Gaming on Android has come a long way, and with Winlator, you can now enjoy Windows games right on your mobile device! But let’s be honest—touchscreen controls don’t always cut it, especially for action-packed games. That’s where external controllers and the classic keyboard mouse combo come in!
While Winlator does offer a built-in virtual controller, nothing beats the feel of physical buttons under your fingertips. Whether you’re a console gamer looking to connect a gamepad or a PC gamer wanting the precision of a mouse and keyboard, I’ve got you covered! Let’s dive into setting it all up step by step.
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How to Use a Controller in Winlator
If you’ve ever wished for a console-like experience while playing Windows games on Android, connecting a controller to Winlator is the way to go. It’s smooth, responsive, and just feels right!
Here’s how to configure and optimize your controller setup:
1. Before diving into the settings, connect your controller to your Android device.
If you’re using a Bluetooth controller, ensure that it’s paired with your phone.
If you have a wired controller, simply connect it using a USB OTG (On-The-Go) cable.
2. Once your controller is connected, launch Winlator and enter a Container (this is where your game will run).
Tap the Back button on your phone while inside the container, and click on Controls from the menu.
3. Tap on Input Controls and a drop-down menu will appear. Winlator provides multiple control schemes. You can choose from the following:
- RTS (Real-Time Strategy) style controls for strategy-based games.
- Virtual Gamepad if you prefer using the on-screen controller.
- Custom Controller Profile if you have an external gamepad.
4. To customize your controller further, click the Settings icon next to the custom profile option.
Here, you can change the key mappings, modify button responses, and tweak settings specific to your game.
5. To make sure your controller works seamlessly select External Controllers to change the button mappings for your gamepad.
You can assign specific functions to the buttons on your controller based on your preferences and the game you’re playing.
With these steps, your controller should now be fully configured and ready to use with Winlator, providing a smooth and responsive gaming experience.
How to Use keyboard and mouse in Winlator
If you’re a PC gamer at heart, you’ll love the fact that Winlator supports keyboard and mouse input! This setup is perfect for FPS, RTS, and even RPG games where precise movement is key.
Follow these steps to set up your keyboard and mouse in Winlator.
1. First, connect your keyboard and mouse to your Android phone. If you are using wireless Mouse and keyboard pair them via your phone’s Bluetooth settings.
For wired keyboard and mouse connection, use a USB OTG adapter to connect them.
2. Open Winlator and load the game you want to play by running a Container.
3. One common issue with using a keyboard in Winlator is that certain keys (like Enter and Esc) may not work as expected. To fix this, we’ll use a third-party app called Key Remapper.
Exit Winlator and download the Key Remapper setup.exe file from the link above. Make sure that Key Remapper’s files are downloaded in the Downloads folder.
4. Open a Winlator Container, go to the D: drive, and run the setup.exe file to install Key Remapper.
5. Once installed, click on the Start button inside Winlator and navigate to Programs > ATNSOFT Key Remapper, and launch the program.
6. In Key Remapper, select Insert Action to manually map the faulty keys like Enter and Esc to their proper bindings.
And there you have it! Your keyboard and mouse should now work perfectly in Winlator, giving you the full desktop gaming experience on your Android device.
Using a controller or a keyboard-mouse combo in Winlator truly elevates your gaming experience. Whether you’re pulling off precise headshots in an FPS or executing complex moves in a fighting game, having the right input setup makes all the difference.
By following this guide, even beginners can get everything up and running in no time. So go ahead—connect your peripherals, tweak your settings, and dive into your favorite Windows games on Android!
You forget to mention when using BT or USB mouse there will be 2 cursors on Android: One being the cursor in Winlator, the second being Androids native cursor. So when Playing FPS games the mouse moves your view, but at the same time Androids cursor will be moving through the game screen. Please allow Winlator to better capture the mouse, so we won’t see Androids native mouse. (like in Samsung DEX)
It even won‘t start a Container. Loads for a minute then I am back in the launcher. Snapdragon here with Adreno and 4Gigs of RAM.
I have installed Winlator, and it appears to have been successful, but there is no onscreen keyboard. That said, I have a bluetooth keyboard that does work in the android environment, but is does not in the Winlator environment. How can this be made to function?
winlator esta increíble llevaba tiempo de no ver una tecnología así de innovadora, solo le faltan algunas cosas como co trovadores de dispositivos para que podamos conectar varios controles ya sea gamepad genéricos y controles de consolas para juegos multiplayer local y que winlator los detecte cada control, un ejemplo es poder jugar mortal kombat o callado of duty black ops 2 a pantalla dividida