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Dolphin supports a wide variety of input devices for both GameCube and Wii emulation. This guide covers how to configure controllers and input mapping.

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Accessing Controller Settings

1

Open Controllers

Navigate to Controllers in the main menu bar, or click Options > Controller Settings
2

Select Console

Choose between GameCube Controllers or Wii Remotes tabs

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GameCube Controllers

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Controller Types

For each of the 4 GameCube controller ports, you can select:
Emulated GameCube controller using keyboard, mouse, or gamepad input.

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GameCube Adapter for Wii U

Dolphin supports the official GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U:
1

Connect Adapter

Connect the adapter to your computer via USB
2

Select Adapter Mode

In the GameCube Controllers tab, select GameCube Adapter for Wii U from the dropdown
3

Configure Ports

Click Configure to enable/disable specific ports and set rumble settings
On Windows, you may need to install drivers. On Linux, you may need to set up udev rules for proper access.

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Configuring Standard Controller

1

Select Standard Controller

Set a port to Standard Controller
2

Click Configure

Click the Configure button next to the port
3

Select Device

Choose your input device from the Device dropdown
4

Map Buttons

Click each button field and press the corresponding button on your controller

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Button Mapping

Map the following GameCube controller inputs:

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Buttons

  • A, B, X, Y
  • Start
  • Z (shoulder)
  • L (left trigger)
  • R (right trigger)

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D-Pad

  • Up, Down, Left, Right

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Analog Stick

  • Main Stick (X/Y axes)
  • C-Stick (X/Y axes)

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Analog Triggers

  • L-Analog and R-Analog (pressure-sensitive)
For triggers, you can set both digital and analog inputs. The digital input activates when the trigger is fully pressed.

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Advanced Input Settings

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Dead Zone

Adjust the dead zone for analog sticks to prevent drift:
  • Lower values: More sensitive
  • Higher values: Less sensitive to small movements

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Radius

Set the radius of analog stick movement (useful for non-circular stick inputs).

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Input Expressions

Dolphin supports complex input expressions for advanced mapping: 
`A` | `B`         // A or B button
`X` & `Y`         // Both X and Y pressed
!`Start`         // Inverts Start button
`Axis X` * 1.5   // Multiply axis by 1.5

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Wii Remotes

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Wii Remote Types

For each of the 4 Wii Remote slots plus Balance Board:
Use keyboard, mouse, or controller to emulate a Wii Remote.

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Emulated Wii Remote Configuration

1

Select Emulated

Set a slot to Emulated Wii Remote
2

Click Configure

Click the Configure button
3

Select Extension

Choose an extension from the Extension dropdown:
  • None
  • Nunchuk
  • Classic Controller
  • Guitar
  • Drums
  • Turntable
  • uDraw Tablet
  • Drawsome Tablet
  • Tattoo Assist
4

Map Inputs

Map buttons, motion controls, and extension inputs

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Wii Remote Inputs

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Buttons

  • A, B, 1, 2
  • Plus (+) and Minus (-)
  • Home

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D-Pad

  • Up, Down, Left, Right

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Motion Controls

  • Shake (X, Y, Z)
  • Tilt (Forward, Backward, Left, Right)
  • Swing (Up, Down, Left, Right, Forward, Backward)
  • Point (IR Pointer X/Y)
For pointer controls, you can use a mouse, touchscreen, or analog stick to emulate the IR sensor.

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Nunchuk Extension

When Nunchuk is selected as an extension:
  • Buttons: C and Z
  • Analog Stick: Control stick with X/Y axes
  • Motion: Shake and tilt controls

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Classic Controller Extension

The Classic Controller adds:
  • Buttons: A, B, X, Y, L, R, ZL, ZR, Plus, Minus, Home
  • D-Pad: Up, Down, Left, Right
  • Analog Sticks: Left Stick and Right Stick (X/Y axes)
  • Analog Triggers: L and R (pressure-sensitive)

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Motion Control Configuration

Use mouse movement for pointer and tilt controls. Suitable for most games.

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Real Wii Remote Connection

To use a real Wii Remote via Bluetooth:
1

Enable Bluetooth

Ensure Bluetooth is enabled on your computer
2

Select Real Wii Remote

Set a slot to Real Wii Remote
3

Press Sync

Click Refresh in Dolphin, then press the sync button (red button under battery cover) on your Wii Remote
4

Pair

The Wii Remote should appear and connect automatically
Real Wii Remote support requires Bluetooth passthrough mode or compatible Bluetooth adapter. Windows users may need special drivers.

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Continuous Scanning

Enable Continuous Scanning in Wii settings to keep searching for Wii Remotes during gameplay. This allows Wii Remotes to reconnect if they disconnect.

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Hotkeys

Dolphin supports customizable hotkeys for common emulator functions:

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Configuring Hotkeys

1

Open Hotkey Settings

Click the Hotkeys tab in Controller Settings
2

Select Device

Choose your input device from the dropdown
3

Map Hotkeys

Click each hotkey field and press the desired key combination

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Available Hotkeys

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General

  • Open
  • Play/Pause
  • Stop
  • Reset
  • Toggle Fullscreen
  • Take Screenshot
  • Exit

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Save States

  • Save State to Slot 1-10
  • Load State from Slot 1-10
  • Select Previous/Next Save Slot
  • Save to Selected Slot
  • Load from Selected Slot
  • Undo Load State
  • Undo Save State

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Graphics

  • Toggle EFB Copies
  • Toggle Fog
  • Toggle Anisotropic Filtering
  • Increase/Decrease IR
  • Toggle Aspect Ratio
  • Toggle Wireframe Mode

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Frame Advance

  • Frame Advance
  • Increase/Decrease Emulation Speed

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Controller Profiles

Save and load controller configurations as profiles:
1

Configure Controller

Set up your controller mapping as desired
2

Save Profile

Click Profile > Save and enter a name
3

Load Profile

Select your profile from Profile > Load to quickly apply settings
Profiles are stored in:
  • Windows: Documents\Dolphin Emulator\Config\Profiles
  • Linux: ~/.dolphin-emu/Config/Profiles
  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Dolphin/Config/Profiles

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Background Input

Enable Background Input in the Interface settings to allow controller input when Dolphin is not the active window.

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Rumble

If your controller supports force feedback:
  1. Ensure rumble is supported by your controller
  2. Check Enable Rumble in the controller configuration
  3. Adjust rumble strength if available
Some controllers require specific drivers or software to enable rumble support.