Using PlayAbility Adaptive Receiver Firmware on a Pico W (Bluetooth Mode)

This guide explains how to flash and configure the PlayAbility Adaptive Receiver firmware on a Raspberry Pi Pico W or Pico 2W so that it can forward gamepad commands to your Nintendo Switch, Xbox Adaptive Controller, and more.

Once configured, you can connect to the Pico W through the PlayAbility software.

1) Requirements

• Raspberry Pi Pico W or 2W

(Note: Only the Pico W and 2W support Bluetooth/Wi‑Fi. The standard Pico does not.)

• Micro USB Cable

(Used to flash and power the Pico W.)

• PlayAbility Adaptive Receiver Firmware (Bluetooth‑enabled)

(Download the latest .uf2 file from the PlayAbility Adaptive Receiver firmware releases.)

• PlayAbility Adaptive Software

(Installed on your PC or device to connect via Bluetooth.)

2) Flashing the PlayAbility Receiver Firmware onto the Pico W

Download the Firmware UF2 File

Make sure to download the Bluetooth‑enabled version of the firmware.

Enter Bootloader Mode on the Pico W

• Press and hold the BOOTSEL button.
• While holding the button, connect the Pico W to your computer using the Micro USB cable.
• The Pico W should appear as a removable drive named RPI-RP2.

• Copy the UF2 File
• Drag and drop the .uf2 firmware file onto the RPI-RP2 drive.
• The Pico W will automatically reboot and start running the new firmware.

3) Activating Bluetooth Pairing

Enable Pairing Mode

• Press and hold the BOOTSEL button for about 5 seconds while the Pico W is powered on.
• The onboard LED will start blinking rapidly, indicating Bluetooth pairing mode.

Pair from Windows

• Open your Windows Bluetooth settings.
• Click Add device → Bluetooth and wait for your Pico W to appear (the name will be PlayAbility Receiver).
• Select it to pair. Once paired, the LED should stop blinking.

4) Enable serial output and connect with PlayAbility

• Open the gamepad page and enable serial output. A new button has appeared on the right side that let you click and connect to the PlayAbility Receiver

• Use a PlayAbility profile with gamepad output

5) Troubleshooting

Bluetooth Pairing Issues

• Device Not Discoverable?
• Make sure the Pico W is in pairing mode (LED blinking).
• Reboot the Pico W and retry pairing.
• If it still doesn’t appear, clear any existing pairing records on your PC and try again.

Re‑Flashing or Updating the Firmware

• To update or revert, simply repeat the flashing steps from Section 2 with the desired .uf2 firmware file.

Conclusion

Once flashed and paired, your Raspberry Pi Pico W acts as a Bluetooth HID receiver that communicates directly with the PlayAbility software. This allows adaptive inputs — such as joysticks, pedals, or other assistive devices — to be seamlessly forwarded and interpreted as gamepad input for your Nintendo Switch, Xbox Adaptive Controller, or PS5/Xbox (via Brook adapters), giving you full access to PlayAbility’s adaptive gaming ecosystem.

Updated on: 06/10/2025