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Controllers

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nickybmon edited this page Mar 31, 2026 · 1 revision

Controllers

OpenEmu accesses input devices directly through the IOKit HID interface, giving it lower latency and broader controller support than apps using Apple's standard Game Controller framework. The tradeoff is that it requires an explicit Input Monitoring permission.

Required: Grant Input Monitoring Permission

Before any controller or keyboard will work in-game:

  1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Input Monitoring
  2. Add OpenEmu to the list
  3. Quit and relaunch OpenEmu

This applies to all input — wired controllers, wireless controllers, and keyboard. See Troubleshooting: Input Problems if you still have issues after granting this.

Wireless Controllers: Grant Bluetooth Permission (macOS 12+)

For wireless Bluetooth controllers:

  1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Bluetooth
  2. Add OpenEmu

Controllers with Automatic Button Mapping

These controllers are detected and mapped automatically — no manual setup needed:

  • PlayStation DualShock 3 (see pairing note below)
  • PlayStation DualShock 4
  • PlayStation DualSense
  • Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
  • Nintendo Wiimote + Wii Remote
  • Nintendo Wii U Pro Controller
  • Xbox One S Wireless Controller
  • Xbox Series X/S Controller
  • SteelSeries Nimbus
  • SteelSeries Stratus XL
  • Horipad Ultimate
  • Retro-Bit Official Sega Genesis/Saturn Bluetooth 8-Button Pad
  • Logitech Dual Action, Rumblepad 2, F310, F510, F710 (set the switch on the back to D for DirectInput)
  • 8Bitdo controllers (use Mode 1 / Joystick Mode: hold START while powering on)

Pairing DualShock 3

The DualShock 3 uses a non-standard Bluetooth pairing process. To pair:

  1. Connect the controller via USB.
  2. In OpenEmu, go to Preferences → Controls.
  3. Select a system and click the input field for a button.
  4. Press the corresponding button on the controller.

Once mapped via USB, the controller can be used wirelessly.

Pairing Wiimote / Wii U Pro Controller

  1. Go to Preferences → Controls.
  2. In the Input box, select Add a Wiimote.
  3. Follow the on-screen pairing instructions (typically: press the sync button on the controller).

Manual Button Mapping

Any HID-compliant controller not listed above can be mapped manually:

  1. Go to OpenEmu → Preferences → Controls.
  2. Select the system you want to configure.
  3. Click a button field, then press the physical button on your controller to assign it.

Controllers That Will Not Work

  • Nintendo GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U (WUP-028) — not HID-compliant
  • Any controller or adapter that requires a custom kernel extension or driver

Input Interference

Some applications grab exclusive access to input devices and block OpenEmu from receiving events. See Troubleshooting: Input Problems for the full list of conflicting apps.

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