Xenia does not have a built-in graphical control mapper. By default, controls are hardcoded or set via the xenia.config.toml file. Below is the standard default layout (based on common community builds):
| Xbox 360 Button | Keyboard Key | |-----------------------|-----------------------| | A | A | | B | B | | X | X | | Y | Y | | Left Bumper (LB) | Q | | Right Bumper (RB) | E | | Left Trigger (LT) | R (half-press) / No analog by default | | Right Trigger (RT) | F (half-press) | | Back | C | | Start | V | | Guide (Xbox button) | Home | | Left Stick Click (L3) | Left Ctrl | | Right Stick Click (R3)| Right Ctrl | | D-pad Up | Up Arrow | | D-pad Down | Down Arrow | | D-pad Left | Left Arrow | | D-pad Right | Right Arrow | | Left Stick Up | W | | Left Stick Down | S | | Left Stick Left | A | | Left Stick Right | D | | Right Stick Up | I | | Right Stick Down | K | | Right Stick Left | J | | Right Stick Right | L |
⚠️ Note: Triggers (LT/RT) are digital (on/off) with this mapping. Analog input (pressure sensitivity) requires a gamepad or custom mapping via third-party tools.
For power users, Xenia does have a hidden, experimental keyboard configuration system via its xenia.config.toml file. This is not user-friendly, but it exists. xenia emulator keyboard controls
Xenia does not have a built-in menu for remapping keyboard controls, and its native keyboard support is primarily intended for basic menu navigation rather than full gameplay Standard Keyboard Layout (Default)
For basic interaction, Xenia maps several keys to Xbox controller buttons. Note that specific mapping can vary slightly between builds, but the following are common defaults: Directional Pad (D-Pad): Arrow Keys Left Trigger (LT): Right Trigger (RT): Left Bumper (LB): Right Bumper (RB): Customizing Keyboard Controls
If the default layout is insufficient, you can attempt to customize it using the following methods: Edit the Configuration File : Navigate to your Xenia folder (or Documents\Xenia ) and open xenia.config.toml in a text editor like Notepad. Look for the [HID.WinKey] section to manually rebind keys using hexadecimal codes. Use Xenia Mousehook Xenia does not have a built-in graphical control mapper
: For shooters or games requiring precise camera control, download the Xenia Mousehook fork
(specifically for Xenia Canary). This tool injects mouse input directly into the game memory for camera movement. Steam Input Wrapper
: Add Xenia to Steam as a "Non-Steam Game." Once added, you can use Steam's Controller Configuration ⚠️ Note: Triggers (LT/RT) are digital (on/off) with
in Big Picture mode to map your keyboard and mouse to emulated controller inputs. Third-Party Software : Tools like
can emulate a virtual XInput controller, allowing you to map any keyboard/mouse combination to the emulator.
| Issue | Fix |
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Keys not responding | Check xenia.config.toml syntax. Ensure no other app is intercepting keys. |
| LT/RT are on/off, not analog | Normal – Xenia keyboard input is digital. Use a gamepad for analog. |
| Can’t remap to modifier keys (Shift/Ctrl/Alt) | Those are reserved by the OS. Use a remapper tool instead. |
| D-pad and left stick swapped | Some Xenia builds have reversed scancodes. Swap values manually in config. |