Purpose
Benefits
To enhance the overall gaming experience with precise and smooth controls.
Audience
All users of BlueStacks 4
BlueStacks versions affected
All versions of BlueStacks 4
Geo's affected
All Geo's
Article: How to create keyboard controls?
You can create a new keyboard controls for a game via the Advanced Game Controls UI by following the steps below:-
1) Launch the Advanced Game Controls UI
To create the key mapping for an app, launch the Advanced Game Controls app by clicking on the 
icon on bottom right of App player.
NOTE: If a keyboard control already exists, you need to click on the Advanced Settings button on the Game Controls window.
2) Create the key mappings
Use the Advanced Game Controls window that appears on the right to add the controls you want.
You may map the following controls as required by the game. Please click on each control for details on how to add that control to your set:-
3) Save the new game controls
Click on the Save button in the "Advanced Game Controls" window to save and apply your new keyboard control.
Click Clear to remove all your current keyboard controls.
Click Revert to restore the default keyboard controls provided by BlueStacks (if any)
Reference for various key-mapping controls
You can Map a tap point either by simply left clicking on the desired game-play area, or you can drag Tap control
on the desired area.
On placing Tap control you can see the Tap icon 
, where you can press your favorite key of the keyboard. Right click on the tap icon and Tap settings window will show, where you can assign a string on the tap point, to tell what it does.
In the below Example, we have mapped a tap point in app Mobile Legends
In case you wish to add guidance text to the Tap control, right-click on the Tap control (Tap settings window can be opened by right-clicking on the tap icon). This will open a detailed settings window, where you can edit all the properties of the Tap control.
In given example this action falls under category “Attacks”, mapped by "A" key.
| Field | Description |
| X | X coordinate of the Tap. Automatically picked up from the location where the Tap Control is placed |
| Y | Y coordinate of the Tap. Automatically picked up from the location where the Tap Control is placed |
| Key | Keyboard key assigned to the Tap Control |
| Guidance Category | Guidance Category under which to show this control in a Game control window |
You can map a D-pad
by dragging the D-Pad panel from the right panel over to the gameplay area.
Default keys for d-pad controls are W,S,A,D. You can assign keys for up, down, left and right movement. You can also resize the d-pad control to match the game's d-pap.
On right clicking on d-pad control window will open. Here the user can assign d-pad Action Strings. In below example, we have used WASD keys for Move Up, Down, Left, and Right respectively.
| Field | Description |
| X | X coordinate of the D-pad. Automatically picked up from the location where the Dpad Control is placed |
| Y | Y coordinate of the D-pad. Automatically picked up from the location where the D-pad Control is placed |
| Radius | The radius of the D-pad Control |
| Up | Keyboard key assigned for Up action of D-pad Control |
| Down | Keyboard key assigned for Down action of D-pad Control |
| Left | Keyboard key assigned for the Left action of D-pad Control |
| Right | Keyboard key assigned for the Right action of D-pad Control |
| Speed modifier 1 | Key assigned to modify the speed. e.g. if a character can run faster on sliding the d-pad control to an outer ring or slower by limiting the Dpad swipe radius to a smaller value, we can perform the same by assigning a key in speed modifier 1 |
| Radius 1 | Modified Radius of visual Dpad for Speed Modifier 1 |
| Speed modifier 2 | Another control to modify the speed. Same as Speed modifier 1. |
| Radius 2 | Modified Radius of visual Dpad for Speed Modifier 2 |
| Speed | Default 200. This controls how fast the Dpad moves from center to the edge of the Dpad. Adjust this as per your gameplay, if required. |
| Activation time | Default 0. How long to hold the Dpad before it is swiped in the direction of movement |
| Activation speed | Default 0. |
| MOBA Control Mode |
Please check the given link for MOBA mode on BlueStacks 4 |
Take a look at the video below to find more.
You can map a zoom action by dragging the Zoom panel
on the game-play area.
On placing zoom panel zoom settings window will open where you can assign your desired keys for “Zoom in” and “Zoom out” actions.
Zoom control feature is shown in above game
| Field | Description |
| X | X coordinate of Zoom |
| Y | Y coordinate of the Zoom |
| Zoom in | Keyboard key assigned for Zoom-in action of a Zoom control |
| Zoom out | Keyboard key assigned for Zoom-out an action of Zoom Control |
| Override | Override for default ‘Ctrl’ + ’-’ and ‘Ctrl’ + ‘=’ (can be true/false) |
| Guidance Category | Guidance string to show up on the game control window |
| Radius | Defines the radius of the game area on which zoom control is applicable. |
| Modifier Key | Defines the key which is required to be pressed along with assigned keys for zoom in/out action. e.g. if Alt key is defined as modifier key then it is required to press Alt+'-' for zoom out. |
| Speed | Defines speed for zoom in/out action |
Note: Default keys for Zoom in and Zoom out function are ‘Ctrl’ + ‘-’ for Zoom out and ‘Ctrl’ + ‘=’ for Zoom in. If you need to change and assign keys different than these eg: Up key and Down key, you shall keep Override value to False.
Swipe
You can map a swipe action by dragging the Swipe panel
on the game-play area. You can assign favorite keys for up, down, left and right swipe movement.
| Field | Description |
| X | X coordinate of the Swipe. Automatically picked up from the location where the Swipe Control is placed |
| Y | Y coordinate of the Swipe. Automatically picked up from the location where the Swipe Control is placed |
| Swipe and hold | to stop the character from getting back to the initial position after swiping. can be true/false |
| Swipe Up | Keyboard key assigned for swiping up |
| Swipe Down | Keyboard key assigned for swiping down |
| Swipe Left | Keyboard key assigned for swiping left |
| Swipe Right | Keyboard key assigned for swiping right |
| Guidance Category | Guidance string to show up on the game control window |
You can map a tilt action by dragging the Tilt panel
on the gameplay area.
You can assign favorite keys for up, down, left and right tilt movement. Default keys for tilt controls are up, down, left and right arrow key respectively.
| Field | Description |
| Up | Keyboard key assigned for up tilt |
| Down | Keyboard key assigned for a down tilt |
| Left | Keyboard key assigned for left tilt |
| Right | Keyboard key assigned for right tilt |
| Guidance Category | Guidance string to show up on the game control window |
| Maximum Tilt Angle | Defines the angle by which character/prop tilts. Values in degrees. |
| Speed | Defines speed of tilt in angles/second |
| Auto Reset | to stop the character from getting back to initial position after tilt. Values can be true/false |
Press and hold for repeated tap press within a game. You may either press and hold to tap continuously or just tap once to execute the tap the specified number of times.
You can assign the number of times keypress would be repeated and with the delay between each keypress.
| Field | Description |
| X | X coordinate of the Repeated Tap. Automatically picked up from the location where the Repeated Tap is placed |
| Y | Y coordinate of the Repeated Tap. Automatically picked up from the location where the Repeated Tap is placed |
| Key | Keyboard key assigned for the Repeated Tap |
| Count | The number of times the keypress would be registered on "press and hold" the assigned key |
| Delay | Delay between each registered keypress. |
Here’s a video that shows repeated tap used while playing Tap Titans 2
We genuinely appreciate your choosing BlueStacks. We hope you enjoy using it. If you have any further questions, please contact us at support at bluestacks dot com. Thank you very much.
Last updated on March 06, 2019.