Control Windows from your couch

A Windows PC on a television has one obvious problem: the cursor. Shadow solves it with three inputs, none of which needs a desk. Gamepad as a mouse drives the Windows pointer with your controller stick. Companion mode turns your phone into a trackpad and a keyboard. And if you own no controller at all, the virtual controller turns that same phone into a gamepad. A Bluetooth mouse and keyboard still pair with your box if you want them. Nothing to buy before you start playing.

Your controller moves the cursor

Gamepad as a mouse puts the Windows pointer on your controller stick. The left stick moves it, the triggers click, and Windows behaves the way it always does.

That covers most of an evening: browse a launcher, start a download, close a window that opened where you didn't want it, change a graphics setting before a session.

You stay in the same hands you play with. No second device, no cursor hunting.

See the peripherals guide

Your phone becomes a trackpad

Companion mode connects your smartphone to your Shadow PC and turns it into a trackpad with a full keyboard.

It earns its place the moment text appears: a password field, a search bar, a friend's username, a chat window. Typing those with a stick is a chore. Typing them with your thumbs takes seconds.

The phone stays on the armrest, and the TV stays a TV.

Set up Companion mode

No gamepad? Your phone is one

The Shadow mobile app carries a virtual controller: sticks, buttons and triggers on the screen of the phone already in your pocket.

It is the answer to the evening where the only controller in the house has a flat battery, and to the first session of someone who has never bought one. Enough to start a game tonight, not a reason to give up your pad afterwards.

Download the app, sign in, play.

Get the mobile app

Which input for which moment

Which Shadow input to use for each living-room task
	Gamepad as a mouse	Companion mode	Virtual controller	Bluetooth mouse and keyboard
Move the Windows cursor	Gamepad as a mouse Available	Companion mode Available	Virtual controller Not available	Bluetooth mouse and keyboard Available
Type a password or a search	Gamepad as a mouse On-screen keyboard	Companion mode Available	Virtual controller Not available	Bluetooth mouse and keyboard Available
Play a controller game	Gamepad as a mouse Available	Companion mode Not available	Virtual controller Available	Bluetooth mouse and keyboard Only if the game supports it
Extra hardware to buy	Gamepad as a mouse A controller	Companion mode None, your phone	Virtual controller None, your phone	Bluetooth mouse and keyboard A keyboard and mouse
Works from the sofa	Gamepad as a mouse Available	Companion mode Available	Virtual controller Available	Bluetooth mouse and keyboard Needs a surface

Your own controller, paired the usual way

A Bluetooth controller pairs with the box under your TV, exactly as it would for any of its own games. Xbox pads, PlayStation pads, most third-party ones. Windows then sees a gamepad and behaves accordingly.

If your box is being difficult, the Companion mode app can hold the pairing instead, and pass the inputs along.

Bluetooth keyboards and mice pair the same way, for the strategy games and the shooters that ask for them.

Pair an Xbox controller

The PC behind the sofa

Every plan includes these inputs. Pick the one that matches how you play on the big screen.

Where to use all this

Shadow on Apple TV

A native tvOS app, on the one living-room box no other cloud gaming service reaches.

Frequently asked questions

How do I move the Windows cursor on a TV without a mouse?

Use Gamepad as a mouse. The feature maps the Windows pointer to your controller stick, so you can browse a launcher, open a folder or change a setting without leaving the sofa. If you'd rather use a touch surface, Companion mode turns your phone into a trackpad.

Can I use my phone as a game controller?

Yes. The Shadow mobile app includes a virtual controller with sticks, buttons and triggers. It works on any device where you can install the app, and it is enough to start playing tonight if no gamepad is at hand.

Can I use my phone as a keyboard?

Yes, through Companion mode. Your phone becomes a trackpad and a full keyboard for your Shadow PC, which is the fastest way to type a password, a search or a message on a television.

Which controllers work, and how do I pair one?

Bluetooth controllers pair with the box or device running the Shadow app: Xbox pads, PlayStation pads and most third-party gamepads. Pair it the way you would for any other game on that device, then launch Shadow. Step-by-step guides live in our help center.

Can I connect a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse?

Yes. They pair with your box and work inside Windows exactly as they would on a desktop machine. Useful for strategy games, shooters, and any evening that involves real typing.

My controller lags or isn’t detected. What should I check?

Start with the connection between the controller and your device, then check that the game itself sees a gamepad. Our help center has a dedicated troubleshooting article covering pairing, USB forwarding and per-game detection.