Android 17 finally gets controller remapping, and it’s system-wide

Google has announced a long-requested feature for gamers, and one that we gave you a preview of in December last year. System-level controller remapping is now available on Android 17 Beta, letting users customize how their gamepad buttons, sticks, and triggers behave across the system.

The announcement comes from former Android Authority editor and now a Googler, Mishaal Rahman, who shared details of the feature with the Android gaming community. According to Mishaal’s post, Google is responding to repeated user feedback asking for native controller remapping support on Android.

Unlike many current solutions that rely on individual games or third-party apps, Android 17‘s implementation works at the system level. This means your custom button layout applies across games without needing to set it up repeatedly.

Controller remapping on Android 17 works with both wired and Bluetooth controllers and supports remapping at a granular level.

Users can access it through a new Game Controller settings menu by heading to Settings > System > Game Controller for wired gamepads. For Bluetooth gamepads, users can head to Settings > Connected devices > Device details (after selecting your connected gamepad) > Game Controller Settings.

From there, users can remap face buttons, triggers, and thumbstick clicks, swap directional inputs like analog sticks and the D-pad, and save preferences directly on their device.

Google says the feature is designed with accessibility in mind. The idea is to allow players to tailor controls to their physical needs and muscle memory when switching between platforms with different controller layouts.

Controller remapping is currently limited to devices running Android 17 Beta (Beta 2 or later). Since this is an early version, Google notes that some issues remain, including incorrect button glyphs appearing for certain controllers, even though functionality still works as intended.

Google is actively seeking feedback before the stable release, so things could still change.