Gamepad Aim (“Use Controller for Aim”)
A toggle that makes the entire aim pipeline drive the virtual right stick instead of synthesizing mouse motion. Use it for games that accept only gamepad input.
What it does
When UseControllerForAim is on, PowerAim’s aim/move loop:
- Computes the per-tick mouse-delta exactly as it would for SendInput
- Translates that delta into a right-stick deflection
- Writes the deflection to the virtual ViGEm gamepad
Triggers can also be routed to gamepad buttons (GamepadButton.A, GamepadSlider.RightTrigger, etc.) via the trigger editor.
The result: the game sees gamepad input, never knows there’s a keyboard hooked up.
Prerequisites
- ViGEmBus driver installed. Without it, the toggle stays disabled. See Installation.
- A working gamepad sender. On the Gamepad settings page, the Send Mode must be ViGEm (default) or one of the other working backends.
How to enable
- Aim Tools → AimConfig → Use Controller for Aim → toggle on
- PowerAim’s aim loop now writes to the virtual stick instead of the mouse
The toggle is greyed out until ViGEm is set up. Its tooltip explains why if it’s disabled.
Configuration
The aim sensitivity sliders still apply, but their values now map to stick deflection rather than pixel movement:
| Setting | What changes |
|---|---|
| Mouse Sensitivity | Acts as a stick-deflection scale. Tune by feel. |
| EMA Smoothening | Same as before — smooths the target before deflection is computed. |
| Movement Path | Same as before. |
| GamepadMinimumLT / RT | (Settings page) thresholds below which trigger pulls are ignored. |
Tips
- Calibrate again after enabling. The Calibration Wizard works with whatever input method is active — re-run it for gamepad-aim feel.
- Combine with Controller Mapping. Use Controller Mapping to wire your WASD keys to the virtual left stick; PowerAim drives the right stick. Result: full virtual gamepad input from your KB+M.
- Hide your physical controller while doing this. Otherwise some games sum inputs from both pads. See Hidden Controllers.
Troubleshooting
- Toggle is greyed out — ViGEm isn’t ready. Open the Gamepad Not Detected guide.
- Game doesn’t react to aim — see Controller Aim Has No Effect.
- Aim drifts even with mouse still — the AI loop is sending residual deltas. Toggle off and back on; if it persists, the deadzone (
StickDeadzoneon the mapping profile) might be too low.