THE SHORT ANSWER

Use native keyboard and mouse support when it is available and works for you. Controller emulation is an alternative for games that expect a gamepad, but mouse movement will still follow the game’s joystick limits.

Check native support first

Keyboard and mouse support is no longer absent from Xbox Cloud Gaming. Microsoft reported more than 190 supported cloud games in its April 30, 2026 Xbox update. That is a dated announcement, not a guarantee about the game you are opening today.

Check the current game listing and its input information on Xbox Cloud Gaming. Open the cloud version in your desktop browser and check its control settings. Support in an installed PC or console version does not, on its own, tell you what the cloud session supports.

If the game accepts native keyboard and mouse and you like how it plays, you do not need controller emulation for that session. Disable any active remapper while checking native input so you can tell which method is working.

What controller emulation changes

A remapper translates a key or mouse action into a controller action. For example, WASD can move the left stick, a key can press the controller’s A button, and mouse movement can drive the right stick.

Key or mouseController inputCloud game

The game still receives controller input. Its aiming acceleration, deadzones, and maximum turn speed still matter. Moving your mouse faster cannot necessarily make the camera turn faster once that limit is reached. A useful mapping can make the controls more comfortable, but it does not turn the cloud game into a native PC version.

Set up keyboard and mouse in Cloud Keys

For beta testers with an installed and activated copy of Cloud Keys:

  1. Open your game on Xbox Cloud Gaming, then open the extension’s Controls tab.
  2. Set Input mode to Keyboard & mouse. Check Controls for so you know which game or default profile you are editing.
  3. Click a button binding, press the key you want, and choose Save. If that key already has an action, the dialog explains what will move.
  4. Return to the game and click the Cloud Keys on-page control to capture your mouse.
  5. Use WASD to move and the mouse to look. Press Esc to release the mouse or F8 to pause the emulation.

WASD, Escape, and F8 are reserved in this version. Start with the available profile, then change one setting at a time. Automatic game detection selects your saved profile when you return to that game.

Choose the controls that solve your problem

If mouse aim feels unusual, first check whether native input is available. When using emulation, adjust both the game’s controller sensitivity and the extension’s mouse settings. There is no single sensitivity value that suits every game.

If you already enjoy a physical controller but want different button positions, use gamepad remapping instead. You can change the button assignments without converting mouse movement into stick movement.

Keep one remapping extension active at a time. Your Xbox account, games, and any required cloud-gaming subscription remain separate from Cloud Keys.