In your chosen emulation software, you will need to map the physical buttons and axes of your controller to the virtual device. For XOutput, this is done by selecting your input device on the left, the output device on the right, and dragging buttons between them to create mappings.
When you plug a joystick into Windows 11, the operating system uses two primary built-in driver architectures to make it work instantly: universal joystick driver for windows 11 work
Before launching any emulation software, ensure Windows 11 detects the physical connection. In your chosen emulation software, you will need
A lightweight tool that converts DirectInput (generic controllers) into XInput (Xbox 360 controller emulation), making older or generic joysticks work with modern PC games. In your chosen emulation software
For more information on universal joystick drivers for Windows 11, check out the following resources:
Move the stick and press buttons to confirm Windows registers the inputs. Step 2: Download and Install X360CE
Limitations & risks