Microsoft has announced that a new Xbox Update Preview has reached the Alpha ring, and one of the headlining features for the new alpha, versioned 2308.230720-2200, is keyboard mapping for Xbox controllers. According to a writeup on Xbox Wire, this new feature only works with the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and Xbox Adaptive Controller at the moment, but it allows owners of these devices to map their controller buttons to any keys that they see fit through the Xbox Accessories app. There doesn’t seem to be any word yet on when the feature will get a wide release, however.
To get started, open the Xbox Accessories app Configure create a new profile or edit an existing one select a button to map choose Primary or Shift then move over to the new Key tab.
You can also find this feature in the Xbox Accessories app on your Windows PC by joining the Windows Gaming preview from the Xbox Insider Hub. Learn more about joining the Windows Gaming preview in the Xbox Insider Program FAQ.
Note:
- You may only map a given controller button to a single key, along with any combination of modifier keys (Win, Shift, Ctrl, Alt). For example, you could map Ctrl+Alt+W, but not Ctrl+Alt+W+E.
- Keyboard input support is game dependent, so you may notice some games will offer full support, partial support, or no support.
- Using or mapping keyboard keys via Bluetooth on PC is not supported. Learn more about the Xbox Accessories app and Bluetooth connections here.
Known Issues
- In the Xbox Accessories app, the “Learn More” button is currently not functional.
- If you change your keyboard language settings while the Xbox Accessories app is open, the change will be reflected after quitting the app or rebooting your console.