How to map a controller to keyboard keys on Windows 10

Games that have support for controllers do not require any setup. You can connect a controller to your PC, and the game will detect it automatically. Most games played on Windows 10 are preconfigured to work with an Xbox controller. The controls will already be mapped, and you can access the game’s settings to see which button or joystick does what.

Map controller to keyboard

While most modern PC games have controller support, some of them offer better gameplay if you use a keyboard. The controller’s default configuration may not work intuitively in the game. To work around this, you can map a controller to keyboard keys.

We’re going to describe two methods to map a controller to keyboard keys. The first method is through Steam and will only work for Steam games. The second method will allow you to map controller keys for any and all games.

Note: While we used an Xbox controller in this post, you will be able to use these same tools to map a PS4 controller to keyboard keys.

1. Steam guide button chord configuration

Make sure you have the Steam app installed on your Windows 10 system.

1. Open Steam and go to Steam>Settings.
2. Select the Controller tab.
3. Click Guide button chord configuration.
4. A new window will open with a controller. Select the various groups of controls that you want to map.
5. Click a button, and from the on-screen keyboard that appears, click the key you want to map it to. Repeat for all the controls you want to remap.

6. Save the configuration and give it a name that tells you which game it is for. It’s a good idea to save it locally.
7. To apply the configuration, open Steam.
8. Go to Steam>Settings>Controller.
9. Click Guide Button Chord Configuration.
10. Click Browser Configuration.
11. Go to Personal.
12. Select the configuration you saved.
13. Click Apply Configuration.

2. AntiMicro

While Steam lets users map a controller to keyboard keys, it’s a bit confusing to use it with multiple controller types and configurations. AntiMicro is a much better tool to use.

1. Download and install AntiMicro from Github.
2. Connect your controller to your system and open AntiMicro.
3. Press a button or move a joystick on the controller. It will be highlighted on the app’s interface.
4. Click the highlighted button on the app’s interface.
5. Select a mouse or keyboard control to assign to it.
6. Repeat for all controls.
7. Save the profile.
8. Minimize AntiMicro to the system tray, and play your game.

Conclusion

Games that favor a keyboard are best played with one, but if you’re more comfortable with a controller or it’s difficult physically to use a keyboard for longer gaming sessions, remapping is the way to go. It may take some time to get used to the new controls, but you will be able to access all in-game functions if you configure everything correctly.

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Fatima Wahab

Fatima has been writing for AddictiveTips for six years. She began as a junior writer and has been working as the Editor in Chief since 2014. Fatima gets an adrenaline rush from figuring out how technology works, and how to manipulate it. A well-designed app, something that solves a common everyday problem and looks

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