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You can use a controller as a mouse on Android with a mapper app that supports cursor movement and clicks. Android’s built-in controller settings can reassign some buttons or joysticks, but they do not create a mouse pointer. Connect your controller, choose a mapper, grant only the access it needs, and test it in the app you want to control.
Choose the right approach for what you want to do
| Option | What it does | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Android controller settings | On supported devices, lets you change button or joystick assignments. | The menu and available settings vary by device and Android version. It is not documented as a way to create a mouse pointer. Android controller setup |
| Joystick Mouse Adapter 2 | Its Google Play listing says a joystick can move the cursor and controller inputs can trigger clicks, swipes, and pinch-to-zoom gestures. | Review its Accessibility access, supported controller behavior, current app version, and compatibility with your target app. Google Play listing |
| Gamepad mouse | Its Google Play listing describes mouse emulation, custom button actions, and sensitivity settings. | The listing says it works only in X-input mode and requires Accessibility permission. Check whether your controller supports that mode. Google Play listing |
| Switch Access | Scans items on screen so you can select them using switches or configured keys. | This is sequential accessibility navigation, not a freely moving mouse cursor. Google Accessibility Help |
Connect your controller to Android
You can use Bluetooth or a compatible wired connection. For Bluetooth, put the controller into pairing mode using its model-specific instructions. Then open Settings > Connected devices > Pair new device and select the controller when it appears. Android documents controller setup for wired and Bluetooth connections; your controller’s pairing gesture depends on its model. Android controller setup
Set up a controller-to-mouse mapper
- Install a mapper whose current listing explicitly describes mouse cursor movement and clicks. For example, the Joystick Mouse Adapter 2 listing describes using a joystick to move a cursor and controller inputs for clicks and other gestures. Features and screens may change, so check the current listing before installing it. Joystick Mouse Adapter 2 on Google Play
- Open the mapper and configure the joystick and buttons for the cursor and actions you want. The precise controls depend on the app version.
- Read the app’s permission explanation before enabling its Accessibility service. The Joystick Mouse Adapter 2 listing says: “Joystick Mouse Adapter 2 requires the Accessibility Permission to function.” It explains that the permission lets the app observe touch, keyboard, and controller input; perform gestures such as clicks and swipes; and retrieve window content for context about what the pointer is clicking. This is a broad access level, so review the app’s current privacy disclosures and decide whether the stated functions justify it. App listing and disclosures
- Test cursor movement and clicks on a screen outside your intended game or app, then test them in the target app.
Check Android’s built-in controller settings
If your goal is to change which controller button or joystick does what—not to move a pointer—Android’s controller settings may be enough. Depending on your device and connection, look under System > Game controllers or Connected devices > [controller]. Android’s documented examples include swapping two button assignments or the left and right joysticks. Menu names and options can vary, and these remapping controls are distinct from mouse emulation. Android controller setup
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Know what may not work as expected
- Controller support does not guarantee mapper compatibility. Android 15’s compatibility definition requires implementations to map HID events to Android input-event constants, but that platform requirement does not ensure every mapper or app behaves identically. Android 15 Compatibility Definition
- Some mappers require a particular controller mode. The Gamepad mouse listing says it only works in X-input mode. If it does not recognize your controller, check that mode and its current compatibility details. Gamepad mouse listing
- A pointer does not automatically make a touch-only game fully controllable. The Joystick Mouse Adapter 2 listing describes coordinates for taps and says virtual-gamepad features are in development. A game may need its own control-mapping support for more complete input. Joystick Mouse Adapter 2 listing
- Switch Access is not a cursor substitute. It can help navigate and select screen items through scanning, but it uses a different interaction model from moving a pointer freely. Google Accessibility Help
Troubleshoot a controller mouse that does not respond
- Confirm Android sees the controller. Check the controller in Connected devices or the relevant controller settings. If it is missing, repeat Bluetooth pairing or check the wired connection.
- Confirm the mapper supports mouse emulation. Button reassignment in Android settings alone will not provide pointer movement.
- Check the mapper’s required controller mode. For Gamepad mouse, the listing specifies X-input mode. Other apps may have different requirements.
- Review the Accessibility service. If the mapper requires it, confirm it is enabled and that you understand the app’s disclosed access. Recheck the current listing if the app’s controls or permissions have changed.
- Test in another app. If the cursor works elsewhere but not in one game or app, the issue may be that app’s input handling rather than the controller connection.
Android Developers also documents controller support as a platform feature, but that does not promise identical behavior across apps, controller modes, or Android builds. Android Developers: Support game controllers
Quick Recap
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