Freedom251 › Game Controller Mapper Software

PadForge

Free plan Windows

What PadForge is

PadForge maps input devices to the virtual controller format that a game expects. It can remap gamepads, wheels, flight sticks, keyboards, mice, touchpads, MIDI devices, HOTAS, arcade sticks, and VR controllers. The Windows app can provide up to 16 virtual controllers at once, including Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, Steam, VR, MIDI, and keyboard-and-mouse shapes. Profiles can switch automatically when a game takes focus, and 13 starter profiles are included. Gyro tools provide calibration and smoothing, as well as mapping motion to a stick or mouse. PadForge can import supported Steam community layouts and works with Razer Chroma and Logitech LIGHTSYNC lighting through their local software engines. A browser on the same Wi-Fi network can act as a controller, with up to 16 phones connected without installing an app. Remote Link shares input devices between PadForge PCs over a network or the internet and routes feedback to the physical device. The app is free, with no subscriptions or paid feature packs. Source code is available under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. The maker says there is no telemetry and advises judgment with games using aggressive anti-cheat.

Who it suits

PadForge suits players whose input device does not match a game's expected controller, as well as sim racers, DualSense owners seeking trigger and lightbar effects, and accessibility users. It is for Windows systems meeting the listed requirements.

What it does well

Maps many input types to virtual controllers.
Supports up to 16 virtual controllers at once.
Profiles can switch when a game takes focus.
Phone controller works through a browser without installation.
Free, with no subscriptions or paid feature packs.

What to know first

Windows 11 on ARM64 is identified as preview.
Anti-cheat rules vary, and the maker advises judgment.

Limits

Windows 11 ARM64 is identified as preview. Anti-cheat vendors set their own rules for virtual input devices, and the maker advises judgment with games that use aggressive anti-cheat.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Free	$0 forever · No paywall · no subscriptions · no paid feature packs	Free

As padforge.org lists them, read 2 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Visit the PadForge website
Use Windows 10 or 11 on x64, or Windows 11 on ARM64 preview
Configure your input devices and choose or create a profile
Import a supported Steam community layout if useful
Open the phone controller in a browser on the same Wi-Fi network if you want to use a phone

Verdict

PadForge offers extensive input remapping, profile switching, and device sharing for Windows players. Users should consider their system requirements and check how games with aggressive anti-cheat handle virtual inputs.

Questions

How much does PadForge cost?

It is free, with no subscriptions or paid feature packs.

Which platforms does PadForge support?

It supports Windows 10 or 11 on x64 and Windows 11 on ARM64. ARM64 is identified as preview.

What devices can it remap?

Supported inputs include gamepads, joysticks, keyboards, mice, touchpads, MIDI devices, wheels, HOTAS, arcade sticks, and VR controllers.

Is PadForge open source?

Its source code is available under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.

Can I use my phone as a controller?

Yes. A browser on the same Wi-Fi network can act as a controller, with up to 16 phones connected and no app installation.

Does PadForge work with games that use anti-cheat?

Anti-cheat vendors set their own rules for virtual input devices. The maker advises users to use judgment with games that have aggressive anti-cheat.

Facts from PadForge's own pages

Anti-cheat limitation: The maker says anti-cheat vendors set their own rules for virtual input devices and advises users to use judgment with games that have aggressive anti-cheat. · padforge.org, 2 Oct 2026
Integrations: It supports Razer Chroma and Logitech LIGHTSYNC lighting, using the local Razer Synapse server and Logitech G HUB LED engine. · padforge.org, 2 Oct 2026
Intended users: The maker identifies sim racers, DualSense owners seeking trigger and lightbar effects, accessibility users, and players whose controller does not match a game's expected input as intended users. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
License: The source code is available under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. · padforge.org, 2 Oct 2026
Motion: Gyro features include calibration, smoothing, and gyro-to-stick or gyro-to-mouse mapping. · padforge.org, 2 Oct 2026
PC linking: Remote Link shares controllers and other input devices between PadForge PCs over a network or the internet, with feedback routed back to the physical device. · padforge.org, 2 Oct 2026
Phone controller: A browser on the same Wi-Fi network can act as a controller, with up to 16 phones connected at once and no app installation. · padforge.org, 2 Oct 2026
Profiles: Profiles can switch automatically when a game takes focus, and the app includes 13 starter profiles for different kinds of games. · padforge.org, 2 Oct 2026
Purpose: PadForge maps supported input devices to the virtual controller input a game expects. · padforge.org, 2 Oct 2026
Remapping: It maps gamepads, wheels, flight sticks, keyboards, and mice to virtual controllers. · padforge.org, 2 Oct 2026
Security: The maker says the app has no telemetry and that its phone controller uses HTTPS with a self-signed certificate whenever possible. · padforge.org, 2 Oct 2026
Steam layouts: PadForge imports supported Steam community layouts. · padforge.org, 2 Oct 2026
System requirements: The maker lists Windows 10 or 11 on x64 and Windows 11 on ARM64; the press page identifies ARM64 as preview. · padforge.org, 2 Oct 2026
Virtual controllers: It supports up to 16 virtual controllers at once, including Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, Steam, VR, MIDI, and keyboard-and-mouse shapes. · padforge.org, 2 Oct 2026

Where PadForge stands on Freedom251

Game Controller Mapper Software#15 of 27