox Accessories app.
According to Major Nelson, who announced the news on Monday, button remapping is available in pairs on standard controllers. So, if a user wants to move the left bumper to X, then X automatically goes to the left bumper button.
“You can do multiple button swaps in sequence to move button commands to where you want them to be on the controller,” Major Nelson says. “When buttons are remapped on a standard controller, the remapping is not transferrable to other consoles. In other words, if you move to another console, you’ll need to go through the remapping process again with that new console. Remapping is available for both first party wireless and third party wired controllers.”
Remapping on the standard controller is available for Xbox One for now. Microsoft will add PC support “at a later time,” according to Major Nelson.
Button remapping is one of the most desired features among hardcore gamers who may not like how a particular game’s controls operate. The feature allows users to decide for themselves where critical buttons should be on their controller and should make titles a bit easier to play.
Last month, Microsoft launched its Elite controller($479.95 at Amazon), which adds several customization features and a host of new capabilities, including more versatile button remapping options. The Elite controller requires only that users map the A and B buttons somewhere on the device; all others can go wherever the user wants without fear of pairing. In addition, the Elite controller allows for multiple buttons to be mapped to just one button. Unlike the Standard controller, the Elite controller’s settings are also stored internally and can be brought to another console.
For all of that—and several other upgrades, including more buttons and control over games—the Xbox One Elite goes for a whopping $150. The Standard controller is available for $60.
Although an Xbox One Wireless controller offers the most optimal button layout for gamers, it’s not the perfect configuration that will work for every game. Sometimes, the required configuration will depend upon the game or personal preference, which is one of the reasons gamers have to have a way to remap the buttons on a controller.
While you can choose from a number of third-party tools on Windows 10, Microsoft has created the Xbox Accessories app to give gamers an easy way to remap virtually every aspect of a standard and Elite Xbox One Wireless controllers.
In this Windows 10 guide, we’ll walk you through the easy steps to customize your Xbox One Wireless controller by remapping its buttons when playing games on your PC.
In order to remap the buttons of your Xbox One controller, you’ll need to follow these steps on Windows 10:
- Install the Xbox Accessories apps from the Microsoft Store by clicking the Get button.
- Open the Xbox Accessories app.
- Connect your Xbox One Wireless controller to your PC using a USB cable, Xbox One Wireless USB adapter, or Bluetooth (if supported).
In the “Xbox Accessories app,” click the Configure button. (After clicking this button, you may be prompted to login to your Xbox Live account.)
Click the Button mapping button.
Using the drop-down menu, select the button you want to change.
Using the “Map to” drop-down menu, select the button you want to map to.
Alternatively, while in the button mapping experience, you can also remap buttons by pressing and holding the button, stick, or triggers, and then pressing the button you want to map it to.
In addition to remapping buttons, you’ll also find a number of options to quickly swap sticks and triggers to make left operate like the right. You can invert the Y-axis for the left and right sticks so that pushing the stick up or down the action will be down or up. And you can even turn on or off the controller’s vibration feature.
At any time, you can revert the original settings by clicking the Restore original button in the configuration page.
While the Xbox Accessories app makes the button remapping process easy, remember that it only works with the Xbox One standard and Elite controllers. You can’t use it to remap other controllers or keyboard.
If you have an Xbox Elite Wireless controller, you’ll get even more options. For example, you’ll get the ability to store up to 256 different configurations and save two of them on the controller itself. Options to fully customize buttons and paddles with the option to assign the same action to multiple buttons. Also, you can select the sensitivity curve for the movement of the sticks, four vibration sliders to adjust the controller feedback, and you can even change the brightness of the Xbox button on the controller.
More Windows 10 resources
For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:
The Nintendo Switch makes it easy to change the button mapping of your controllers and save them to system-wide profiles that work in every game. You can also disable buttons, swap thumbsticks, and change the orientation of your Joy-Con sticks. Here’s how.
Change Button Mapping: Requirements and Features
Starting with Switch system version 10.0.0, players can change the function of each individual controller button on a system-wide basis in System Settings. This process is often called remapping a controller, and Nintendo calls it “Change Button Mapping.” Here’s the low-down on how it works:
- Change Button Mapping supports three types of controller: Joy-Con (L), Joy-Con (R), and Pro Controller. If a third-party controller simulates one of these three categories, its buttons can be remapped as well.
- For each of these three controller types, you can save up to five unique custom button mappings.
- It is possible to disable certain buttons completely (such as screen capture) if they cause annoyance while gaming.
- The orientation of thumbsticks on Joy-Cons can be switched between vertical and horizontal, allowing one-handed play in games that previously only supported a horizontal Joy-Con orientation.
- It is possible to swap left and right thumbsticks—a nice accessibility feature for some users who might need to play a certain game one-handed.
How to Remap Switch Controller Buttons in System Settings
First, make sure the controller with the buttons you’d like to customize is connected to the Switch. Then launch System Settings by tapping on the gear icon on the Switch’s Home screen.
In System Settings, navigate to “Controllers and Sensors,” then select “Change Button Mapping.”
On the Button Mapping screen, you will see a list of attached controllers on the left side of the screen. Select the controller you’d like to modify, then select “Change.”
We are using the Joy-Con (L) as an example here, but the same steps work on all three controller types.
You will see a visual diagram of the controller you selected. With the thumbstick, navigate to the highlighted cursor to the button you’d like to customize, then press A.
A menu will pop up asking you to select a new mapping for the button you selected. You can pick any of the possible button functions or even disable a button completely. Highlight the mapping you want and press A.
Back on the Change Button Mapping screen, you will see that the mapping for that button has changed. Repeat the steps above for each button you’d like to change.
From the Change Button Mapping screen, you can also change the stick settings, such as swapping the left and right thumbsticks or changing the thumbstick orientation. Select “Control Stick Settings” and press A.
The following menu will change, depending on which controller you are configuring. On the Joy-Cons and Pro Controller, you will have the option to swap the thumbsticks to function as either the Left Stick or Right Stick. On the Joy-Cons only, you can also change the directional orientation of the stick, which allows you to play horizontal Joy-Con games in a vertical orientation.
When you are done exploring the stick settings, press B to return to the Change Button Mapping screen. When all of your configurations are complete, select “Done.”
A pop-up will tell you that the button mapping has been changed. Select “OK.”
Exit the System Settings and play games as usual, or you can save the modified button mapping to recall it quickly later.
How to Save Your Custom Button Mapping to a Quick Profile
If you’d like, you can save your custom button mapping to one of five save slots per controller type.
In System Settings, navigate to Controllers and Sensors > Change Button Mapping. Select the controller with the modifications that you’d like to save, then select “Save Mapping.”
You will be asked to select a numbered save slot. Pick the one you’d like, then hit A.
Your custom mapping will be saved, and you can load it again at any time in System Settings from Controllers and Sensors > Change Button Mapping > Button Mapping > Load Mapping.
How to Reset the Controller Mapping
If you want to revert back to the default controller mapping, open System Settings, and navigate to Controllers and Sensors > Change Button Mapping. Select the controller with the modified mapping that you’d like to restore. Select “Reset.”
At the confirmation dialog that follows, select “Reset” again. Your custom mapping will be completely reset, and the buttons will be back to normal.
If Something Goes Wrong: Nintendo’s Fail-Safe Message
If you have changed your button mapping, when you restart the Switch or return to the home screen from Sleep Mode, you will see a warning message reminding you that your controller’s button layout is different than usual.
If you’re having trouble with the controller layout, tap “Reset Button Mapping” on the Switch’s touchscreen display, and the mapping will reset to default. Otherwise, you can select “Use Without Resetting” to keep your custom mapping active.
Hello, I own a xbox one controller, but sadly I can’t remap buttons, Is there a way to do this?
For now I’ve only tried to use x360ce but it doesnt work for me.
I just wanted to switch Right Trigger with B button.
Go to MyDocuments//The Witcher 3/input.settings
Make a backup of the file just in case before modifying it.
The file contains a series of lines arranged the following way:
Each one of the lines maps one game action in some context(combat, exploration, swimming, being Ciri. ) to a key/button from a keyboard or a mouse or controller(both xBox and PS). So a practical example could be:
“IK_E” means the ‘E’ key from the keyboard and “MountHorse” well, it’s clear, mounting your horse.
The KEY that refers to Right Trigger is “IK_Pad_RightTrigger” and the KEY that refers to B button is “IK_Pad_B_CIRCLE”.
In notepad swap all occurences of each KEY for the other and that’s it. You can use both “Find” and “Replace” functions from Edit menu in Notepad.
Just be careful you don’t modify the GAMEACTION parameters and that the swap was correctly made.
Go to MyDocuments//The Witcher 3/input.settings
Make a backup of the file just in case before modifying it.
The file contains a series of lines arranged the following way:
Each one of the lines maps one game action in some context(combat, exploration, swimming, being Ciri. ) to a key/button from a keyboard or a mouse or controller(both xBox and PS). So a practical example could be:
“IK_E” means the ‘E’ key from the keyboard and “MountHorse” well, it’s clear, mounting your horse.
The KEY that refers to Right Trigger is “IK_Pad_RightTrigger” and the KEY that refers to B button is “IK_Pad_B_CIRCLE”.
In notepad swap all occurences of each KEY for the other and that’s it. You can use both “Find” and “Replace” functions from Edit menu in Notepad.
Just be careful you don’t modify the GAMEACTION parameters and that the swap was correctly made.
