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Handheld Companion adds touch-friendly controls for TDP and Auto TDP, per-game profiles, gyro, button mapping, virtual controllers, overlays and hotkeys to the Windows 10 or Windows 11 versions of the ASUS ROG Ally and ROG Ally X. The safest setup is to install it alongside a working Armoury Crate SE installation, verify every control, and only then disable overlapping ASUS services if you want Handheld Companion to be the sole controller.
This guide reflects public Handheld Companion version 0.32.3.0, released July 30, 2026; labels and defaults can change, so use the names shown by your installed build.
What Handheld Companion does on the ROG Ally
Handheld Companion is a Windows application and background service for handheld PCs. On an Ally it can provide:
- Fixed TDP and dynamic Auto TDP controls
- GPU, refresh-rate, resolution, brightness, volume and power controls
- Per-game performance profiles
- Gyro and motion mappings
- Front auxiliary and rear-button remapping
- Virtual Xbox 360 or DualShock 4 controllers
- Performance overlays and customizable hotkeys
- A QuickTools panel for changes while a game is running
Download it from the official Valkirie GitHub repository or its Releases page. It is free software; optional Patreon support is not required.
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- [Xbox Game Bar integration] : Launch Game Bar with a tap of the Xbox button or play your favorite titles natively from platforms like Xbox Game Pass, Steam, Epic Games, or Windows games on the go.
- [All your games, all your progress]: Powered by Windows 11, the ROG Xbox Ally gives you access to your full library of PC games from Xbox and other game stores. With Xbox Play Anywhere, you can pick up right where you left off on your PC or Xbox and jump back into the game anytime.
- [Never stop gaming]: Powered by ultra-efficient AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, the ROG Xbox Ally offers console-caliber performance and can game for hours, even away from a wall outlet.
- [Game-ready storage and fast memory]: Store your full library and multitask seamlessly with 512GB SSD and 16GB of LPDDR5 6400MHz RAM. The ROG Xbox Ally makes playing any game in the palm of your hand possible.
It is not a guaranteed replacement for every Armoury Crate SE function. ASUS uses Armoury Crate for device-specific updates, firmware-related tasks, library integration, Gamepad Mode and Desktop Mode, including using the Ally’s controls as a Windows mouse. ASUS documents that desktop-control role in its support FAQ.
Supported Ally models and Windows versions
The project lists the original ASUS ROG Ally and ROG Ally X on Windows 10 and Windows 11 x86/amd64 systems. Feature behavior is not identical across models: fan control, gyro, OEM buttons, power limits and driver behavior can vary with the Ally model, firmware and Handheld Companion release. Do not assume a setting documented for one model or an older build applies unchanged to another.
Choose your Armoury Crate strategy first
Option A: Keep Armoury Crate installed (recommended starting point)
Leave Armoury Crate SE working while you install and test Handheld Companion. This preserves ASUS update tools, the normal recovery path and desktop mouse navigation. The trade-off is that both applications may try to manage TDP, profiles, hotkeys, OEM buttons, controller routing, overlays or power behavior. Assign each function to one application and test for conflicts.
Option B: Keep it installed but disable overlapping services
This retains Armoury Crate as a fallback while allowing Handheld Companion to take over selected controls. The Ally wiki identifies ARMOURY CRATE SE Service and Armoury Crate Control Interface as relevant to OEM-button remapping. That community procedure was last updated in February 2024, so prefer a current Handheld Companion OEM-stack switch when your build offers one.
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Use this only after a working Handheld Companion setup and only if you deliberately want an HC-centered system. Removing Armoury Crate can remove the Ally’s controller-as-mouse Desktop Mode. ASUS recommends reinstalling Armoury Crate SE with its official installer if that behavior disappears. Disabling services first is easier to reverse than uninstalling the application.
Prepare the Ally before installation
- Connect the official charger or an adequately rated USB-C charger.
- Install pending Windows updates.
- Update Armoury Crate SE, ASUS system components, BIOS, chipset and graphics drivers through ASUS’s normal tools.
- Create a Windows restore point.
- Record current Armoury Crate profiles and button assignments.
- Confirm the touchscreen works.
- Have a USB-C hub, keyboard or mouse available if possible.
- Download the current ASUS Armoury Crate installer before changing services.
- Close G-Helper, RTSS-based tuning, fan/TDP utilities and other remappers so only one tool controls each function while you diagnose problems.
Install Handheld Companion
- Open the official Releases page and download the current all-in-one setup archive. Avoid mirrors and repackaged installers.
- Extract or open the downloaded archive and locate
install.exe. - Right-click
install.exe, choose Run as administrator, approve the Windows prompt and follow the installer. - Allow any supporting controller or HID components that the current installer presents. The project uses supporting libraries including Nefarius and SDL components; prompts can change between releases, so do not rely on an old screenshot.
- Restart when prompted, or restart manually when installation finishes.
Finish first launch and establish a recovery baseline
Let Handheld Companion detect the device, select the ASUS ROG Ally platform if prompted, review the default controller mode and complete any first-run setup. Record the installed version in the application’s About or settings screen. Version 0.32.3.0 includes Ally-family fixes, including corrected main-window summon-hotkey behavior, so update before following an older guide.
Before changing ASUS services, test:
- Both sticks, the D-pad, face buttons, bumpers and triggers
- M1 and M2 rear buttons
- Command Center and Armoury Crate buttons
- Touchscreen input
- Desktop mouse navigation
- A gamepad tester or a simple Windows game
If a game sees two controllers, stop and fix routing before creating profiles. Handheld Companion’s virtual-controller modes can improve compatibility but can also duplicate or reorder input.
Configure the basic controls
Select a controller mode
Start with the default Xbox-compatible gamepad behavior for ordinary Windows games. Enable a virtual Xbox 360 or DualShock 4 controller only for a game or emulator that needs it. After changing modes, restart the game and check that only one controller is visible. Steam Input, Armoury Crate, external gamepads and other remappers can add additional layers.
Set up QuickTools and its summon key
QuickTools exposes TDP, Auto TDP, GPU settings, refresh rate, frame limit, resolution, brightness, volume, power mode, battery information, hotkeys and motion profiles. In Handheld Companion:
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- [Xbox experience brought to life by ROG] : The Xbox gaming legacy meets ROG's decades of premium hardware design in the ROG Xbox Ally. Boot straight into the Xbox experience just like a console.
- [Xbox Game Bar integration] : Launch Game Bar with a tap of the Xbox button or play your favorite titles natively from platforms like Xbox Game Pass, Steam, Epic Games, or Windows games on the go.
- [All your games, all your progress]: Powered by Windows 11, the ROG Xbox Ally gives you access to your full library of PC games from Xbox and other game stores. With Xbox Play Anywhere, you can pick up right where you left off on your PC or Xbox and jump back into the game anytime.
- [Never stop gaming]: Powered by ultra-efficient AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, the ROG Xbox Ally offers console-caliber performance and can game for hours, even away from a wall outlet.
- [Game-ready storage and fast memory]: Store your full library and multitask seamlessly with 1TB SSD and 16GB of LPDDR5 6400MHz RAM. The ROG Xbox Ally makes playing any game in the palm of your hand possible.
- Open the application and find the QuickTools or overlay configuration.
- Assign a hardware button or key combination to summon it.
- Save the setting.
- Launch a game and verify that QuickTools appears.
- Test the same shortcut on the Windows desktop and in a game.
Do not assume a universal default combination. Ally summon-hotkey defaults have changed between releases, and a shortcut may conflict with Armoury Crate, Xbox Game Bar, Steam or another overlay.
Understand TDP and Auto TDP
TDP is a fixed power target. Auto TDP dynamically adjusts power toward a performance target. Neither has one universally correct wattage or guarantees higher frame rates or longer battery life. Results depend on Ally model (including Z1 versus Z1 Extreme), charger state, game engine, resolution, refresh rate, frame target, thermals, fans and whether a dock or external display is attached.
Begin with a conservative value, change one variable at a time, and watch temperature, frame rate, stability and battery drain. If a value works on AC power but not on battery, that is a power-state limitation rather than proof that the profile is broken.
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Handheld Companion can apply settings when it detects an application’s executable. A practical workflow is:
- Open Profiles and add or select the game.
- Choose the game’s actual executable, not only its launcher. If automatic detection fails, browse to the game binary.
- Set only the changes you need: TDP or Auto TDP, frame limit, refresh rate, resolution, GPU behavior, controller mode, gyro, overlay visibility and hotkeys.
- Save the profile.
- Launch the game and confirm that the profile indicator or settings changes appear.
- Close the game and confirm global settings return.
Profile detection can attach to a launcher instead of the game. If that happens, add the real game executable and test again.
Map rear and OEM buttons safely
First record the original mappings. Assign a harmless action such as opening QuickTools, test it in Windows and a game, then add keyboard combinations, mouse actions, turbo or profile switching.
Reliable OEM-button remapping may require Armoury Crate’s overlapping control to be disabled. The ROG Ally wiki describes disabling ARMOURY CRATE SE Service and Armoury Crate Control Interface, then rebooting. Because that page is older than current releases, use Handheld Companion’s current OEM-stack option when available and do not disable services until touchscreen or an external input gives you a recovery method.
Configure gyro and motion controls
Handheld Companion supports the Ally’s IMU for racing, first-person, third-person and emulator profiles. In a game’s profile, enable gyro, choose whether it acts as a mouse, right stick or another input, select an activation method such as always-on, trigger-held or button-held, then tune sensitivity. Check calibration or sensor status before play.
Disable gyro in games where it causes drift or unwanted camera movement. Behavior depends on model, sensor drivers, controller mode, game and software version. Older community instructions about Bosch IMU driver versions are model- and date-specific, not a universal current procedure.
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When and how to disable ASUS services
If Handheld Companion works but OEM buttons or power controls conflict, use Windows Services:
- Press the Windows key, search for Services and open the desktop application.
- Find
ARMOURY CRATE SE Service. - Open its properties, stop it if running, and set Startup type to Disabled (or use the current HC-recommended setting).
- Repeat for
Armoury Crate Control Interfaceonly when necessary. - Restart the Ally.
- Immediately test sticks, buttons, QuickTools, desktop navigation, sleep/resume and a game.
Do not let both applications actively manage the same TDP, fan, controller, OEM-button, hotkey or overlay function. Recent release notes show continuing changes to controller routing, virtual controllers, sleep/resume, power management and OEM-stack handling.
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Troubleshoot by symptom
Installer fails
- Restart Windows and download the release again from official GitHub.
- Run
install.exeas administrator. - Check Windows Security protection history for a blocked driver or component.
- Do not manually delete driver folders or registry entries.
- For persistent failures, use the project’s GitHub Issues and support links; the project says Issues are not a general help desk.
QuickTools or the overlay is missing
- Confirm Handheld Companion is running in the notification area.
- Assign a summon hotkey and remove conflicts with Armoury Crate, Xbox Game Bar, Steam or another overlay.
- Check that the overlay is enabled for the active profile.
- Run the game and HC at compatible permission levels.
- Temporarily disable RTSS or another on-screen display. Reports such as issue 1080 and issue 1156 describe overlay conflicts; they are troubleshooting leads, not proof of a universal defect.
Ally controls stop responding
- Exit Handheld Companion and reboot.
- Re-enable ASUS services if you disabled them.
- Return to the default Xbox-compatible controller mode.
- Temporarily disable virtual-controller emulation.
- Disconnect external controllers.
- Test in Windows Game Controllers or a gamepad tester.
- Update Handheld Companion before attempting manual driver repair.
Recent releases include fixes for virtual-controller reliability, sleep/resume, controller routing and Ally HID communication.
Desktop mouse mode disappeared
Use the touchscreen, re-enable ASUS services and reboot. If Armoury Crate was uninstalled, reinstall Armoury Crate SE from ASUS, then test Desktop Mode. ASUS identifies Armoury Crate as the component that lets the gamepad act as a Windows mouse.
A game detects two controllers
- Disable Handheld Companion’s virtual controller.
- Temporarily close Steam Input.
- Disconnect external gamepads.
- Restart the game after changing the controller mode.
- Check that Armoury Crate or another remapper is not also active.
TDP or Auto TDP has no effect
- Check that Armoury Crate is not controlling the same power interface.
- Verify that the intended profile is active and points to the game’s real executable.
- Check whether battery, docked or external-display power state changes available limits.
- Try a modest value within the current power state.
- Update HC and review its release notes. Windows Smart App Control has been documented as interfering with power manipulation in some supported systems, particularly in notes concerning Intel devices; do not assume that explanation applies to every Ally.
Gyro or settings fail after sleep
Reboot, confirm the profile and controller mode, and update Handheld Companion. If only one game is affected, disable and recreate that game’s gyro or virtual-controller profile rather than changing global settings.
How to roll back the setup
- Exit Handheld Companion.
- Re-enable any ASUS services you disabled and restart.
- Set the controller to the default Xbox-compatible mode.
- Disable virtual-controller emulation and conflicting remappers.
- Reinstall Armoury Crate SE if Desktop Mode or controller-as-mouse behavior is missing.
- Use the restore point only after recording the current configuration and only if normal service restoration does not recover the device.
Which tool should control the Ally?
| Tool | Best fit | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Armoury Crate SE | Official ASUS integration, updates, library, Gamepad Mode and Desktop Mode | Less focused on advanced cross-device profiles, gyro and remapping workflows |
| Handheld Companion | Advanced profiles, TDP/Auto TDP, gyro, hotkeys, overlays and virtual-controller options | More configuration and greater conflict risk with ASUS services or other utilities |
| G-Helper | Users seeking a lightweight ASUS-oriented alternative | Do not run it and Handheld Companion simultaneously for the same power, fan or input functions |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to uninstall Armoury Crate SE?
No. Keep it installed while you test Handheld Companion. Disable overlapping services or uninstall Armoury Crate only after you have a recovery method and understand that Desktop Mode mouse control may depend on Armoury Crate.
Does Handheld Companion work on the ROG Ally X?
The project lists both the original ROG Ally and ROG Ally X on Windows 10 and Windows 11, but hardware-specific behavior can differ by model and software version.
Is a virtual controller required?
No. Start with the default Xbox-compatible mode. Use virtual Xbox 360 or DualShock 4 emulation only when a particular game or emulator needs it.
Can Handheld Companion control TDP and map the rear buttons?
Yes. It supports fixed TDP, Auto TDP and button remapping, although power behavior and OEM-button reliability depend on the current model, drivers and ASUS-service configuration.
The Bottom Line
Install Handheld Companion from GitHub, run install.exe as administrator, keep Armoury Crate working during initial tests, and verify controls before changing services. Once the Ally is stable, let one application—not several overlapping utilities—own TDP, profiles, controller routing, overlays and OEM buttons. Keep the ASUS installer and touchscreen access available so you can restore desktop control quickly.
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