How To Set Up an E-Racing Controller for Zwift

Having taken part in Zwift races regularly during lockdown, I found myself frustrated by the need to take my hands off the shifters every time I wanted to activate a powerup. I was also having issues with sweaty hands not being particularly effective at interacting with phone touchscreens, so started looking for a solution. After a few failed attempts with various Bluetooth devices, I came across this article.

It seemed a good starting point, and after a couple of helpful emails began working on my own code and way of attaching it to the bars to put the controller within easy reach. Having found myself with a controller that had five buttons, rather than the initially planned one, I started thinking what else could be done.

The controller in action (below my right thumb)

I had been riding the WTRL Team Time Trial Series for several months at this point, and the Bluetooth controller offered a number of applications to improve our team’s performance by changing camera angles to help me and my team stay in the wheels, as well as communicate more effectively via elbow flicks and Discord‘s Push to Talk voice chat function. The videos below show you how to make and set up the controller.

Requirements

  • You are running Zwift and Discord on a Windows PC with Bluetooth capabilities
  • Any sort of headset and microphone connected to the PC
  • A Bluetooth media button (widely available, here’s one on Amazon that includes a handlebar clip)
  • AutoHotkey installed on your system (if you don’t want to use the self-contained .exe file below)

Controller Functions

Volume Up: Activate Power up

Play / Pause: Elbow Flick

Next: Toggle 1st and 3rd person view

Previous: Toggle front and rear view

Volume Down: Discord Push to talk – press once activates for 2.5s, press twice activates until it is pressed again

Hardware Instructions

Software Instructions

Download the AutoHotKey script or grab the source code (written for Autohotkey)

Discord Setup

Operating Instructions and Troubleshooting

Once you have paired the button (you should only need to do this once), pressing the play pause button before loading the software each time will wake up the device and connect it to your PC. The controller is more reliable if you are paired before launching Zwift.

The software is set to automatically load Zwift and will automatically close itself when you quit Zwift.

The button works by mimicking pressing buttons on the keyboard. You can test if it is working properly by opening a word processor and pressing the controller button. It should start typing numbers and spaces (depending on which button you have pressed).

If it is not working, first check it is connected to your PC and that Zwift is the active window.

Occasionally, restarting your PC and removing and repairing your controller may be required if problems persist.

About This Project

Like many cyclists, I’ve found a lot more of my training and racing has been indoors this year. I’ve really enjoyed Zwift and have benefited a lot from the collaborative work of members of the indoor training community. It felt only fair to make a contribution myself, and maybe at the same time raise some money for charity.

If you have enjoyed using this e-racing controller software, please feel free to make a donation to World Bicycle Relief.


Editor’s note: this post originally ran on the VO2 project’s website. It is republished here with by permission.

Andy Nichols
Andy Nichols
Andy is a lecturer in nutrition and also works as a sports nutritionist at TheVO2Project Ltd. In his spare time he races on the road and in hill climbs. Andy took up e-racing in 2020 after the outdoor season was put on hold.

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Mick Such
Mick Such
2 years ago

Great idea. Are you prepared to sell the rights to Zwift so they can mass produce this item with the ability to synch different items to the buttons.
Keep up the good work on this. 👍

Andreas
Andreas(@andir3x)
2 years ago

would be nice to enable DI2 over Bluetooth

Darren Ellis
Darren Ellis
2 years ago

Hi Andy
Bluetooth media button is £6 on Ebay uk

Chris
Chris
2 years ago
Reply to  Darren Ellis

The one in the article is a £6 ebay soecial

Jurij
Jurij
2 years ago

Does the software work with other similar buttons?

Eric Schlange
Admin
Top Member
Eric Schlange(@eschlange)
2 years ago
Reply to  Jurij

Should work with any Bluetooth media button. But I just tested it today with the button linked in the post.

Mark Turra
Mark Turra
2 years ago

This is a great idea! Fixes so many frustrations in one solution.

Paul Rayner
Paul Rayner(@paulrayner)
2 years ago

I think this is great, and it would be great to be able to steer with buttons like this.

Jerod
Jerod
2 years ago

Any chance of this working on Mac in the near future?

Rob E
Rob E
2 years ago
Reply to  Jerod

Second the request for info on doing this with a Mac or with DI2 buttons

Matt PJ
Matt PJ
2 years ago
Reply to  Jerod

Yes, Mac natively without the need to run bootcamp or parallels etc.

Chris
Chris
2 years ago
Reply to  Jerod

I have the same problem, Andy’s my mate and needs my mac to work on it but I need my mac for zwifting. Catch 22 !!

Robert Barrett
2 years ago
Reply to  Chris

Where does he live/ I might be able to lend him a Mac Mini ….

Andrew Babaian
Andrew Babaian
2 years ago
Reply to  Jerod

it would work natively out of the box with mac since the system prefs allows you to map any keys. Go to system prefs -> keyboard -> shortcuts -> app shortcuts. In there you can map the bluetooth keys to the function you’d want to control in zwift, discord, etc.

Marco
Marco
2 years ago
Reply to  Jerod

I’ve configured it successfully, on BigSur, using Karabiner-Elements. It’s pretty easy and it works like a charm.

Andre
Andre
2 years ago
Reply to  Marco

Any chance of doing/posting a guide? Just upgraded to BigSur, but have never done anything in/with Karabiner. Thanks!

Kevin C
Kevin C
2 years ago

Wondering if we can configure existing Garmin Edge Remote to work with the software?

Tomas
Tomas
2 years ago

Does it still work if I use BT connection in my PC for Sterzo?

Jonathan Gagnon
Jonathan Gagnon
2 years ago
Reply to  Tomas

Yes! On my PC I running my hr belt, the sterzo and the remote on bluetooth

Tiago Barreira
Tiago Barreira
1 year ago
Reply to  Andy Nichols

Looks like it stopped working after the latest Zwift update. Does anyone have the same experience/problem?

René Rolighed
René Rolighed
2 years ago

I pretty much gave up using the controller as I got annoyed with it going into sleep/power saving mode so quickly and then med to press a button twice. Once to wake it up and once to actually do what it’s supposed to. Not optimal in a sprint where you want you power up exactly when you press the button!

dan
dan
2 years ago
Reply to  René Rolighed

you can turn this feature OFF in the device manager properties for devices

rederik79
rederik79
2 years ago
Reply to  dan

Can you explain me how? i don’t find this option

Troy Kasper
Troy Kasper
2 years ago

I’m thinking this could be good to program buttons to change resistance when using apps not connected to wahoo, like Pelton or Fitness+

Eric Paterson
Member
Eric Paterson(@eric-paterson)
2 years ago

Would love to be able to do something similar with the existing buttons on the hoods of the wahoo kickr bike!

Johnny Tselikas
Johnny Tselikas(@technicalsupport)
2 years ago

I set it up today, I only changed the discord button as I use discord on my android phone. I assigned the unused discord button as a screenshot button. Whole project $19.99 bargain!

Iain callaghan
Iain callaghan
2 years ago

Can you tell me how you did this please
as this is what I want to do

Adrian Amos
Adrian Amos(@ahamos)
2 years ago

Just got this set up last night using the button linked in the post. I tweaked the AHK file to run the button on the left shifter, since that hand isn’t usually busy during a ride or race, and also re-mapped the power-up to the center button, as that felt more intuitive and more neutral to both riding on the tops and in the drops.

This is a much cleaner solution than building something with Makey Makey. Thank you!!!

rederik79
rederik79
2 years ago
Reply to  Adrian Amos

How is possible to remap the button?

Simon
Simon
2 years ago

On my laptop the BT controller defaults to the correct buttons, using f7 as volume down. To set the hot key in discord just press the BT controller button.
The problem I’m having is that once in zwift, the app takes away my control of the volume so I can’t turn the game noises down other than using the game settings.
How do I change one of the buttons to become a ride on instead?

A. Wagon
A. Wagon
2 years ago
Reply to  Andy Nichols

What I did is that I added this line above my code. This makes hotkeys only working in Zwift window. This means that if I want to use volume up / down to really change audio, I just need to alt tab to another window and then press my volume up/down to change it.

#IfWinActive Zwift
volume_up::
Send {F1}
return

volume_down::
Send {F3}
return

Schalk Marais
Schalk Marais
2 years ago

Has anyone find a similar solution for Apple TV?

Ram Miller
Ram Miller(@ramron67)
2 years ago

Could you get this to work with the companion app?

jonathan leeson
jonathan leeson
2 years ago

I’ve installed and got the buttons working. The only issue I’m facing is the bluetooth device is still controlling volume up and down (space/f12) rather than push to talk in discord, any ideas?

Logan
Logan
2 years ago

Anyone having issues with Avira blocking the file?

Mark
Mark
2 years ago
Reply to  Andy Nichols

Great stuff but as a non tech person, how easy would it be to disable to 2.5s discord option and just replace it with an on or off (like the double press).

Jonathan Gagnon
Jonathan Gagnon
2 years ago

Thanks for sharing ! Received my Bluetooth remote today. Installation was straightfoward including script mods and compiling. Everything works fine!

A. Wagon
A. Wagon
2 years ago

Hello, I did my first race yesterday with this multimedia button and I got a power dropout. What makes me think it’s because of this: 1) I never got any dropout before 2) The dropout happened exactly when I pushed one of the button To add precision, I used it for the first time at mid-race. So my assumption would be that when I pressed the button, it made it come out of sleep mode and reconnect via bluetooth to PC, affecting my zwift bluetooth connexion. Do you think it might be the root cause? I’m considering buying a ANT+… Read more »

Iain callaghan
Iain callaghan
2 years ago

Can anyone tell how to re assign the buttons? I can’t figure out how to open the zwift controller.exe file?

Daryl Southwood
Daryl Southwood
2 years ago

I get an open GL error when I run the new shortcut to Zwift. Also where do I put the .AHK file?

Daryl Southwood
Daryl Southwood
2 years ago

I get an open GL error when I run the new shortcut to Zwift. Also where do I put the .AHK file?

Jeff Beltramini
Jeff Beltramini
2 years ago

I downloaded the AHK file and the HotKey app for windows. I then created a shortcut on my desktop of the AHK file. You run the script with the hotkey app and everything seemed to work for me. I couldn’t download the EXE file because it said it had a virus. If somebody has a better way please post here!

Serge Lacroix
Serge Lacroix
2 years ago

I got the same problem. The EXE file had a virus.

Israel Arroyo
Israel Arroyo
2 years ago

It’s possible to do the same with a Garmin Control Remote?

Tiago Barreira
Tiago Barreira
1 year ago

Looks like it stopped working after the latest Zwift update. Does anyone have the same experience/problem?

Tiago Barreira
Tiago Barreira
1 year ago
Reply to  Tiago Barreira

Looks like something else was causing a problem. I got it to work again.

Bernard
Bernard
1 year ago

I get an error message when trying to download the AHK script from google drive saying the file is infected with a virus. Anyone else had this?

Charles Givens
Charles Givens(@ctgivens)
1 year ago

I wanted to use this, but when I connected it to my laptop it wants to control my spotify music on my computer rather than let me use it for zwift. Do you know a way around it, short of not listening to spotify on the computer I run zwift on?

Korneel
1 year ago

Hey, this is fun! I actually came up with the exact same idea, wrote about it and only just now found your article. I glued my controller to an old Garmin mount and use the Karabiner App to make it work on a Mac. You can read it here: https://onemanengine.com/10-dollar-zwift-solution/

Feel free to add my Mac knowledge+images to the article, just give me a shoutout 🙂

Zwift-Remote-Mounted.jpg
Adrián Chapela
Adrián Chapela
1 year ago

Any way of using this Bluetooth with Zwift running on Android? Even using the remote control to send things to companion could be good.

Markus
Markus
1 year ago

Hey @anicholes .
Have you tried sending “h” for the No-HUD dialog to the game?
This does not work for me. Can send all other characters, can even send “h” to an open message window, but sending it the the main game screen does not trigger any action.
Simple pressing “h” on the keyboard brings the screen up immediately.
Any idea, what is going on here?

Best regards
Markus

Andy Nichols
Andy Nichols
1 year ago
Reply to  Markus

Hi Markus,

This is slightly tricky for some reason but I did manage to do it and will be including it in an update to the paid for version of the software. Essentially you have to use a combination of send {h down}, sleep and send {h up} commands.

Hope this helps,

Andy

Markus
Markus
1 year ago
Reply to  Andy Nichols

Thanks Andy.
It helps, I know what you mean, will try it.

Emanuel
Emanuel
11 months ago

Hi, thanks a lot for your work! I installed the media button, and after running the script it works in a word document. However, in Zwift there is no response. Any idea what I do wrong?

Andy Nichols
Andy Nichols
11 months ago
Reply to  Emanuel

Hi Emanuel,

Most likely it will need you to be running the script in administrator mode.

Hope this helps,

Andy

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