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hifihedgehog edited this page Apr 18, 2026 · 23 revisions

Profiles

Profiles switch your entire controller configuration automatically when games change. Set up a profile once; PadForge handles the rest.

Profiles page with profile list and executable matching

What a Profile Stores

Each profile captures a complete snapshot:

Setting Details
Virtual controller topology Created slots, enabled slots, and each slot's type (Xbox 360, DualShock 4, DirectInput (vJoy), MIDI, or Keyboard+Mouse)
Button and axis mappings Every per-device mapping for every slot (Button and Axis Mappings)
Deadzones Per-axis Stick Deadzones and per-trigger Trigger Deadzones
Force feedback Force Feedback configuration per slot
Macros All Macros definitions. Triggers, actions, and conditions
DirectInput (vJoy) configurations Per-slot axis count, button count, and POV settings

When PadForge switches profiles, all of these settings change at once. Physical devices stay connected. Only the virtual controller configuration changes.

The Default Profile

Default loads on startup and activates when no other profile matches. It cannot be deleted or renamed.

Set up Default as your general-purpose layout (e.g., standard Xbox for platformers). Create game-specific profiles only where needed.

Important: Changes made on any page (Dashboard, Mappings, Macros, etc.) save to whichever profile is currently active.

Auto-Switching

Auto-switching monitors the foreground window (~30 Hz) and switches profiles to match:

  1. Associate each profile with one or more game executables.
  2. When a matching application gains focus, PadForge applies that profile.
  3. When an unmatched application gains focus (desktop, browser, etc.), PadForge reverts to Default.

The outgoing profile's state is saved, then the incoming profile applies. No controller connection interruption.

Enable it: On the Profiles page, check Auto-switch profiles based on foreground application.

Creating a Profile

  1. Go to the Profiles page in the sidebar.
  2. Click New (empty profile) or Save As (clone current configuration).
  3. Enter a name (e.g., "Racing Games", "Elden Ring", "Flight Sim").
  4. Click Browse... to add game executables (multi-select supported).

Recommended: Save As

  1. Configure PadForge for a game. Mappings, deadzones, macros, slots.
  2. Go to Profiles and click Save As.
  3. Name the profile after the game.
  4. Click Browse... and select the game's executable.

The entire working configuration is captured and ready for auto-switching.

Executable Matching

Each profile matches one or more game executables. When the foreground window belongs to a matching process, that profile activates.

  • Added via the Browse... file dialog; stored as full paths
  • Multiple executables per profile. Useful for sharing one profile across several games
  • Case-insensitive. EldenRing.exe matches eldenring.exe
  • Use the Remove button to delete a selected executable from the list

Pipe-Separated Format

Internally, executables are stored as a pipe-separated (|) string of full paths:

C:\Games\game1.exe|D:\Steam\game2.exe|E:\Epic\game3.exe

Visible when editing PadForge.xml directly. Each path is matched against the foreground process path (case-insensitive, full-path comparison).

Topology Display

Each profile shows badges for virtual controller counts by type:

  • Xbox. Xbox 360 slot count
  • DS4. DualShock 4 slot count
  • DirectInput. DirectInput (vJoy) slot count
  • MIDI. MIDI slot count
  • KB+M. Keyboard+Mouse slot count

A quick visual summary without loading the profile.

Managing Profiles

Action How
New Empty profile with no controller slots
Save As Clones current configuration (all slots, mappings, macros) into a new profile
Edit Rename or modify the executable list
Load Apply the selected profile (double-click also loads)
Delete Remove the selected profile (Default cannot be deleted)

Controller Shortcuts

Assign button combos on your controller to switch profiles or toggle the PadForge window. No keyboard needed.

Shortcut Modes

Mode Behavior
Next Cycle forward through the profile list
Previous Cycle backward through the profile list
Specific Jump directly to a named profile
Toggle Window Minimize PadForge if it is in the foreground; restore and bring to foreground if minimized, hidden, or in the background. Respects the "Minimize to tray" setting and fullscreen state.

Adding a Shortcut

  1. On the Profiles page, click Add Shortcut under the Profile Shortcuts card.
  2. Choose a Mode from the dropdown.
  3. If using Specific mode, pick the target profile from the Profile dropdown.
  4. Choose a Device. Select a specific controller or Any Device to trigger from any connected controller.
  5. Click the Learn button (record icon) and press your desired button or axis combo within 5 seconds.

Recording Details

  • Buttons: Press one or more buttons simultaneously to create a combo.
  • Axes: Triggers and sticks work as shortcut triggers with direction awareness (e.g., left stick left = previous, left stick right = next).
  • Cross-device combos: Buttons from different controllers can form a single shortcut.

Switch Notification

When a profile switch occurs. Whether from auto-switching or a controller shortcut. A small flyout notification appears above the taskbar.

Notification Flow

Stage What You See
Profile name Name of the new profile (displayed for 2 seconds)
Initializing Flashing icon while virtual controllers start up
Active Accent-colored checkmark. Controllers are ready
Offline warning If one or more controllers have no online devices, a warning icon and "One or more controllers offline" message appears after the Active state

The notification slides up from the taskbar edge and slides down when it dismisses. It follows Windows 11 volume OSD styling and adapts to dark/light theme.

Practical Examples

Scenario Setup
Racing game with custom deadzones Create a "Forza" profile with wider trigger deadzones and a specific stick curve. Associate with ForzaHorizon5.exe. Auto-switches on launch; reverts on Alt-Tab.
Flight sim with DirectInput (vJoy) Create an "MSFS" profile using a DirectInput (vJoy) slot instead of Xbox 360. Map axes to flight stick axes. Associate with FlightSimulator.exe. Normal games keep the Default Xbox 360 profile.
Emulators sharing one profile Create an "Emulators" profile and add Dolphin.exe, Cemu.exe, and Ryujinx.exe. All three activate the same configuration.
Macros for one game only Create a profile with D-pad-to-keyboard macros for an MMO. Associate with the MMO executable. Default has no macros, so they only activate when that game is in focus.

Tips

  • Set up Default first as the general-purpose configuration. Create game-specific profiles only for differences.
  • Use Save As from a working configuration. Faster than building from scratch.
  • Test auto-switching by Alt-Tabbing and watching the active profile indicator.
  • Macros are per-profile. Game-specific macros only activate when that game runs.
  • Physical device connections persist. Only virtual controller configuration changes during a switch.
  • Back up PadForge.xml to preserve your profiles.
  • Controller shortcuts are the fastest way to switch profiles mid-game without Alt-Tabbing.

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