Questions
Is there Controller Companion for Mac?
No. Steam lists Controller Companion for Windows and not for macOS. Its pitch is steering the desktop from the couch: the mouse, media keys and typing from a controller. On a Mac that is what a controller mapper does. I make InputConfig, a free, open-source Mac app whose built-in Desktop Navigation preset does it out of the box: a stick moves the pointer, buttons click, and the rest of the pad runs the Mac.
Steps
- Install InputConfig from the Mac App Store and allow Accessibility access.
- Pair the controller with the Mac.
- Choose the built-in Desktop Navigation preset.
- Press Activate.
- Move the stick to steer the pointer, and press the bottom face button to click.
Match Controller Companion on a Mac
| What you want | In InputConfig on a Mac |
|---|---|
| The mouse from a stick | Mouse Motion rows with deadzones and speed curves, and the DualSense touchpad as a trackpad |
| Clicks and scrolling | Buttons for left, right and middle click, and a stick or the D-pad for scrolling |
| Media keys and volume | System functions on any button |
| Typing | The macOS Accessibility Keyboard clicked with the stick, Start Dictation on a button, and Type Text for saved phrases |
| Different controls per app | Per-app auto-switch: the preset changes when the app comes to the front |
A stick for the pointer and buttons for clicks is one built-in preset away.
InputConfig is free on the Mac App Store. macOS 14 or later, no account, no tracking, open source.
Start with Desktop Navigation
- You: Pair the controller, open InputConfig, choose Desktop Navigation and press Activate.
- InputConfig: Starts sending pointer movement, clicks, scrolling and shortcuts from the controller.
- Check: Move the stick and the pointer follows.
How to use a game controller as a mouse on a Mac has the full layout, and couch browsing and media builds the sofa setup. Change any row afterward, since the preset is only a starting point.
What works differently
- The on-screen keyboard. InputConfig draws none of its own. It works with the Accessibility Keyboard built into macOS.
- The login window. It starts after you log in, so it does not run there.
- Games that read the pad themselves. Deactivate the preset for those, so the controller is not also sending keys.
It uses the Mac's own on-screen keyboard and does not replace it.
The short version
- Controller Companion. Windows only, on Steam.
- On a Mac. InputConfig, with the Desktop Navigation preset.
- Typing. The macOS Accessibility Keyboard, dictation, or saved text.
Running a Mac from the couch takes a controller and one free app.
Questions
Is there Controller Companion for Mac?
No. Steam lists it for Windows only. On a Mac, InputConfig turns a controller into the mouse, the keyboard and the media keys for free.
What is the Mac alternative to Controller Companion?
InputConfig, a free and open-source app on the Mac App Store. Its built-in Desktop Navigation preset moves the pointer with a stick and puts clicks, scrolling and shortcuts on the buttons.
Can I type with a controller on a Mac?
Yes. Click the keys of the macOS Accessibility Keyboard with the stick, start dictation from a button, or put saved phrases on buttons with Type Text.
Does it work with a PS5 or Xbox controller?
Yes. It works with PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and 8BitDo controllers that the Mac can read, and with many plain USB pads.
Related
Free. macOS 14 or later. No account, nothing leaves your Mac. Open source on GitHub.