GamepadOS setup guide: from download to your first game

Setting up GamepadOS takes three jobs: install the PC server, install the phone app and pair the two. This guide walks through each step in order, explains what is happening behind each prompt and ends with a test that proves Windows sees the controller before you open a game.

Before you start

• Your PC runs Windows 10 or 11 and your phone runs Android 9 or newer.
• For wireless play, both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. A hotel or guest network that isolates devices will not work, and neither will a VPN that captures local traffic. Our connection checklist covers both.
• For wired play, you have a USB cable that carries data. Some cables only charge.

Step 1: install the PC server

Download the Gamepad Server installer from the download section and run it. The installer does three things for you:

• It installs the ViGEmBus driver, which lets Windows create a virtual Xbox 360 controller.
• It adds a Windows Firewall rule so your phone's packets are allowed in. The server listens on UDP ports 7777 to 7786.
• It installs the server itself, which starts quietly in the background each time you open it.

Windows shows one permission prompt during this step. Accept it. If Windows SmartScreen or Smart App Control warns that the app is unsigned, read what those warnings mean before choosing how to proceed.

Step 2: install the Android app

Install GamepadOS on your phone from Google Play, or use the direct APK download if you prefer. Open it once. The app can be used without an account.

Step 3: pair the phone and PC

Open the Gamepad Server window on your PC. It shows a QR code. On your phone, open the connection screen and tap Scan PC QR code, then point the camera at the code. The QR contains your PC's network address and a pairing key, so pairing is instant and the phone remembers the PC for next time.

If the camera cannot scan

Choose Connect manually instead. Enter the PC's IPv4 address, keep the port at 7777 unless the server shows a different port, and type the 8-character pairing key shown below the QR code. Both values are on the server window.

If you would rather use a cable

Choose the USB tab, plug the phone in with a data cable and let the app connect. The USB guide explains the tethering and debugging options.

Step 4: check that Windows sees the controller

Do this before launching a game, because it separates "the controller is not connected" from "the game is not reading it".

1. Press Win + R, type joy.cpl and press Enter.
2. You should see an Xbox 360 controller in the list. Select it and choose Properties.
3. Press buttons and move a stick on your phone. The test window should react at once.

If the controller is missing, the driver did not install. Run the server installer again and accept the prompt, or install ViGEmBus yourself from its official releases page.

Step 5: pick a layout and play

Start with the standard controller layout. It follows the familiar Xbox arrangement, so most games need no changes. Open your game and look in its settings: if it supports gamepads, it will detect an Xbox 360 controller. If your game is on Steam, enable Xbox controller support under Steam's controller settings. The Steam and emulator guide has the details.

When you want a layout that fits a particular game, the layout builder lets you move and resize every control. Racing fans can switch on tilt steering.

What to do when pairing fails

Almost every failed pairing is one of five things: different networks, a VPN, a blocked firewall port, a stale QR code after the PC changed network, or a router that isolates devices. Restarting the server gives you a fresh QR code and fixes the stale one. The full list with fixes is in Phone can't connect to your PC.

Updating later

To update, install the newer PC server over the old one and update the phone app from your store, or install the new APK over the old one. Your layouts and your pairing survive updates, so you will not need to scan the QR code again.