How to Add Controller Support to Minecraft Java Edition

Lee Stanton April 2, 2023

Not being able to use your preferred controls in games may be quite distracting. A lot of gamers are used to playing Minecraft with a controller, and Java Edition not supporting gamepads may come as an unpleasant surprise. Thankfully, there’s a way around it.

In this guide, you’ll see how to add controller support to Minecraft Java Edition on Windows 10/11, Mac, and Linux computers. Additionally, you’ll see the most common reasons your controller doesn’t connect and share instructions on adding controller support to Minecraft Bedrock.

Using a Third-Party Mod to Add Controller Support to Minecraft Java

As mentioned above, Minecraft Java Edition doesn’t have native controller support. Thus, to use it in the game, you must install a third-party mod. One of the most popular mods for this purpose is Controllable by MRCRAYFISH. Below, you’ll find the instructions for setting up controller support using Controllable on different operating systems.

Adding Controller Support to Minecraft Java on Windows 10/11

To add controller support to Minecraft Java on Windows 10/11, the process depends on what controller you want to use, such as PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, etc.

Controllable supports the following controllers:

Sony PS5 Dualsense (USB or Bluetooth)
Sony PS4 Dualshock (USB or Bluetooth)
Xbox Series X Controller (USB, Bluetooth, or Wireless Adapter)
Xbox One Controller (USB or Wireless Adapter)
Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (Bluetooth only)
Nintendo Switch JoyCons (Bluetooth only)
SteamDeck
Generic XInput Controllers

For PlayStation 4 and 5 controllers, you need the “DS4Windows“ third-party app. The reason you need an app is because Windows directly supports certain Xbox controllers since it is also Microsoft owned, while Sony owns the PlayStation brand.

For Xbox One controllers, you need the “Xbox One Wireless Adapter.”

For Xbox Series X and S controllers, they work out of the box.

For Nintendo Switch Pro controllers and JoyCons, you need to install “BetterJoy“ to convert them to XInput, which is what Controllable requires.

Visit the “Controllable website“ and click the “Files” tab to view your download options.
Look in the “Game Verison” column to find your version of Minecraft Java, then find the latest Controllable release for that version.
Click the “Download” icon to save the file to your device. DO NOT open the file yet.
Copy or move the file to the Desktop.
Visit the “Minecraft Forge website“ and ensure you select the correct Minecraft Java version on the far left.
Click the “Installer” link in the “Download Recommended” box if one exists. Otherwise, you’ll be using the Beta version with potential bugs.
Click the “Skip” button in the top-right section oMoinecraft Forge Website when it appears. This action skips the advertisement.
Choose your preferred download location in the file browser (Desktop), then click the “Save” button.
Confirm you have both the Controllable and Forge install files on your Desktop.
Ensure you have the latest Oracle Java JRE version.
If you’ve just updated Minecraft Java, launch the game without any mods and play using the keyboard and mouse for one to two minutes, then you can exit.
Ensure that Minecraft Java and the Minecraft Launcher are completely closed.
Open your file browser and launch the “Forge” jar file.
In the Forge installation window, select “Install client,” then click “OK.”
Once you get the successful installation popup, click “OK” to close the Forge installation.
Open the “Minecraft Launcher” and ensure “Forge” is selected. If Forge isn’t listed, click the “Installations” tab at the top, then add a check to the “Modded” box under “Versions.”
Ensure you are on the “Play” tab at the top, which will not be selected if you were in the “Installations” tab from the previous step.
Click the big, green “Play” button towards the bottom, and then select “Play” again in the modified notification window.
Click on “Mods” in the Minecraft Launcher.
Choose the “Open Mods Folder” option.
Copy/paste the “Controllable” mod into the “Mods” folder that appears.
Close “Minecraft Java” and relaunch it to refresh the mods list. Controllable should be shown on the left side within the list of mods.

Adding Controller Support in Minecraft on a Mac

To use a controller in Minecraft Java on Mac, follow the instructions below:

Visit the Controllable installation page and click Download.
Wait for the file to upload and double-click it to run the installation process.
Move the Controllable file to your Minecraft mods folder. To find it, type in “~/Library/Application Support/Minecraft/mods” to the Spotlight search window. If you don’t have a mods folder yet, create it.
Open Minecraft Launcher and click Launch Options and click Add New.
Fill in the name of your new launch option (e.g., Controllable). Select the Minecraft version you’re setting up the controller for.
Click the arrow icon next to Game Directory and select your Controllable file, then click Open.
Click Save and navigate back to the main menu.
Expand the menu next to the Play button and select the Controllable version, then click Play.

Adding Controller Support to Minecraft on Linux

Follow the steps below to set up controller support for Minecraft Java on Linux:

Visit the Controllable installation page and click Download.
Wait for the file to upload and double-click it to run the installation process.
Move the Controllable file to your Minecraft “mods” folder. To find it, use the ~ shortcut. Type in “~/.minecraft” to the search box and open or create the “mods” folder.
Open Minecraft Launcher and click Launch Options and click Add New.
Fill in the name of your new launch option (e.g., “Controllable”). Select the Minecraft version you’re setting up the controller for.
Click the arrow icon next to Game Directory and select your Controllable file, then click Open.
Click Save and navigate back to the main menu.
Expand the menu next to the Play button and select the Controllable version, then click Play.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below, you’ll find answers to more questions related to using a controller in Minecraft.

Why Won’t My Controller Connect?

If your controller doesn’t connect to your computer or Minecraft in particular, make sure you didn’t make one of the following mistakes:

· You’re trying to set up a controller for Java Edition through Steam. Java Edition doesn’t have controller support, so make sure you’ve installed the required mods.

· You didn’t set up the preferred controls. Make sure you completed steps 12-13 of the setup process.

· You chose Activate a Product on Steam instead of Add a Non-Steam Game at the 6^th step of the setup instructions. Repeat the process and select the right option.

· You have Bluetooth issues. Try connecting the controller using a cable.

If neither of the above-mentioned reasons works for you, your controller drivers likely aren’t up to date. To update controller drivers on a Windows PC, follow the steps below:

1. Right click the Windows Start Menu and select Device Manager or type “devmgmt.msc” in the search box.

2. Once the Device Manager opens, expand the Xbox Peripherals section and right-click the name of your controller.

3. From the dropdown menu, select Update driver.

4. Click Search Automatically and follow on-screen instructions to install the newest drivers.

Note: No native controller drivers are available for Mac OS. You’ll have to find the latest drivers for your controller online and install them. The instructions may differ and are beyond the scope of this article.

How to Add Controller Support to Minecraft Bedrock?

Minecraft Bedrock doesn’t require any third-party mods to use a controller. The setup can be done via Steam. Follow the instructions below:

1. Visit the official Steam website and click the Install Steam button. Steam Website - Install Steam

2. Run the installation file and follow the on-screen instructions.

3. Once Steam is installed, open the application and create an account or log in to an existing one.

4. In the Steam application, navigate to the Library.

5. Click Add a Game, located at the bottom-left corner of your screen.

6. From the menu, select Add a Non-Steam Game. This will open your computer file library.

7. Find the Minecraft Bedrock Edition Launcher file in your Library and double-click it. The game should now be added.

8. Click the Big Picture Mode button located at the bottom-right of your Steam Library. It looks like a rectangle with two arrows pointing in opposite directions.

9. Plug in your controller. You have to use a cable for now but can connect it via Bluetooth once everything is set up.

10. Navigate to Steam Settings, then select Controller Settings.

11. Tick the checkbox next to the type of your controller and go back to Steam Library.

12. From the Library, open Minecraft settings and then click Manage Shortcut, it’s located under the Minecraft picture.

13. Click Controller Options to edit the preferred controls.

Adding Controller Support to Minecraft Java

With the help of the Controllable mode, you should now be able to use your gamepad in Minecraft Java Edition. In case Controllable doesn’t work on your device, consider searching for another mod. We recommend being aware of viruses when downloading third-party software. Use antivirus and a VPN to scan any files before installation. This will let you enjoy Minecraft with your favorite controller without causing harm to your PC.

Do you know any trusted sites for downloading the latest controller drivers for Mac computers? Share your experiences in the comments section below.