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PadIO

PadIO is a macOS menu bar daemon that maps game controller inputs to synthetic keyboard events, mouse movement, and more. It runs in the background with no window, reads a JSON config file, and fires keystrokes to whatever app is in the foreground — even when PadIO itself is not. Works with Xbox, PlayStation (DualShock 4, DualSense), Nintendo Switch Pro, and any MFi controller recognized by macOS.

Who is it for?

PadIO is for users who want maximum control over their controller mappings. It's config-file driven and designed for power users who want to define exactly what every button does — including multi-keystroke sequences (e.g., tmux prefix commands), per-app profiles, mode switching, and custom menus.

If you're looking for a friendlier GUI-based controller remapper, search "Game Controller" on the Mac App Store — there are several good options.

Features

  • Keystroke emission — any key, any modifier combo, including hyper and meh
  • Unicode text injection — emoji, accented characters, CJK, multi-character strings
  • Multi-step sequences — fire keystroke chains with configurable delay (e.g., tmux prefix)
  • Mouse & scroll — map sticks/dpad to cursor movement and scroll wheel with speed modifiers
  • Per-app profiles — automatic profile switching based on the frontmost application
  • Modes — multiple binding sets per profile, switchable via picker, cycling, or direct jump
  • Custom menus — define popup menus with labeled items that trigger any action
  • Haptic feedback — rumble on system beep, notifications, or on-demand from any binding
  • Media keys — play/pause, track skip, volume, brightness (no Accessibility permission needed)
  • Hot-reload — save the config file and changes take effect instantly
  • Help HUD — press the menu button anytime to see all current bindings
  • Debug overlay — optional HUD showing every button press and its resolved action

Quick install

brew install --cask vgreg/tap/padio

Or build from source.

Quick start

Create ~/.config/padio/config.json:

{
  "profiles": {
    "default": {
      "apps": [],
      "default_mode": "general",
      "modes": {
        "general": {
          "A": { "type": "keystroke", "key": "space" },
          "B": { "type": "keystroke", "key": "escape" },
          "dpad_up": { "type": "keystroke", "key": "up" },
          "dpad_down": { "type": "keystroke", "key": "down" }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Launch PadIO, grant Accessibility access, and press buttons. See Getting Started for a full walkthrough.