If you are someone who enjoys playing computer games, you would know that most of the time, using the WASD or arrow keys plus the space bar is the most common way to play them. However, using your keyboard should not be the only way you play your favorite game, especially if you have a game controller in your grasp. Now, you can make use of your wireless gamepad with the help of a program called Xpadder.
Table of Contents
What is Xpadder?
Xpadder is an application that allows you to use the buttons on your chosen controller in place of your keyboard keys. You will be able to play keyboard-only computer games with the use of your handheld gamepad. This is an absolute win for you if you prefer to accompany your gaming experience with a game controller.
This program has been up for a decade now and is specially developed for the Windows operating system. Xpadder has been downloaded more than 4 million times by people around the world. It currently supports the following versions of Windows: XP, Vista, 8, 8.1, and 10. It is also compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit varieties.
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Features of Xpadder
As we have mentioned, Xpadder is a program that lets the buttons of your game controller represent your keyboard keys and mouse movements. This PC application intends to enable the use of a gamepad when you play games on your computer, even if they do not support the use of controllers. For games that do support the use of controllers, Xpadder helps improve gamepad compatibility.
If you are a fan of DOS or browser games, you will find Xpadder to be the best application for you to use. Playing those games will be more comfortable with the use of a game controller, and Xpadder fulfills that.
With Xpadder, you will also be able to use a maximum of 16 controllers at once and manage multiple profiles through files that you can share. The program is compatible with any gamepad that Windows has a driver for, from old-school joysticks to newer controllers. When your controller is connected to your computer through Xpadder, you can use it to control various Windows software. Furthermore, the application will allow you to configure the rumble and vibrate options, even for games that do not support them.
Is Xpadder Free?
You will need to pay $9.99 if you want to use Xpadder. This is a one-time payment for the current version of the program, as well as its future releases. The creator of Xpadder, Jonathan Firth, likewise sets this price to help in the maintenance of the program and its official website.
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How to Get Xpadder for Free?
If you do not prefer paying $9.99 to get your copy of Xpadder, there is still a way for you to get it for free. However, you should take note that only older versions of the program are available for free. Any features that have come with newer releases will be unavailable, but users do not have complaints about using the older versions.
Here, we will guide you on how to get a free version of Xpadder for Windows:
- Use your browser to navigate to this link: https://www.download.hr/old-version-xpadder.html
- Once you have opened the link, you will see the different download options for Xpadder.
- Choose the one you prefer and wait for it to finish downloading.
- Install Xpadder through the file you have downloaded.
- You will then be able to use your favorite controller using Xpadder for Windows.
You will still be able to configure the settings of Xpadder however you want, despite using the old but free versions.
How to Download Xpadder for Windows
You can download the latest full version of Xpadder for Windows by following the steps below:
- Go to the official website of Xpadder: https://www.xpadder.com
- You will be prompted to select your preferred language and your country.
- After selecting a page where you can enter your email address will be loaded. You will be sent an email with your personal Xpadder link, as well as ways to contact and pay the owner.
- Once you have completed the payment process, which is done through PayPal, the latest version of Xpadder for your computer will be available for download.
As mentioned, only a single payment is needed to get both the latest and future releases of Xpadder for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, and 10.
Video With Instructions
How to Use Xpadder
After you have downloaded Xpadder through any of the methods we have enumerated for you, you will need to install the application. Just follow the prompts that will show up on your computer once you run the executable.
After the installation process is done, plugin, or connect your Windows-compatible controller to your computer. Your PC will automatically recognize the device.
Opening Xpadder after you have connected a controller will lead you to its user interface. Here, you will be able to map your preferred keyboard controls onto your gamepad buttons.
This will enable your controller to emulate the keyboard and mouse controls you need for your game. You could also finetune the other settings to your liking. If your controller supports a force feedback option, you will be able to turn that on or off as well.
How to Set Up Xpadder for Xbox 360 Controller
For this article, we will help you set up a wired Xbox 360 controller for Xpadder. Among the hundreds of compatible controllers for Windows, the Xbox 360 controller might be the easiest one to install because of its plug-and-play capability.
We will provide you with an easy-to-follow step-by-step process on how to set up Xpadder for the Xbox 360 controller.
Creating a New Button Map
Navigate to the main screen of the Xpadder user interface. Afterward, click on the gamepad icon, which you will find in the upper left corner. Chose the ‘New’ option found in the drop-down menu. A new window for the ‘Controller Settings’ panel will open up after.
In this new window, you will see the following tabs:
- Image;
- Sticks;
- DPad;
- Buttons; and
- Triggers.
You will be initially taken to the ‘Image’ tab, where a black screen will welcome you. This is the placeholder for the image of your controller — in this case, the Xbox 360 controller.
It will show you the layout of the gamepad you are mapping, which makes configuring Xpadder a lot easier. To download the appropriate image for your controller, navigate to the page for the Xpadder Game Controller Database (http://xpadder.com/gcdb.php).
Here, you will be able to download the proper image file; make sure to save it in a folder that you have easy access to. Back to the Controller Settings window, you will have to choose ‘Open…’. From here, you need to browse to the folder where you had saved your downloaded image file.
Another way to attach the image is by copy-pasting. When you are back to the page for the Xpadder Game Controller Database, you will need to copy the correct gamepad image. Then, in the Controller Settings window, click on ‘Paste.’ This function lets you utilize any picture you have just saved in your computer clipboard.
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Basics of Controller Set-Up
For this step, we will focus on four tabs, namely, the Sticks, DPad, Buttons, and Triggers tabs. While these may sound like a lot of work, this part of the configuration process is pretty easy.
In the ‘Sticks’ menu, you will need to make sure that the checkboxes for ‘Enabled’ are ticked. Once you have clicked on the checkboxes, Xpadder will prompt you to move your controller sticks in specific directions; you will have to do as the program asks you. Remember to have both checkboxes ticked, as this will enable both of the analog sticks of your controller.
The ‘DPad’ menu is our next focus. It looks similar to the layout of the ‘Sticks’ menu, and you will configure it in much the same way as well. Tick on the checkboxes that will enable the DPad of your controller and follow the prompts that will be given to you by the application. You will not have to change any of the other options on the menu.
Next, we will configure the buttons of your controller. You will have to press each of the buttons on your controller one by one; doing this will add them to the on-screen controller layout. Be alert while you press the buttons, for you will need to make sure that you drag and drop the indicators to their respective locations on the image.
Do not forget to press your bumper buttons (e.g., Xbox’s LB and RB) as well. If your controller supports it (like the Xbox 360 controller), you will also need to press on both analog sticks, too.
Last up is the ‘Triggers’ menu. Here, you can register various triggers as that — triggers. While you can do the same thing in the ‘Buttons’ menu, they will only be accepted as single clicks rather than triggers, especially if the triggers on your controller possess multiple sensitivity levels.
Using Xpadder in Your Favourite Computer Games
Now that you have successfully installed Xpadder on your PC and configured your favorite controller on the program, it is time for you to configure your chosen PC game to accommodate your controller.
Most Xpadder users choose Minecraft as their top computer game to play with a controller. So, for this article, we will guide you on how to properly configure Minecraft for you to be able to play it with your controller through Xpadder.
After you have saved your Controller Settings, go to Minecraft and check the keyboard controls that have been set. These will be the ones you will need to emulate on your controller, so keep them in mind.
You will be able to bind keyboard buttons to your controller on the main screen of Xpadder. On each corresponding indicator on the layout, you will need to press the appropriate keyboard keys.
So, for example, if your WASD keys are for movement, then you will need to place them on their respective DPad buttons. After you have set up and bound all necessary buttons, Xpadder will instantly do its trick. The program will just run in the background, which lets your gamepad always respond according to the keys bound to it when you press any of its buttons.
Even if your game does not offer controller support, you will have to do the same process. Take ahold of its keyboard settings, then set them up appropriately in Xpadder. You will then be able to play the game with your controller.
Help! Xpadder is Not Working When Minimised
If you have noticed that your Xpadder program keeps on closing or refuses to work whenever you minimize it, then you might need to avoid doing so. Some programs automatically stop whenever you minimize them, and perhaps your version of Xpadder is one of them.
To work around this issue, try not clicking on the minimize button. Instead, try dragging it down your taskbar until you have hidden most of its window. You could also hide it behind the window of your game.
However, to be sure, try updating your program to the newest possible version that you have access to. Newer releases are said to have been fixed so that they will not cause this problem anymore.
How to Uninstall Xpadder
Despite its many benefits, there might come a time when you will need to uninstall Xpadder from your computer. However, many users of reported issues with uninstalling the program, such as the following:
- Xpadder not being listed in Programs and Features;
- Not having sufficient access to uninstall Xpadder;
- The required uninstallation file is unable to run;
- Not all of Xpadder’s files were successfully deleted or uninstalled;
- Another process using Xpadder is halting the uninstallation process; and
- Files of Xpadder can still be found on the computer’s hard disk.
So if you have encountered any of these problems, you might be thinking of how you would be able to thoroughly and carefully uninstall Xpadder on your Windows computer. Here, we will help you through the main methods you can utilize to move on with the process of uninstalling Xpadder from your laptop.
Control Panel
If ever Xpadder shows up on the Programs and Features list, you can easily uninstall Xpadder here. Navigate to your computer’s Control Panel, then go to Programs and Features. Scroll down the list until you see the row containing Xpadder. Click on the option to uninstall it.
Windows Registry
This method is particularly risky, especially if you do not know how to do this. Try asking someone you know to do this, or try out another way if you would like to.
Click on the Start menu, type Regedit then click on ‘OK.’ Once you are facing the Registry Editor window, you will need to delete the registry entries about Xpadder very carefully. The lines you will need to remove are:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Xpadder
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Xpadder
Afterward, open File Explorer and search your hard disk by using keywords referring to Xpadder. Delete all the files associated with it. The most common folders you can find these in are the Program Files folder and Documents folder.
Conclusion
- Xpadder is an excellent program for gamers who prefer using their controllers. It emulates keyboard keys and mouse movement to your controller layout. You will then be able to play using the controller.
- It costs $9.99; this one-time payment gives you access to the latest release, as well as to future releases without any additional costs. You could also get Xpadder for free, but these are for older versions only, which, according to users, still work correctly.
- Installing and configuring your controller to Xpadder are two straightforward processes that you can easily follow.
- Try updating to the latest accessible version of Xpadder to avoid having issues where the program does not work when minimized.
- You can uninstall it through the Control Panel and the Registry Editor, among other methods.
