Home/Answers/A controller as a mouse on a Mac
What is the best way to use a controller as a mouse on a Mac?
The easiest way is InputConfig, the free Mac app Rockstar Health makes: pair the controller, pick the built-in Mouse and Scroll preset and press Activate, and the left stick moves the pointer, the right stick scrolls and a button clicks. macOS pairs PS5, Xbox and Switch controllers by itself but has no setting that turns a stick into the pointer.
A stick, the PlayStation touchpad and tilting the controller all work as a mouse, and which one feels best depends on your hands. We compare the methods and the apps that offer them. Our founder runs his own Mac with a stick under his thumb.
Every method, compared
| Method | Controllers | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| A stick | Any controller | Most people. A small push is slow and a full push is fast |
| The PlayStation touchpad | DualSense, DualShock 4 | People who find a trackpad more natural than a stick |
| Tilting the controller | DualSense, DualSense Edge, DualShock 4, Switch Pro | Someone who can hold a pad but finds a stick hard to work |
| Steam's desktop layout | Controllers Steam Input has taken over | Occasional use, and only while Steam is running |
| A joystick | USB joysticks, arcade sticks, the sticks on adaptive controllers | Adaptive setups |
The apps that do it
| App | Price | Stick | Touchpad or tilt |
|---|---|---|---|
| InputConfig | Free | Yes | Both |
| JoyMapper | 5 day trial, then $7.99 | Yes | Both |
| Controlly | 7 day trial, then $3.99 | Yes | Not listed |
| JoyKeyMapper | Free | Yes, Nintendo controllers | Not listed |
| Gamepad Mapper | Free download, in-app purchases | Yes | Not listed |
| Gopher360 | No Mac version | Windows only | Not available |
From each app's own listing, September and October 2026.
What makes a controller a good mouse
Pointer speed. One setting that makes the whole preset faster or slower. Set it first, because most people never need to touch the rest.
A deadzone. It stops the pointer drifting when you let go.
A curve. One that starts slow makes small moves easy.
Ramp-up. The pointer starts at a fifth of its speed and builds up the longer you hold.
A slow pointer on the D-pad. For the last few pixels of a small target.
Clicking and dragging when holding is hard
Holding a button while steering a stick is hard for a lot of hands. In InputConfig a click can be set to toggle, so one press holds the mouse button down and the next lets it go, which makes dragging possible with one hand. With only a few buttons, one control can do both clicks: a short press is a left click and a longer press is a right click.
Who this is for
People who cannot use a mouse, first. InputConfig exists because our founder's hands do not work well, and a stick he can rest a thumb on is what works for him. The Easy Browse preset is built for using the whole Mac from a controller, with a pointer that starts slow and buttons that say their names aloud while you learn them. It is also simply pleasant from a sofa, with a Mac mini under the TV.
The full guide
The step by step setup lives on the InputConfig site: using a controller as a mouse, step by step. InputConfig is free on the Mac App Store, open source under the MIT license, and runs on macOS 14 or later on Apple silicon and Intel Macs.
Questions people ask
Can a PS5 controller be used as a mouse on a Mac?
Is there a free app to use a controller as a mouse on Mac?
Does Gopher360 work on a Mac?
Can I run a Mac mini under the TV with a controller as the mouse?
More answers
About these comparisons
Rockstar Health is a nonprofit that makes adaptive mobility hardware and free accessibility software, including InputConfig. Facts about other apps come from their own listings and repositories on the dates given, and we have not tested the community tools named here. If something is out of date, tell us and we will fix it.