Android 17 could be adding an exciting new feature for gamers with the presence of button remapping for connected controllers. This is something that isn’t currently available in Android, but it looks like that could be changing.
While Android 17 hasn’t been released and Google hasn’t officially announced it or any of its features, a new button remapping feature for connected controllers was discovered in a Canary build. Android Authority reports that the Android Canary 2512 update includes this new button remapping menu inside of a Game Controller Settings menu.
A controller has to be connected for these inputs to be remapped, as the phone will need to know what it’s remapping controls to. Things appear to be in the pretty early stages, as the button remapping screen doesn’t show the correct inputs for a connected DualSense. However, it does display how Android as a system reads remapped inputs for something like a DualSense when it’s connected. Remember, this feature is already available, just not natively within the Android OS.
Image Credit: Mishaal Rahman
You don’t need Android 17 to use button remapping for your controllers
It might not be available within Android natively, but you can remap controllers right now if you want to. You will, however, need some specific things for this to work. For one, you’ll need a controller to use. This could be anything from a Razer Kishi V3 to a Sony DualSense controller or even an Xbox wireless controller. Once you have that connected, an app like the Razer Controller app. This will only work with Razer controllers, so you need the Kishi V3 or something like Razer’s Raiju V3 Pro for PS5.
Razer isn’t the only company doing, though. ASUS’s ROG Phone-specific controllers can be remapped using the special ROG Phone features baked into the phone software. Similar features can be utilized with REDMAGIC phones . The controller type doesn’t matter with these devices. Companies like GameSir offer this for Android as well. So, there are alternatives. That being said, it’ll be a lot easier for mobile gamers to set up their controls how they like when this is a native feature.
It also makes sense that Google would be working on this for the next version of Android. In mid-November, it was reported that Google may be looking to add forced controller support for every single game. This would go hand-in-hand with the button remapping.
