Azahar lets you bind any 3DS button, analog stick, and the touch screen to keyboard keys or gamepad inputs. All bindings are stored in named profiles so you can switch between different control layouts without reconfiguring from scratch. Open Emulation → Configure → Controls to reach the input configuration screen.Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/azahar-emu/azahar/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
Input profiles
The Profile dropdown at the top of the Controls page lists all saved input profiles. You can create, rename, and delete profiles using the New, Rename, and Delete buttons next to the dropdown. Profiles are global by default, but Azahar also supports per-game input configuration. Right-click a game in the library and choose Properties to open the per-game settings dialog (configure_per_game), which includes its own Controls tab. Per-game settings override the global profile only for that title.
Mapping buttons
Click any button in the Controls layout to enter binding mode, then press the key or gamepad button you want to assign. Azahar listens for both keyboard and controller input. Press Escape to cancel without changing the binding. The Auto Map button attempts to automatically assign gamepad buttons based on common controller layouts. Restore Defaults resets all bindings to the built-in keyboard defaults. Clear All removes every binding so you can start from scratch.Face buttons
| 3DS button | Default key |
|---|---|
| A | Z |
| B | X |
| X | S |
| Y | A |
D-pad
| Direction | Default key |
|---|---|
| Up | T |
| Down | G |
| Left | F |
| Right | H |
Shoulder buttons
| Button | Description |
|---|---|
| L | Left shoulder trigger |
| R | Right shoulder trigger |
| ZL | New 3DS ZL trigger (used by some titles) |
| ZR | New 3DS ZR trigger (used by some titles) |
Miscellaneous buttons
| Button | Description |
|---|---|
| Start | Opens the pause/home menu in most games |
| Select | Context-dependent; varies by game |
| Home | Opens the 3DS Home Menu |
| Power | Emulates the hardware power button |
| Circle Mod | Modifier key for the Circle Pad (affects diagonal deadzone behaviour) |
| Debug | Hardware debug button (rarely used by games) |
| GPIO14 | Hardware GPIO pin 14 input (used by a small number of titles) |
Circle Pad and C-Stick
The Circle Pad is the 3DS’s primary analog input. The C-Stick is the second analog nub found on New 3DS models. Each analog input can be configured in two ways:- Individual directions — bind Up, Down, Left, Right, and the four diagonals (Up Left, Up Right, Down Left, Down Right) to discrete keys. This is the default keyboard method.
- Set Analog Stick — click this button and move a physical analog stick to bind the entire axis at once. Use this when you have a gamepad.
The C-Stick is only active when Enable New 3DS mode is turned on in System settings. Games that require New 3DS features will not recognise C-Stick input otherwise.
Touch screen
By default, your mouse cursor maps directly to the 3DS touch screen. Click the bottom screen area in the Azahar window to send touch input to the emulated device. For more advanced touch and motion configuration, click Motion / Touch… to open the dedicated motion and touch settings dialog.Motion controls
Some 3DS games use gyroscope or accelerometer input—for example, to aim, steer, or control puzzle mechanics. Azahar supports motion controls through the Motion / Touch… dialog.Using a gyroscope controller
Using a gyroscope controller
If your gamepad has a gyroscope (such as a DualShock 4, DualSense, or Nintendo Switch controller), select the corresponding motion provider in the Motion / Touch dialog. Azahar reads the gyroscope and accelerometer axes and maps them to the 3DS motion sensors.
Using mouse input for motion
Using mouse input for motion
When no gyroscope device is available, you can configure mouse movement as a substitute for gyroscope input. This works for games that use tilt or rotation but does not replicate all axis directions.
Artic Controller
Artic Controller
The Use Artic Controller when connected to Artic Base Server checkbox lets Azahar receive input from a real 3DS connected over a local network via the Artic Base Server. This passes through real button presses, analog input, and motion data from the hardware device.
Hotkeys
Hotkeys are keyboard shortcuts for emulator functions that are not 3DS buttons—for example, toggling full screen, saving a state, or pausing emulation. Configure them under Emulation → Configure → Hotkeys. Common hotkeys include:| Action | Default |
|---|---|
| Toggle full screen | F11 |
| Pause / resume | F4 |
| Load save state | F1–F9 |
| Save save state | Shift+F1–F9 |
| Toggle frame limit | F6 |
| Screenshot | F12 |