Connecting your Xbox or PlayStation controller to your Mac to enjoy your favorite video games is something we all know and is very easy to do. However, using it as a remote control device is another matter, but with Controlly you can achieve it.
How to connect a game controller to the Mac
Connecting any Bluetooth-enabled game controller to an Apple device is quite simple. Naturally, the controller must support Bluetooth for the buttons to be recognized correctly, but it basically involves activating pairing mode and accessing it through the macOS Bluetooth settings.
Depending on whether it is the Xbox or PlayStation controller, the process may vary a bit, but only the part in which you have to press the appropriate button on each of them to start the pairing process.
Of course, this connection between the two devices is solely and exclusively for using the controller in games that support this type of control. That is, all those available on platforms like Apple Arcade, Steam and the like that offer titles for Mac. But what would happen if we wanted to use the gamepad for something other than playing?
What is Controlly?
Controlly is an app available on the App Store that was developed to address the need to control Apple's desktop operating system with a game controller. With the analog sticks, you can move the cursor around the desktop, and the buttons can perform other actions that are fully customizable by the user.
Thus, thanks to this utility, Microsoft and Sony controllers, both those of previous generations and the recent Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, can be used without any problem. And this is very useful and practical for all types of users, even those who have some type of disability related to mobility.
To use Controlly, simply download and launch the application. However, it's essential to grant it access to the operating system through System Preferences > Accessibility . Only then will you be able to use your controller with this application and assign any type of action to its buttons, D-pad, and analog sticks. You can even assign keyboard shortcuts.
For example, with it you can access Mission Control, the Application Launcher, show your desktop, raise or lower the volume and even brightness on the screen, move the cursor, main click, right click and everything that you do to some extent every day with your keyboard, mouse, or trackpad.
Help for users with disabilities
If there is something that Apple has been working on seriously in recent years, it is everything related to accessibility. Both macOS and iOS and iPadOS offer numerous options that improve the user experience for all those users who have some type of disability.
With Controlly, those who suffer from some type of impediment that allows them to handle a keyboard and mouse with ease will be able to have an additional option to those that macOS already offers, such as VoiceOver and the like.
Therefore, this little tool is also very useful for all of them. Furthermore, since it's compatible with Xbox controllers, it can also be used with the Xbox Adaptive Controller . This makes it even easier for many to access and control their Mac when they want to do something other than just play games.
How to get Controlly
Controlly is an app available on the Mac App Store that you can download for free and try for seven days. After that time, you can unlock it for unrestricted use, or you can purchase it immediately if you're convinced it's the app you've been looking for, through in-app purchases with a single payment.
So, if you were looking for an option similar to this, here it is. Now it's just a matter of installing and configuring each and every one of the options it offers depending on which game control you use with it. Because the Xbox controller will not be the same as the PlayStation controller that has a trackpad.
https://twitter.com/hugolispector/status/1358828792626753536?s=20
In this video shared by the application developer himself, you can see how it works. Its usefulness will be much clearer to you, although we have no doubt that you already fully understood what it is for.