AetherSX2 Controller Setup: Mapping, Profiles, and Macros

AetherSX2 supports Bluetooth controllers alongside its touchscreen controls, and mapping one takes just a few taps in Controller Settings. This guide covers pairing, fixing missing buttons, and the profile and macro features once your controller is working.

Does AetherSX2 Support Controllers?

Yes. Touchscreen and Bluetooth controller support is listed directly in AetherSX2’s own app documentation as a built-in feature.

You’re not limited to the touchscreen. A Bluetooth controller works alongside it, and you can switch between the two depending on the game.

How Do You Map a Bluetooth Controller?

Open Controller Settings and start with automatic mapping. AetherSX2’s own documentation points to this as the first step whenever a Bluetooth controller isn’t responding correctly.

Automatic mapping doesn’t always catch everything. Triggers or analog sticks sometimes need a manual pass afterward, so check those specifically if a button works but a trigger or stick doesn’t.

How Do You Add L3, R3, and Dual Sticks?

Pause your game and tap the controller icon in the top-right corner to open Controller Settings from in-game. From there, use Add/Remove buttons to bring in L3 and R3, or switch the layout to dual analog sticks if you’re missing the second stick entirely.

This is the same screen you’d use for any other in-game controller adjustment, so it’s worth remembering the pause-menu shortcut rather than digging through app settings each time.

How Do You Customize the Touchscreen Controls?

Press pause or back while in a game, then tap the controls tab in the same top-right corner. This is where you adjust the position and scale of the on-screen buttons.

The same screen lets you add hotkey buttons, like fast forward or quick save and load, if you want quicker access to those while playing.

What Are Input Profiles, and How Do You Use Them?

An input profile bundles your touchscreen layout and Bluetooth controller bindings into one saved setup. It’s built for players who want different control schemes for different games, without resetting everything each time they switch.

To create and use one:

  1. Set up the touchscreen layout and Bluetooth bindings you want active
  2. Save it as a profile from Controller Settings
  3. Open Game Properties for the game you want it tied to, and go to the General tab
  4. Select that profile under Input Profile

Once it’s set, the profile loads automatically whenever you launch that specific game. Switching to a different game reverts you to your global controller setup.

How Do You Create Macro Buttons?

Each virtual controller gives you 4 macro slots. A macro fires a combination of buttons from a single trigger, which is useful for anything that normally takes pressing several buttons at once.

To set one up:

  • Open Controller Settings and pick the macro slot you want to customize
  • Set a trigger, this can be a phone button, a controller button, or a button combination, or leave it empty to trigger from the touchscreen instead
  • Choose which combination of buttons the macro should activate
  • Set a frequency if you want it to repeat automatically, otherwise leave it at zero for a simple combo press
  • Enable the on-screen macro button in-game if you want to trigger it from the touchscreen, since M1 through M4 are hidden by default

Setting up your first macro can feel fiddly since there are several settings stacked on top of each other. It gets faster once you’ve done it once, but don’t expect to get it right on the first try.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Bluetooth controller support is a stated feature in AetherSX2’s own app documentation.

Start with automatic mapping in Controller Settings. If triggers or sticks don’t respond, map those manually.

Yes, this is exactly what input profiles are for. Save a profile, then assign it to a specific game under Game Properties.

4 per virtual controller, each with its own trigger and button combination.

Open Controller Settings from the in-game pause menu and use Add/Remove buttons, or switch to a dual-stick layout.

Conclusion

Most controller issues on AetherSX2 come down to remapping or switching to a dual-stick layout, both handled from the same Controller Settings screen. Once your controller is dialed in, our AetherSX2 best settings guide covers the performance side, and our AetherSX2 compatibility page explains what else affects how well a specific game runs.