The Problem with Default Mappings
The default Ryujinx keyboard mapping maps the A button to the Enter key. This causes a conflict when you try to type a name for your Mii — pressing Enter to confirm a letter also triggers the A button action, causing the game to skip ahead or freeze the input.
Furthermore, in stores (like the supermarket and clothing shop), Tomodachi Life prompts you to press the Plus (+) button to complete checkout and buy items. Without proper key binding, players get stuck unable to buy food for their Miis.
Living the Dream Note: This entire guide and our downloadable profile are 100% compatible with the Living the Dream (LTD) mod as well as vanilla Tomodachi Life.
Recommended Keyboard Mapping
Open Ryujinx → Options → Settings → Input → Select your keyboard profile.
| Switch Button | Recommended Key | In-Game Action |
|---|---|---|
| A | K | Confirm, talk to Miis, advance text (Separated from Enter!) |
| B | J | Cancel, back out of rooms |
| X | I | Inspect items, view Mii details ("There's no X key" fix) |
| Y | U | Special actions, mini-game choices |
| L | Q | Cycle floors down |
| R | E | Cycle floors up |
| ZL | 1 | Zoom out |
| ZR | 3 | Zoom in |
| + (Plus) | Return/Enter | Checkout at Supermarket/Stores, system menu |
| - (Minus) | Backspace | Delete text, quick cancel |
| D-Pad Up | W | Menu navigation |
| D-Pad Down | S | Menu navigation |
| D-Pad Left | A | Menu navigation |
| D-Pad Right | D | Menu navigation |
| Left Stick | WASD (analog) | Island map movement |
| Right Stick | Arrow Keys | Camera pan, mini-game dodge |
| Touchscreen | Mouse Left-Click + Drag | Head-patting, giving items, stylus controls |
Key insight: Moving A away from Enter eliminates the naming conflict entirely, while assigning Return/Enter to the Plus (+) button allows seamless store checkout!
Fixing Common Emulation Glitches
How to Buy Food in the Supermarket (Checkout Glitch)
If you are stuck at the food store counter unable to complete your purchase:
- Tomodachi Life requires pressing the Switch + (Plus) button to finalize checkout.
- In our recommended mapping, the + button is set to Return/Enter.
- Press Enter on your keyboard while at the counter to buy the food and feed your Miis.
Fixing the Mii Naming Glitch ("Z" Suffix & Freeze)
If typing a name adds a "Z" or freezes text input:
- Default mappings map button A to Z or Enter, sending text and confirmation simultaneously.
- Our profile remaps button A to K.
- Type your name normally, confirm with Enter, then press K to confirm the in-game dialogue.
Where is the X Button and Y Button? ("There's No X Button" Issue)
Many players see in-game prompts like *"Press X to view Mii details"* and try pressing X on their computer keyboard, which does nothing.
- Nintendo controller buttons are positioned in a diamond layout (X is Top, Y is Left, B is Bottom, A is Right).
- In our PC mapping:
- Switch X Button = I Key (Inspect Mii status, view gifts and items)
- Switch Y Button = U Key (Special actions, wardrobe options)
- Do not press the letter
Xon your keyboard; pressIinstead!
How to Press the Home Button (House Icon) & Change Time (Time Travel)
If you are trying to change the in-game clock to refresh supermarket food or trigger events:
- The Switch Home Button (House Icon) on keyboard is assigned to
F4in Ryujinx. - Better Method to Time Travel: You do not need to struggle inside the game. In Ryujinx, simply go to:
Options → Settings → System → Enable Custom System Time.
- Set your desired date/time and restart the game. Your island shops, donations, and events will refresh immediately.
How to Control Minigames (Propose & Dodging Controls)
- The Proposal Minigame: When your Mii is thinking about their partner, wait until the partner's face clearly appears inside the thought bubble, then press
K(A Button). - Dodging Minigames (Presents/RPG): When obstacles shoot at you from the left or right, use the Arrow Keys (
← / →) to tilt the Right Analog Stick and dodge out of the way.
Xbox Controller Setup
Xbox controllers work out of the box with Ryujinx. Go to Input → Controller 1 and select your Xbox controller. The default mapping is correct — no changes needed.
One optional tweak: set Stick Deadzone to 0.15 if you notice drift in the island walking view.
DualSense (PS5 Controller)
DualSense requires the DS4Windows driver on Windows:
- Download DS4Windows
- Enable HidHide to hide the raw controller from Ryujinx
- DS4Windows presents the DualSense as an Xbox controller
- Ryujinx picks it up automatically
Fixing the On-Screen Keyboard Freeze
If the in-game keyboard freezes when you try to type:
- Make sure your Windows input language is set to English (US) before launching the game (
Win + Space) - Disable any IME (Input Method Editor) — these conflict with the game's text input
- If using a Japanese keyboard layout, switch to US layout in Windows Settings before playing
Pro Tip: Hotkeys
Set these Ryujinx hotkeys for a smoother experience:
- F11 — Toggle fullscreen
- F4 — Switch Home button (Return to main menu)
- F5 — Pause/Resume (useful for save editing)
- Ctrl+S — Quick save state (not the same as game save)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this keyboard layout compatible with Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream (LTD)?
Yes, 100% compatible. The Living the Dream community mod uses the exact same button mapping and input hooks as the vanilla game. The preset file works out of the box with zero modifications needed.
Can I play Tomodachi Life with mouse only?
While touchscreen minigames and head-patting use mouse clicks, navigating the island buildings, menus, and the supermarket checkout requires keyboard or controller inputs.
Where do I paste the input preset file?
Download tomodachi-life-ryujinx-keyboard.json. In Ryujinx, go to Options → Settings → Input, click Load Profile, and select the file, or place it directly into %AppData%\Ryujinx\system\profiles\.