How To Use An Xbox One Controller As a Mouse

If you have set up your PC as a media center for your living room, chances are that you’re running back and forth from your couch near your computer every time you want to move your cursor. Having a Bluetooth mouse solves this issue, but if you want to control your PC in a fun way, you can pair your Xbox One controller with it. 

Not only is it interesting, but you can have a laid-back experience from far away with complete control of your PC in your hands. In this article, we will tell you how to use an Xbox One controller as a mouse using Gropher360. We will also discuss a few other alternatives that you can try for yourself. 

Let’s get right to it. 

How To Use An Xbox One Controller As A Mouse by Pairing Up Your Controller Via Bluetooth

Before we move on to the actual steps of using Gropher360, it is important to first pair your Xbox One controller to your PC via Bluetooth.

To do that:

• Hold down the Home key on your Xbox One controller for a few seconds to turn it on
• Next, make sure that you have enabled Bluetooth on your computer
• Select Add Bluetooth or other devices and wait for your PC to discover your controller
• Once discovered, you can pair up your Xbox One controller 

Now that we have the basic procedure out of the way, it’s time to download Gropher360.

Using Gropher360

Gropher360 is an open-source third-party application that is available for free online. It is a lightweight software that allows you to navigate your Windows-10 OS using an Xbox One or Xbox 360 controller. In order to use it, you must first download and use it. 

How To Download And Install Gropher360

Here’s what you need to do to get started:

• Launch a web browser from your desktop
• Go to the Gropher360 webpage
• To download the latest version, click the Gropher360 link at the top
• Scroll down and find the Gropher360.exe download link
• Once the setup is downloaded, install the application and wait for it to auto-launch

Gropher360 Button Mapping On Xbox One Controllers

Once you launch Gropher360, the application will detect your Xbox One controller connected to your PC via Bluetooth. Here’s a simple mapping guide to let you know the function of each button on your controller:

How To Add Gropher360 To Your PC’s Startup Folder

Even though Gropher360 allows you to use your Xbox One controller as a mouse, you’ll need to launch it every time using a mouse manually. However, you can avoid it by adding the application to your PC’s startup folder. This way, Gropher360 will automatically launch with bootup, and you can use your controller right away. Here’s how to do it:

• Open File Explorer on your PC
• Click Downloads and locate the Gropher360 file
• Copy the file
• Click Win+R to open the Run command
• Type “shell:startup” and click OK to open the Startup folder
• Paste the file there 

Now, Gropher360 will launch every time you start up your PC, so you can directly use your Xbox One controller as a mouse. If you want it to stop, simply reopen the startup folder and delete the Gropher360 files from there. 

Gropher360 Alternatives 

If you want to try out similar applications as Gropher360, here’s a small list of the best alternatives you can download:

JoyToKey

If you are willing to pay a small price for configuration software, you can get the JoyToKey shareware emulator. It allows you to replace your keyboard and mouse with an Xbox One controller, and you can fully customize it to create your own mapping profiles. However, it does not feature plug-and-play accessibility like in Gropher360, and you’ll need to set it up for the first time. 

To get started with it, head to the JoyToKey webpage, where you can find the permanent and trial versions. Download the Zip Archive file and extract it at your desired location. Now, run the JoyToKey setup and install it to turn your controller into a mouse. 

Xpadder

For a nominal fee of $10, you can get Xpadder for your PC. What makes this configuration application so unique is its wide support for many third-party controllers. So even if you don’t have an Xbox One or Xbox 360 controller, you can use other gamepads to mimic the mouse and keyboard. However, since Xpadder doesn’t have any built-in drivers for controller support, you can only use the controllers recognized by Windows-10. 

Similar to JoyToKey, Xpadder allows you to map your controller buttons to perform desired functions thoroughly. Although its user interface isn’t the most accessible, you can navigate through it easily once you get used to it. 

Controller Companion

At last, we have the Controller Companion available on Steam for $3. It works similarly to the other options on this list and even includes an on-screen keyboard that we found more convenient than the native Windows-10 on-screen keyboard. 

To fully unlock the potential of Controller Companion, we recommend using it with Steam’s big picture mode to get a vivid media center experience. And if that’s not enough, you can enable the launch with the startup option on Steam to avoid using the mouse altogether. 

How To Disable Your Xbox One Controller As A Mouse Through Steam

Even though it’s fun to replace your mouse and keyboard with a controller, there will be a time when you’ll have to revert your settings. You can do it easily using the Steam client by following these simple steps:

• Launch Steam and go to Settings
• Click the Controller tab
• Open Desktop Configuration
• Click on Remove and unmap all your custom binds
• At last, press the Back button on your controller and exit the menu

Now, your controller will stop functioning as a mouse but will continue to work in-game.

Conclusion

Using an Xbox One controller as a mouse allows you to sit back on the couch and control your PC in an exciting way. However, a controller is not as accurate as a mouse, and it’s less efficient than a keyboard when it comes to typing. 

But if you want to do it anyway, we highly recommend checking out Gropher360. It is an excellent and easy-to-access application that is available for free, and that’s a great price. Also, feel free to check out our other recommendations for more customizable use.