Game

No Man's Sky on a Mac with a controller

The No Man's Sky layout is built into InputConfig, free on the Mac App Store. You don't have to make an account, there are no subscriptions, and nothing is locked. Optimized for Apple silicon.

On a Mac: Native on the Mac through Steam, which lists full controller support, DualSense included. Use the game's own scheme first. This layout is for a pad the game does not detect, and for keyboard-style direct keys.

Yes, No Man's Sky runs natively on the Mac with full controller support, DualSense included, so if your pad shows up in the game, use its scheme. It handles the ship, the exosuit and the quick menu better than any keyboard layout can.

This layout is for the pad that does not show up, and for people who like the keyboard version's direct keys: one press for the scanner, one for the inventory, no held menus. The same keys work on foot and in the ship. If your pad is ignored, start with the detection checks.

On this page: 9 sections

1. The layout, control by control
2. How the layout thinks
3. Tune it to how you explore
4. If No Man's Sky ignores your controller
5. No Man's Sky controller support: controller or keyboard
6. If your controller is not working in No Man's Sky
7. Get it in two clicks
8. No Man's Sky controls: every button and the key it sends
9. Questions

The layout, control by control

How the layout thinks

• Move and look. The left stick moves (W, A, S and D), the right stick looks. Sprint (Shift) is the left stick click.
• Multi-tool. The right trigger uses and fires it (left mouse button). The left trigger aims and runs the terrain tool's alternate (right mouse button).
• Face buttons. Jump and jetpack (Space) on the bottom, crouch (Control) on the right, reload on the left, interact (E) on the top.
• Scanner. C on the left bumper.
• Tech and menus. The D-pad holds three tech slots. Back opens the inventory (I), the Home button the galaxy map (M), and Start the menu.

The same keys fly the ship: Space boosts and the triggers fire.

Tune it to how you explore

• Quick menu. The game's quick menu is X on the keyboard, and a lot of things live there. The touchpad press on a DualSense is free for it.
• The melee boost. Melee then jetpack is the classic speed trick. A macro on the right stick click (Q, a short wait, then Space) does it in one press.
• The Home button. If pressing it brings up something from macOS instead of the map, move the galaxy map row to another button with Scan.

The melee boost macro is the one addition every explorer wants.

If No Man's Sky ignores your controller

Climb this ladder, smallest step first:

1. Check the Mac. Game Controllers in the System Settings sidebar should list the pad.
2. Relaunch with the pad awake. Quit the game, press a button on the pad, and launch again.
3. Change Steam Input. On Steam, change the Steam Input override for No Man's Sky in Properties, Controller. Controller works in Steam but not in the game explains why it matters.
4. Send keys. Activate this layout. The game always reads the keyboard.

If the game starts seeing the pad again, turn the preset off so one press does one thing.

No Man's Sky controller support: controller or keyboard

Steam's store page lists full controller support for No Man's Sky, so the game was made to be played on a controller, menus included. A keyboard and mouse work as well, and the choice is yours. On a Mac, use the game's own controller support first when it sees your pad; this layout is for a pad it does not see, or for buttons it will not let you move. Full support listed means the controller is a first-class way to play No Man's Sky.

From Steam's listing, checked in October 2026. Every game's listing is in Mac games with controller support.

If your controller is not working in No Man's Sky

When No Man's Sky does not react to your controller on a Mac, climb this ladder, smallest step first:

1. Check that the Mac sees the controller. Open the gamepad tester and press a button. If nothing lights up there, the problem is the connection, and a controller that is connected but not working covers that first.
2. Check the Steam Input setting for No Man's Sky. In Steam, open No Man's Sky, Properties, Controller, and change the Steam Input override. A controller that works in Steam but not in the game goes through each choice.
3. Play it from keys. If No Man's Sky still ignores the pad, activate this layout. It sends the keyboard and mouse controls No Man's Sky already reads. Turn the game's own controller option off while it runs, or a press can arrive twice. The layout works whether or not No Man's Sky ever sees the controller.

Get it in two clicks

1. Get InputConfig free on the Mac App Store, open it, and click Smart Preset Maker on the welcome screen.
2. Search for No Man's Sky and pick it. The layout is created as a preset in your sidebar, named and ready.
3. Press Activate. Every row can be changed afterwards: the editor's Scan button rebinds any control the moment you touch it.

To check the controller itself first, the gamepad tester shows every button and stick live in your browser.

No Man's Sky controls: every button and the key it sends

The Sends column is No Man's Sky's default keyboard and mouse controls, as this layout expects them. If you changed a key in the game's settings, change the same row in InputConfig.

Button names follow the Xbox / PlayStation pair shown in the editor, so A / Cross is the bottom face button on either pad. On a Switch Pro Controller the bottom button is labeled B; the mapping still fires on position.

Questions

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Completely free. You don't have to make an account, there are no subscriptions, and nothing is locked. Optimized for Apple silicon. Open source on GitHub.

Updated October 16, 2026