Note that Touch Alternatives and Controller Emulation cannot be used at the same time. The layout might take some getting used to, and you cannot as yet remap any of the keys, but it could enable you to enjoy iOS and iPadOS games on your Mac even if you do not have a controller. For example, Touch Alternatives lets you hold the Option key and use a trackpad as a touchscreen replacement.Ĭontroller Emulation, however, is better optimized toward games, as it remaps every button on an iOS-compatible game controller onto the keyboard. Like Controller Emulation, this allows you to use your mouse and keyboard instead of a touchscreen in apps that were designed for Apple’s mobile platforms. For instance, with Apple’s new Controller Emulation feature, the W, A, S, and D keys swivel the left thumb stick, the space bar is the A button, and Tab is L1.Ī previous beta of the MacOS 11.3 update introduced a feature called Touch Alternatives for cross-platform apps and games. That means any iPadOS or iOS game that has been optimized for a controller will now play nice with your keyboard. Now, game controller buttons are mapped directly to keys on your keyboard and (optionally) your mouse.

Apple has been steadily adding more capabilities to this feature, but the latest MacOS 11.3 update brings with it one of the most welcome changes yet. If you have a Mac with an M1 chip, you can run iPhone and iPad apps and games right on your Mac.

Mac emulator controller