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# Use Head Tracking as a Joystick or Mouse

Head tracking uses the selected webcam and **Face Detection**. PlayAbility can read four continuous head axes:

- **Yaw**: turn left or right.
- **Pitch**: look or nod up and down.
- **Roll**: tilt an ear toward a shoulder.
- **Lean**: move forward or backward.

For discrete actions, you can instead select the directions **Up**, **Down**, **Left**, or **Right** and set an activation threshold.

## Prepare head tracking

1. Open **Settings** > **General**.
2. Under **Webcam**, select the camera you want to use.
3. Sit in a comfortable neutral position with your face visible.
4. Start **Face Detection** beside the webcam preview.
5. Make sure **Main Output** is enabled.

Keep the camera stable after calibration. A changed chair position, camera angle, or distance can alter the center point and movement range.

## Control a gamepad stick with your head

1. Open the current profile in **Mapping**.
2. Select **Add actions**.
3. Under **Gamepad**, add the horizontal and vertical axes of the stick you want to control.
4. On the horizontal axis action, select **Select a trigger**.
5. Select **Create a new trigger +**, then choose **Head Motion**.
6. Select **Yaw**, or another axis that is comfortable for horizontal control.
7. Set the minimum and maximum angle limits and the deadzone.
8. Invert the axis if the output moves in the wrong direction, then select **Save**.
9. Repeat the process for the vertical stick axis, normally using **Pitch**.
10. Select **Calibrate head** or use **Center HeadStick** while holding your neutral position.

The angle limits determine how much head movement reaches full stick deflection. The deadzone creates a resting area around the calibrated center.

## Use head direction for a button or key

1. Add the gamepad button, keyboard key, mouse action, or other compatible action.
2. Select **Select a trigger** and create a **Head Motion** trigger.
3. Select **Up**, **Down**, **Left**, or **Right**.
4. Adjust the **Sensitivity Threshold** to set how far you must move before the action activates.
5. Choose an **Action Mode** if needed, then select **Save**.

For a progressive gamepad trigger or other supported analog action, PlayAbility may also show a maximum threshold. The first threshold begins the output and the maximum threshold defines full output.

## Move the mouse pointer with your head

1. In **Mapping**, select **Add actions**.
2. Open **Mouse**, select **Mouse Motion**, and select **Add**.
3. On the new action, select **Select a trigger**.
4. Select **Create a new trigger +** and choose **Head Motion Mouse**.
5. Under **Select control mode**, choose **Move mouse with head**.
6. Choose a **Cursor mapping** mode:
   - **Relative** moves the pointer like a mouse. Adjust horizontal and vertical sensitivity and acceleration.
   - **Absolute** maps head angle to pointer position and automatically learns camera noise to improve stability.
7. In **Relative** mode, keep **Auto-compensate for distance** enabled if your distance from the camera may vary. Use **Center Headmouse** at your preferred distance.
8. Enable **Continuous Mode** only when you want movement to continue after your head reaches a configured angle, such as for continuous in-game camera rotation.
9. Adjust the horizontal and vertical angle settings when they are shown.
10. Select **Save**.

For desktop pointing, compare **Relative** and **Absolute** and keep the one that feels more predictable. Some games handle absolute pointer jumps poorly, while relative movement behaves more like a physical mouse.

## Verify and refine the control

1. Hold your neutral position and calibrate.
2. Move slowly through the intended range while watching PlayAbility's live feedback.
3. Release back to neutral and confirm a joystick returns to center or the pointer stops.
4. Test the smallest comfortable movements, then full-range movements.
5. Test clicks or other face gestures together with head control to make sure they do not interfere.
6. Repeat the test in the target game or app.

## Troubleshooting and limitations

### Head movement is not detected

Confirm **Face Detection** is running, the correct webcam is selected, and your face is visible in steady lighting. Check Windows camera permission if the preview is unavailable.

### A joystick drifts at rest

Return to a comfortable neutral pose, calibrate again, and increase the deadzone. Recalibrate after moving the camera, changing seats, or changing your normal posture.

### Full stick movement requires too much effort

Reduce the minimum and maximum angle range so a smaller head movement reaches full output. Avoid ranges that require strain.

### The output direction is reversed

Edit the **Head Motion** trigger and enable or disable the axis inversion setting.

### The pointer is too slow, fast, or shaky

In a **Head Motion Mouse** trigger, tune horizontal and vertical sensitivity separately. Reduce acceleration for a more linear response. Try **Absolute** for its built-in noise learning, or add a separate **Cursor Stabilizer** to a compatible mouse-motion setup when you need more smoothing.

### The pointer does not stop in Continuous Mode

Continuous Mode keeps pointer or camera movement active after your head reaches the configured angle. Disable it for ordinary desktop pointing or adjust its horizontal and vertical angle ranges.

### Calibrate head is unavailable

Calibration is enabled when the current profile contains a head-motion or head-mouse mapping. Save the trigger first, then calibrate while that profile is current.

## Related articles

- [Send Head Tracking Data to OpenTrack](https://help.playability.gg/en/article/send-head-tracking-data-to-opentrack-m0xz3u/)
- [Map Inputs to Virtual Gamepad Actions](https://help.playability.gg/en/article/map-inputs-to-virtual-gamepad-actions-dr2uxf/)
- [Map Inputs to Mouse Actions](https://help.playability.gg/en/article/map-inputs-to-mouse-actions-1fkp0wl/)
- [Improve PlayAbility Performance and Resolve Power Warnings](https://help.playability.gg/en/article/improve-playability-performance-and-resolve-power-warnings-ycc06v/)