Emulator Keyboard Controls — Xenia

Open the .toml file in Notepad++ or any text editor. Look for lines like:

[keyboard]
mapping = """
# Format: button = "key"
A = "Enter"
B = "Period"
X = "K"
...
"""

The Xbox 360 controller has 17 distinguishable buttons plus 4 analog axes (two sticks, two triggers). A standard keyboard has no analog inputs; presses are either 0% or 100%.

When you first run Xenia, the emulator uses a hard-coded keyboard layout. As of the latest master and canary builds, the default controls are as follows:

| Xbox 360 Button | Default Keyboard Key | | :--- | :--- | | A (Confirm) | Enter | | B (Cancel) | F | | X | R | | Y | T | | Left Bumper (LB) | Q | | Right Bumper (RB) | E | | Left Trigger (LT) | Z | | Right Trigger (RT) | C | | Back (View) | V | | Start (Menu) | B | | Left Stick Click (L3) | X | | Right Stick Click (R3) | Left Control (LCtrl) | | D-Pad Up | Arrow Up | | D-Pad Down | Arrow Down | | D-Pad Left | Arrow Left | | D-Pad Right | Arrow Right | | Left Stick (Analog) | W, A, S, D (Digital, not analog) | | Right Stick (Analog) | I, J, K, L (Digital, not analog) | | Guide Button (Xbox Logo) | F1 |

Critical Caveat: The analog sticks (left and right) using WASD or IJKL behave as digital inputs. That means you move at 100% speed instantly, or not at all. There is no subtle walking or slow aiming. For racing games or stealth titles, this is a significant disadvantage. xenia emulator keyboard controls

The Xenia team (led by Ben Vanik and contributors) has long prioritized accuracy over features. Native keyboard rebinding is not a high priority because:

However, the experimental Canary builds of Xenia have shown early support for raw keyboard input. It is likely that within 12–18 months, a GUI for keyboard mapping will arrive. Until then, the third-party method remains king.

Yes, for turn-based RPGs, action-adventure, and shooters – with patience.
No, for racing games, fighting games, or anything requiring analog input.

If you own a modern Xbox One, Series X|S, or PlayStation controller, use that via USB or Bluetooth—Xenia will detect it instantly with zero configuration. But if you are a keyboard purist, the x360ce method transforms Xenia into a surprisingly playable experience. Open the

Just remember: You are emulating a controller, not playing a native PC port. Set your expectations accordingly, and the world of Xbox 360 exclusives opens up at your fingertips.

Have a custom keyboard profile that works perfectly? Share it on the r/XeniaEmulator subreddit – the community relies on shared configs.

By default, the Xenia emulator is designed for XInput controllers

(like Xbox 360 or Xbox One controllers) and has very limited built-in support for keyboard controls. While the keyboard can navigate basic menus, full gameplay typically requires manual configuration or third-party tools. Native Keyboard Configuration The Xbox 360 controller has 17 distinguishable buttons

In recent builds, you can manually map keys by editing the emulator's configuration file. Locate Config File : Navigate to Documents\Xenia (or your root folder if using "portable" mode) and open xenia.config.toml xenia-canary.config.toml for the Canary version) in a text editor like Notepad. Enable Keyboard : Look for the keyboard_mode setting and set it to Map Controls : Scroll to the [HID.WinKey]

section. You can define keys by typing the character or using Virtual-Key Codes for special keys (e.g., for the Down Arrow). Common Native Keys : By default, often accesses in-game post-processing settings. Third-Party Tools for Better Control

Since Xenia does not natively support mouse movement or advanced remapping, many users rely on external software to "translate" keyboard and mouse movements into controller inputs.

The syntax is: keyboard_key_[XboxButton] = "[KeyboardKey]"