Map custom keys to any cycling app from your phone

Before you start: pairing and the Pro unlock

Two things should be in place: an Android phone (Android 9 or newer) already paired with your Mac or Windows PC, and the GearPad Pro unlock. Pro is a one-time purchase on Google Play, with no subscription.

If you have not paired yet, follow the Bluetooth setup guide for Mac and Windows first. The status pill in GearPad should show your computer's name before you start building anything.

Where do you find the keys an app uses?

Look for the app's own shortcut list, usually in its settings, help pages or a controls screen. GearPad can only press keys the app already listens to, so that list is your source of truth.

Write down each action you want on your phone, together with its key and any modifier such as Shift, Control, Option or Command. Start with three to six actions. A short layout is easier to use mid-ride than a full keyboard.

For MyWhoosh, the MyWhoosh keyboard shortcuts page collects the keys that are documented or reported. If an app has no shortcut list at all, check its help pages before assuming a key exists. A button that sends an unused key simply does nothing.

How do you create a layout and add buttons?

Make a new layout from the layout menu, then add one button per action. Each app gets its own layout, so switching between apps is a single tap.

1. Open the layout menu and create a new layout. Name it after the app so you can find it later.
2. Tap the pencil to enter edit mode.
3. Tap + on an empty cell of the grid to add a button.
4. Tap the new button and choose its key. Add modifiers (Command, Option, Control, Shift) if the shortcut needs them.
5. Type a short label, pick an icon from the library, and choose a color. Use different colors for actions you must not mix up.
6. Long-press a button to move it, and drag its corner to resize it. Put the actions you use most in the biggest, easiest cells.
7. Leave edit mode and try the layout.

What does a finished button look like? A worked example

Suppose a made-up app lists four shortcuts. This table shows how each one turns into a GearPad button. The app and its keys are invented for illustration, so replace them with the ones from your own app's list.

GearPad sends each key as soon as you touch the button, so Next, Overlay and Marker behave like a normal key tap. The Look button keeps L down while your finger stays on it, which only helps if the app treats L as a key you hold.

When should you turn on hold while pressed?

Only for actions the app expects you to keep down, such as looking behind or steering. With it on, the key stays down for as long as your finger is on the button.

Everything else should stay as a normal tap. The default is a single press that fires on touch-down, which suits gear changes, toggles and emotes. For steering and camera setups specifically, see how to control the camera and steering from your phone.

Which keys can you map, and what are the limits?

GearPad Pro can send letters, numbers, arrows, F-keys and other keys, with Command, Option, Control and Shift as modifiers. The one thing to know is that keys follow the US keyboard layout by position.

Letters, numbers and arrows always match. Symbol keys on other layouts type whatever sits in the same physical position as the US key, so a symbol shortcut can come out differently on, for example, an Italian or German keyboard. If a symbol shortcut misbehaves, pick a letter or function key instead, if the app lets you.

• A button can only trigger what the app already supports. GearPad sends keys, so it cannot add features, read your trainer or send power data.
• Keys reach only the window in front, so the app must be active on your computer.

If you are weighing a phone layout against a controller-based setup, GearPad vs BikeControl lays out the differences.

How do you test a new layout?

Test each button once with the app open and in front, before a real session. It takes a minute and catches most mistakes.

1. Click the app window on your computer so it is the active window.
2. Tap each button and watch for the action in the app.
3. If nothing happens, check that the status pill shows your computer's name and that the key matches the app's shortcut list.
4. Fix one button at a time: tap the pencil, tap the button, adjust the key or modifier, then test again.
5. Try hold buttons last, and confirm they release as soon as you lift your finger.

If the app ignores every button, the troubleshooting guide for a phone keyboard that is not working covers pairing and focus problems.

Can you edit the built-in MyWhoosh and Biketerra layouts?

Yes, with Pro you can edit the built-in MyWhoosh and Biketerra layouts like any other. Without Pro they stay free to use, on each game's default keys, so the unlock is only needed if you want to change them.

For example, you could resize the gear buttons, add a button for another key the game supports, or change colors so the two gear buttons are impossible to confuse at a glance.

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