How to Enable Mouse & Keyboard Support in Better xCloud

Updated

Better xCloud can let you play Xbox Cloud Gaming with a mouse and keyboard, but the exact method depends on where you run it. On desktop browsers and in the Android app, the extension offers both native and virtual mouse & keyboard support. You enable it from Better xCloud's settings, then pick the mode that matches your device and the game you want to play.

What "native" vs. "virtual" means

Better xCloud describes two ways to get mouse & keyboard input into a stream:

Mode How it works Where it applies
Native Mouse & Keyboard Your real mouse and keyboard input is passed through to the game Desktop browsers and the Android app
Virtual controller Your mouse and keyboard are translated into controller input Desktop browsers and the Android app

The practical difference: native is what you want when a game actually supports mouse and keyboard, because your inputs go through as-is. virtual is the fallback for games that only understand a controller — Better xCloud maps your keys and mouse movement onto a virtual gamepad so you can still play without a physical controller.

Before you start

  • Install Better xCloud first. The site lists install paths for Chrome/Edge (Windows, macOS, Linux, SteamOS/Steam Deck), the Android app (Beta) or Edge on Android/Android TV/Meta Quest, Safari (macOS, iOS, iPadOS), and webOS 22+ for LG TVs.
  • Mouse & keyboard support is described for desktop browsers and the Android app. If you are on a TV or a headset, check your client's own input options instead.
  • Have a mouse and keyboard connected and working in your browser or on your Android device.

Steps to enable it

  1. Open Xbox Cloud Gaming at xbox.com/play with Better xCloud active.
  2. Open the Better xCloud settings panel (the extension's own settings, separate from the Xbox site menu).
  3. Find the Mouse & Keyboard option and turn it on.
  4. Choose the mode you need:
    • Select Native Mouse & Keyboard if the game supports mouse and keyboard input.
    • Select Virtual controller if the game is controller-only and you want to play with mouse and keyboard anyway.
  5. Start or resume your game and test input. Move the mouse and press a few keys to confirm the stream is receiving them.

Expected result: your mouse and keyboard control the game in the stream, either directly (native) or through a virtual controller mapping.

Common snags

  • Nothing responds. Confirm you enabled the option in Better xCloud's settings, not just in the Xbox site. The two are separate.
  • The game ignores your mouse. That usually means the title has no native mouse & keyboard support — switch to the virtual controller mode.
  • You are on a platform where it is not offered. The feature is documented for desktop browsers and the Android app. On other clients, use whatever input method that client supports.
  • You are worried about account safety. Better xCloud states it never sends your Xbox account or token to another website, and that xCloud developers have said they "don't ban people for using a third party client or extension." The site still frames use as at your own risk.

Related capabilities worth knowing

Better xCloud also offers a touch controller for playing with on-screen controls in all games, plus custom touch controller layouts for games without touch support. If mouse & keyboard does not fit your setup, those are the alternatives the project documents.