You feel the itch to play your favorite PC game, but suddenly, something goes wrong with your game controller. Using the keyboard feels awkward or ungainly. What to do? Do you know that it’s possible to turn your phone into a controller for your PC? It’s quite possible so this time, we’ll discuss how to use Android mobile as a gamepad for playing PC games.
If you’re quite used to playing mobile games, using your phone in a gamepad style should be no problem for you. Knowing. It will help you in case of any controller emergencies, or simply if you’re not in the mood to use your keyboard to control your games. Another cool scenario is when playing multiplayer with a friend and you only have one controller available. You can connect his phone to your computer, and it will act as a second controller.
Know however that the method we’ll discuss requires you to have a good network connection or that you have a good Bluetooth connection. Also, note that your phone needs to be on the higher end. All these reminders are to minimize controller lag if you’re the type that’s sensitive to that issue. As mentioned in the title, we’ll be using Android for this. You’ll need to download and install the app called DroidJoy on your Android phone. You’ll also need a receiver app on your Windows PC which can be downloaded on GitHub.
DroidJoy comes in a free ad-supported version, or you can buy the pro version for additional perks. For now, the free version will suit our purposes and thankfully the ads don’t appear during gameplay. Without further ado, let’s start learning how to use Android mobile as a gamepad for playing PC games.
Step 1: After opening DroidJoy on your phone, you should see four buttons – Gamepad, Connect, Settings, and Customize. We’ll use the Connect button to connect to the receiver. But first, you need to install the receiver (DroidJoy Server app) on your PC, using the GitHub link provided earlier.
Step 2: Once you run the server app on your PC, check the Free Gamepads field on the screen. It should say 1 initially as you’ll have one slot per phone. You can add another Gamepad by clicking on the Gamepad 2 Tab. Click on the checkbox “Activate XInput Gamepad”. This allows another phone to connect to the server in case you want to play multiplayer with a friend. After doing so, restart DroidJoy Server to apply the changes.
Step 3: There are two ways DroidJoy can connect the phone gamepad to the PC. The first is through Wi-Fi, hence our warning of having a strong connection. The other is Bluetooth. On the Mobile app, click the Settings button. Then click on Connection Type and select between Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection. We recommend a Bluetooth connection. If you select Wi-Fi, your phone and PC should be on the same Wi-Fi network.
Step 4: Click on the Connect button. Under Connect, you’ll need to add the Server. Click on the Add button below. You can find the server automatically or enter one manually. If you try to find it automatically, DroidJoy Server should be up and running on the PC. The app should be able to find it and give you the PC’s IP address. The IP address displayed on the phone should be the same as the computer’s IP address. Then click on Save. If for some reason it doesn’t pop up automatically, enter the server IP manually. The IP address should be visible on the DroidJoy Server screen. If you connect using Bluetooth mode, the MAC address on the screen will ensure that you’re connecting to the correct Bluetooth device.
Step 5: Once you have the server, you can now connect to it. Click on the one on the list and the PC should notify you if the connection was successful.
Step 6: Now you can proceed with customizing the Gamepad. Click on the Customize button on the app. Select the Standard template. You’ll end up with a template for an X-Box 360-type controller. With two analog controllers on the left and right. A D-Pad beside the right analog controller. Bumper buttons on the top, X, Y, A, and B buttons. Select and Start buttons, home button, and menu button.
Step 7: Try a controller-enabled PC game to see if it works. You can try two different phones, one that connects through Wi-Fi and the other through Bluetooth. When connecting through Bluetooth, the device needs to be paired with the PC first, in order for the Server to be found. As mentioned, proper pairing can be determined via the displayed MAC Address on the server app.
You now have the option of having a backup controller in case you’re prone to controller rage. You wouldn’t slam your phone to the floor, would you? The other benefit is having an extra controller when a friend comes over. We hope you found this lesson useful. Share this with your friends. Have fun!
