Windows 10 has built-in drivers that let you use an Xbox One controller within games, but what about using an Xbox One controller all the time? It’s a great alternative to a mouse if you use your PC as an entertainment center in your living room, and while not as accurate, it does a good job.
There are several programs you can use that will give you the ability to use your Xbox One controller all the time, but we chose Gopher360. It’s free, it’s simple, and it’s functional. Here’s how to set it up.
- How to use your Xbox One controller as a mouse on your Windows 10 PC
- How to add Gopher360 to your PC’s Startup folder
- Gopher360 Xbox One controller button layout
- What about Controller Companion?
How to use your Xbox One controller as a mouse on your Windows 10 PC
Gopher360 is a great app with a small footprint that lets you use your controller as a mouse. Before proceeding with these steps, ensure your Xbox controller is powered on and connected to your PC.
- Launch your web browser of choice from the desktop, Start menu, or taskbar.
- Navigate to the Gopher360 webpage.
- Click the Gopher360 link at the top of the page. It will contain the latest version.
- Scroll down.
- Click the Gopher.exe download link. Gopher360 will download.
- Click Run when the download is finished.
Gopher360 will start automatically. You can now use your Xbox One controller as a mouse on your Windows 10 PC. Want to have Gopher360 start automatically each time you boot your PC? Add it to your PC’s Startup folder!
How to add Gopher360 to your PC’s Startup folder
These steps will make Gopher360 start each time you start your PC. That way you won’t have to mess around with a mouse before using your controller.
- Launch File Explorer from your taskbar or desktop.
- Click Downloads.
- Right-click the Gopher file.
- Click Copy.
- Hit Windows key and R simultaneously on your keyboard. The Run window will open.
- Type shell:startup.
- Click OK. The Startup folder will open.
- Right-click on a blank area in the Startup folder.
- Click Paste.
Gopher will now start up each time you turn on your computer. To stop Gopher360 from starting with Windows, just remove the shortcut from the Startup folder.
Gopher360 Xbox One controller button layout
The button layout is super simple and will take about a minute to get used to. Here’s what it looks like:
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- A is left click.
- X is right click.
- B is Enter.
- Y hides the Gopher360 window.
- Left analog stick is mouse movement.
- Right analog stick is scroll wheel.
- D-pad can also be used to scroll through windows.
- Start is Windows key.
- Left analog stick click is middle mouse button.
What about Controller Companion?
If you don’t mind handing over a few dollars, Controller Companion — available on Steam for about $3 — is another great way to get your Xbox controller working as a mouse. It’s fully customizable, it works seamlessly with Steam’s Big Picture mode, and there’s an option to have Controller Companion run when your PC starts, even if Steam doesn’t launch as well.
See at Steam
More resources
- How to use a keyboard and mouse with Xbox One
- Xbox Wireless: Everything you need to know
- How to remap Xbox One controller buttons on Windows 10
Updated April 4, 2018: This guide has been refreshed with updated steps and screenshots to ensure you’re still getting an accurate look at how to use your Xbox controller as a mouse.
Cale Hunt brings to Windows Central more than eight years of experience writing about laptops, PCs, accessories, games, and beyond. If it runs Windows or in some way complements the hardware, there’s a good chance he knows about it, has written about it, or is already busy testing it.
Do you use your computer connected to a TV? This is a great way to play PC games on a big screen, and it’s also awesome for watching your all kinds of video content.
The problem with using a PC on a TV is that you need to have a game controller to play games, and a mouse and keyboard to control basic windows functions. But what if you could get rid of the mouse and keyboard part and just use an Xbox 360 controller to do everything?
As it turns out, you can, and the process is incredibly easy. All you need to do is download a program called Gopher360 and then right-click it and select Run as Administrator.
Once the program is running in the background, you’ll be able to move the mouse cursor around with the left stick on the Xbox controller and scroll with the right stick. When you need to type, just launch the on-screen keyboard.
In order to use said keyboard, Gopher360 needs to run as administrator, so don’t forget that!
If you close the program it will stop working, so if you want it to run whenever your computer turns on, make sure add it to your Startup folder by opening a Run box, typing shell:startup and pasting a shortcut to Gopher.exe in the windows that opens.
Are you going to use an Xbox 360 controller to control your Windows computer? Think it’s a bad idea? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Image Credit: Stefano Garau via ShutterStock
Кто нибудь знает как отключить навигацию и управление в Windows 10 с геймпада в самой системе? Эмулирую клаву + мышь на геймпаде при помощи программы Controller Companion. Работа геймпада в ОС по умолчанию только мешает. Ведь геймпад теперь по сути эмулирует клаву + мышь! Управляешь курсором мыши стиком к примеру, а в это время происходят действия по умолчанию, прямоугольник выбора бегает куда попало по настройкам и выполняются не те действия)) В других приложениях/браузере/просто на рабочем столе все нормально. Именно в Меню Пуск или же Настройках либо приложении Xbox на ПК начинается беспредел. Курсор мышки на одном ярлыке, прямоугольник где-то в другом месте, нажимаешь кнопку А (эмуляция левой кнопки мыши) для выбора ярлыка или действия, а происходит совсем другое. Не знаю в общем как объяснить). Надеюсь более менее понятно объяснил. Спасибо и простите за много букв))
This article described by MiniTool official web page mainly teaches you how to use game controllers as computer mouse and keyboard, including Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation, DualShock, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, etc.
With the development of television and the 4K technology application, many game players choose to play PC games on their large 4K TV. In such a situation, if they turn their game controller (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS5, PS4, PS3, DS4, Switch, Wii U, etc.) into a computer mouse while playing on TV, they can enjoy their gaming more.
Then, how to use game controller as mouse and keyboard? In general, you should rely on third-party services like Steam, Controller Companion, Gopher360, and InputMapper.
#1 How to Use Steam Controller as Mouse?
Steam’s built-in Big Picture Mode is designed to play PC games on the TV screen. It gives you an interface that you can navigate with a controller, gamepad, or game stick. If you have installed Steam on your gaming computer, you already have this feature.
Steam enables some shortcuts known as “Chords” – combinations of buttons on your gamepad that map to certain functions on your PC.
Use Xbox One Controller as Mouse
Let’s take Xbox One controller for example. If you have an Xbox 1 controller connected, you can press and hold the Xbox button while moving the right stick to move the mouse pointer; hold the Xbox button and press the right trigger to click; hold the Xbox button and press the left trigger to right-click.
If you want to use controller as mouse for more than a few random clicks, you may need to enable full controller support on the desktop. To achieve that, follow the below steps.
- In Steam, go to Settings > Controller > General Controller Settings.
- Choose your controller configuration support option, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch Pro, or Generic.
- Now, you should be able to move your mouse with the right stick on your controller.
Back to the Controller page of Steam Settings, you can click the DESKTOP CONFIGURATION button to personalize which buttons emulate which keyboard keys.
Disadvantages of using Steam Controller as Mouse
If you launch a game from Steam, the client will disable the gamepad-as-mouse feature automatically while you are in the game. Thus, the game will treat your controller as a mouse with all its default keybindings. Yet, if you launch a game from outside Steam, your controller will still be recognized as a mouse and your controls will not work properly.
To fix this issue, you can add those non-Steam games to your Steam library. When Steam detects them and the overlay works properly, it will disable the mouse feature.
#2 How to Use Controller as Mouse by Controller Companion or InputMapper?
Another software that enables you to use controller as mouse and keyboard is Controller Companion, which is a charged program that can be purchased and installed from Steam. Relying on this program, you can move your mouse via the left stick on your controller: click on targets using the A button while pressing the left stick.
Moreover, you can get a handy virtual keyboard to type quick bits of text. More importantly, Controller Companion will disable itself automatically when it detects a full-screen app running. That is to say, Controller Companion can switch between mouse emulation and in-game controls automatically and seamlessly.
Tip: If Controller Companion fails to switch between mouse emulation and in-game controls, you can manually do that by pressing both the Start and Back buttons.
However, Controller Companion does not support Sony’s DualShock (DS) controllers for the latter do not interact with Windows in quite the same way as Xbox controllers. Yet, it provides a button to set up Xbox Controller Emulator that should work in conjunction with DualShock gamepads.
If you plan to use PS4 controller as mouse, you need to rely on InputMapper or DS4Windows. Just download and install it on your PC. Start InputMapper. When you connect a DualShock controller, a popup will appear asking for configuration. You can create a profile that maps the controller to its Xbox 360 equivalents (so it works in games that do not support PS controllers), or as a mouse and keyboard (where the DualShock’s touchpad moves the cursor and tapping it clicks the mouse). You can specialize the button mapping and many other adjustments within the main interface of InputMapper.
#3 How to Use a Controller as a Mouse with Gopher360?
Although being a little old and outdated, Gopher360 for Xbox and other game controllers is still a good choice to use controller as mouse. To use this tool, go to its release page, copy it to your computer, and double-click on it to open.
Gopher360 is a command window with controls the mouse emulation on your gamepad. The following are the input types and key bindings of Gopher360.
A: Left Mouse-Click.
X: Right Mouse-click.
Y: Hide terminal.
B: Enter.
D-pad: Arrow keys.
Right Analog: Scroll up/down.
Right Analog Click: F2.
Left Analog: Mouse.
Left Analog Click: Middle mouse click.
Back: Browser refresh
Start: Left Windows Key
Start + Back: Toggle. Useful for when you launch emulators or open Steam Big Picture mode. Press again to re-enable.
Start + DPad Up: Toggle gopher vibration setting.
LBumper: Browser previous
RBumper: Browser next
LBumber + RBummper: Cycle speed (x3)
LTrigger: Space
RTrigger: Backspace
You can also adjust the sensitivity and customize the button layout via Gopher360’s config file stored in the same location as the program.
However, Gopher360 does not support Sony’s DualShock controllers for the same reason mentioned in the above second part. Also, you can replace Gopher360 with InputMapper if you are using a DualShock controller.
Other Programs to Emulate Game Controller as Mouse
In addition to the tools mentioned above, there are many other apps that can also stimulate your controller as a desktop mouse.
- JoyToKey
- reWASD
- Xpadder
- AntiMicro
- Keysticks
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If you have a Bluetooth wireless controller, such as a PS5 (DualSense), PS4 (DualShock 4), or Xbox controller, you can connect it to your PC and set it up as a wireless mouse, keyboard, or both combined on a Windows 11 PC. There are a few software options that can help achieve this. We recommend using the Steam client, which has a feature that allows you to configure your controller as a mouse and/or keyboard in Windows 11.
This is achievable by binding/mapping buttons on the controller to keyboard keys or mouse clicks and setting the analog as a joystick mouse or mouse scroll, all based on your preference. You can bind any button on your controller to any mouse click, keyboard key, or any Windows action you want. In this guide, we will show you how to set up and configure your wireless controller as a wireless mouse and keyboard in Windows 11 using Steam.
Also see: Play PC Game with PS5, PS4 or Xbox Controller in Windows 11
How to use PS5, PS4 or Xbox Controller as Mouse and Keyboard on Windows 11
To summarize, you need to first pair your wireless controller to your Windows PC. Then, you need to download and install the Steam client and configure your wireless controller as a mouse and keyboard via Steam. Follow the steps below to do so.
1. Connect your wireless controller to Windows 11 PC
First, connect and pair your wireless controller to your PC via Bluetooth on Windows 11. To connect a Bluetooth controller to your Windows PC, your PC must have a built-in Bluetooth adapter or an external USB Bluetooth receiver.
Press Win + i keys to open Settings on Windows 11. Select Bluetooth & devices on the left pane. Click on Devices. Make sure Bluetooth is turned On.
To put your PS4 or PS5 controller into pairing mode, press and hold both the Share and PlayStation buttons until the light bar flashes.
To put a Xbox controller into pairing mode, press and hold the Guide button and the Pairing button for three seconds until the Guide button flashes.
Related issue: Bluetooth Not Detecting Devices in Windows 11
On your Windows PC, as soon as you put your controller into pairing mode, Windows should be able to detect it and prompt a notification asking if you want to pair the “Wireless Controller”.
Click Allow to allow Windows to pair your wireless controller.
If the pairing is successful, Windows will show a message that says “Connection succeeded”.
If no notification shows up, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices > Add device > Bluetooth, to manually add your wireless controller (make sure your controller is in pairing mode so that Windows can detect it).
2. Download and Install Steam client
Next, download and install Steam client on your PC. You can download Steam client from Steam’s official website as shown below.
https://store.steampowered.com/about/
Once installed, open Steam and run it as administrator. Then, sign in to your Steam account. If you do not have a Steam account yet, click create a new account to create one.
Related resource: How to use PS5 DualSense Controller on Xbox Game Pass PC
3. Configure your controller as mouse and keyboard on Steam
Once you’re signed into Steam, in the Steam client window, click on Steam at the top left corner of the window, and then select Settings.
In the Settings window, click on Controller on the left pane. First, you will need to enable the configuration support for your wireless controller. Click on General Controller Settings.
Then, enable the configuration support for your controller. For example, to enable PlayStation controller, select the PlayStation Configuration Support checkbox. Close the window.
Back to the Settings window, click on Desktop Configuration.
From here, you can configure and map any buttons on your controller to a mouse or keyboard action.
For example, to set the analog stick as joystick mouse, click on the analog stick. Under Style of Input, select Joystick Mouse.
Optionally, you can configure other settings such as Mouse sensitivity (how fast mouse cursor moves on screen as you move your analog stick), analog click action, haptics intensity, mode shifting and output axis. For additional advanced settings, click on Additional Settings.
Click Back once you’ve done configuring the analog stick.
To map a controller’s button to a keyboard key or mouse click, click on the button pad. Under Style of Input, select Button Pad.
Next, click on the button that you want to bind an action to, and then click on the mouse or keyboard action you want to bind the button to.
For example, as shown in the screenshot below, I’ve mapped the Square button on a PS4 controller to mouse left click action, and the Circle button to A keyboard key.
Click Done to save the changes after you’ve done configuring your controllers.
You can configure your controller’s buttons and analog sticks to any mouse or keyboard action you want. Simply select a button, then choose a style of input, and finally choose a key you want to bind the button to.
Tip: You can set one of your analog stick to mouse scroll wheel by selecting the analog stick and then select Scroll Wheel for the style of input.
The screenshot below shows how I setup my DualShock 4 wireless controller as my mouse and keyboard so that I can sit back and still be able to interact with my PC with just my controller.
Not enough buttons on Controller for more keyboard keys?
As buttons on a controller are limited, you can bind them to only a few keyboard keys. If you want to be able to press all keyboard keys wirelessly with your controller, you can try to use an on-screen keyboard instead.
In Windows 11, there is a built-in app called On-Screen Keyboard which does just that. It will show a virtual keyboard on your screen which you can click on using your mouse cursor.
Simply search for “on-screen keyboard” on the Start menu and open the app to try it.