🚀 Quick Start: Your First Virtual Controller in 2 Minutes

[hifihedgehog]

Quick Start Guide

Get a working virtual controller in under 2 minutes.

Step 1: Download & Launch

1. Download the latest PadForge-v{version}-win-x64.zip from Releases.
2. Extract anywhere (e.g. C:\PadForge\) and run PadForge.exe.
3. Approve the UAC prompt. PadForge auto-elevates because driver install / device-node management needs admin rights.

Step 2: Install HIDMaestro

HIDMaestro is the driver PadForge uses to create virtual controllers. It is bundled inside PadForge.exe. One click installs it.

1. Open Settings (gear icon in the sidebar).
2. Find the HIDMaestro card.
3. Click Install and approve the UAC prompt. Takes about 10 seconds.

That's the only driver you need for virtual controllers. (Optional add-ons covered at the end.)

Upgrading from PadForge v2? v3 detects ViGEmBus and vJoy on first launch and offers to uninstall them. v3 does not need either driver. HIDMaestro replaces both.

Step 3: Create a Virtual Controller

1. Click Add Controller in the sidebar (or on the Dashboard).
2. Pick a category:
   • Xbox — widest game compatibility (recommended for most users).
   • PlayStation — for PlayStation ports, DualShock 4 / DualSense feel, DSU motion server output.
   • Extended — flight sticks, racing wheels, third-party gamepads, custom HID layouts (replaces the old vJoy/DirectInput path).
   • MIDI — controller-driven MIDI output for DAWs.
   • Keyboard+Mouse — map controller inputs to keystrokes and mouse movement (no driver needed).

A new slot appears in the sidebar.

Step 4: Assign Your Controller

1. Open the Devices page (sidebar).
2. Find your physical controller in the list.
3. Click the slot badge on its card to assign it to the slot you just created.

Step 5: Play

Your physical controller now feeds through the virtual one. Games see whatever virtual type you picked, regardless of the actual hardware in your hands. Done.

---

Optional Enhancements

• Hide double input. If a game sees both your physical and virtual controller, install HidHide from Settings, then enable hiding from the Devices page. See HidHide.
• Tune dead zones. Open the slot's Sticks tab and adjust deadzone, anti-deadzone, sensitivity curve, max range, and center offset with the live preview. See Stick Deadzones.
• Add audio bass rumble. Open the slot's Force Feedback tab → enable Audio Rumble → play music or a game. Bass-frequency audio drives the rumble motors in real time. See Audio Bass Rumble.
• Set up macros. Open the slot's Macros tab to bind button combos to action sequences (key combos, mouse moves, axis overrides, system volume, app volume). See Macros.
• Per-app profiles. Save a slot configuration as a profile, then have PadForge auto-switch profiles based on the foreground game's executable name. See Profiles.
• Use your phone as a gamepad. Open the Web Controller from the sidebar to expose a browser-based virtual gamepad on your local network. See Web Controller.

---

Where to Go Next

• 📖 Wiki Documentation — every feature, in detail.
• 📋 FAQ — common questions.
• 🔧 Common Driver Issues — quick fixes.
• 🐛 Issue tracker — report bugs.

Questions? Start a new discussion and include your PadForge version, Windows version, and controller model.