Step 1 - Setup Mouse & Keyboard
It is important you follow these steps in the order they are written, otherwise you will likely run into problems. It's not difficult but the instructions are very specific, so be sure to take your time. If you have used the previous Zen MK system, you should start again as none of the previous settings are compatible - but you won't be sorry!
⚡IMPORTANT
DO NOT have any scripts or GamePacks enabled until you are happy with your Mouse & Keyboard setup and performance (disabled = press the memory slot button until the Zen gearhead logo is on the OLED screen), and remember, if your mouse ever disconnects, glitches or becomes unresponsive, simply tap Zen's reset button to resync.
The new Zen 2.2.2 Beta has a huge list of new Mouse & Keyboard features, including an updated Ballistic Curve engine, giving greater mouse translation accuracy than ever before, Analog Sim, multiple profiles for HIP, ADS, and 4 AUX, multiple keybinds with advanced scripting, an updated Game Profiles system, plus a major design overhaul with a ton of updates and fixes.
Unless you have a powered USB MK Switch, setting up a gaming Mouse and Keyboard with Cronus Zen requires a second mouse and keyboard. A laptop built-in keyboard and trackpad may also be used for setting up MK in the place of a second MK.
This is because the MK you are connecting to the Zen outputs as a controller, not as a mouse and keyboard. But you need a mouse and keyboard to dial in all of the MK settings in Zen Studio while your gaming mouse and keyboard is connected to the Zen.
This is to control Windows functionality so that you're able to use Zen Studio. However, If you don't have a second MK, we recommend using an MK Switch with built-in powered USB Hub.
Powered MK Switch Advantages:
- Connect one Mouse/Keyboard/Controller to both Cronus Zen and PC at the same time
- Quickly switch to ZEN for live in-game tuning
- Quickly switch to PC for Tuning/Mapping/Export/Import
- Easy setup for Windows PC gaming use
- Extra 5v AUX power for RGB keyboards (micro-USB power supply not included)
- Up to 4 USB inputs (idea for RGB keyboards with 2 x USB cables)
Remember, all devices connected to a Cronus are emulated as a controller. So, the Mouse & Keyboard connected to your Zen, which is connected to your PC, is detected by your PC as a controller, not as a Mouse or Keyboard. So to operate software like Zen Studio, you'd need another Mouse & Keyboard to operate Windows applications.
If you don't have a second Mouse or Keyboard, we recommend using an MK Switch with built-in powered USB Hub 👍
To save you the job of hunting for a good quality MK Switch, you can buy a custom Cronus MK Switch with a powered 5v USB hub for extra juice to RGB devices. You also get four USB inputs which are ideal for RGB keyboards that have more than one USB cable (like the Logitech G815 in the image below), there's a machined aluminum shell for high efficiency cooling, and easy to read labels for ZEN and PC with bright blue LEDs to highlight which device you are switched to. Now available to buy👉 from our store 🛒
If you are using a second Mouse & Keyboard you don't need to use an MK Switch - the instructions are the same, but when it says switch to PC and use the mouse, simply use the mouse you already have connected to your PC and the same with your keyboard. If using a laptop the built-in keyboard and trackpad can also be used.
Important: If you are not using an MK Switch and your keyboard has two cables (example: Logitech G815), you must connect the KEYBOARD cable to the ZEN and not the second RGB/Data cable. This may have an effect on RGB performance or other custom features of your keyboard. If you are using an Xbox controller and it keeps pairing to your console remove the batteries in it then reconnect it to port A1.
The rest of this guide will assume you are using the MK Switch as it makes setup much easier with less room for error. Here are the simple steps to hooking everything up between the MK Switch and the Cronus Zen.
- Using the USB A to A Cables provided with the MK Switch, connect USB1 to Zen's A3 USB PORT, and USB2 to your Desktop/Laptop running Windows. See the diagram below for USB Port Numbers. We recommend using USB3 ports as they are higher amps than USB2.
- Connect a micro-USB cable to the AUX 5v port. You can use a 5v USB power brick or connect it to a Desktop/Laptop USB port. This adds additional power (great for RGB keyboards).
- Connect up to 4 x USB devices (perfect for Keyboards with 2 x USB cables).
- Press the round button to switch between PC and ZEN (LED lights up BLUE).
There are some MK Switches that have four outputs instead of two. They both work exactly the same just ignore the extra two ports.
Pretty straightforward, yes?
OK, unplug the MK Switch from A3 because we're now going to test if your Mouse and Keyboard is compatible, and configured correctly for Cronus Zen.
First, check the Mouse & Keyboard page to see if your mouse and keyboard is supported, and if there are any special setup notes. For example, most Redragon keyboards also output as a mouse, so you'd need to use the "Ignore Device" function. Also, most Corsair keyboards need to be put into a special BIOS mode.
First, we need to verify the keyboard is compatible, detecting correctly as a keyboard and not also outputting as a mouse (The Cronus Support Center has this as the #1 failure with customers looking for MK help). Let's take you through this step-by-step....
To get started, connect your gaming mouse to the MK Switch and connect the ZEN USB Cable to the A2 USB PORT - then switch the MK Switch to PC (not required if using a second mouse).
- Connect your gaming keyboard to the A3 USB PORT
- Connect Zen to your PC using the PROG mini-USB cable.
- Select the Device Tab
- Connect Keyboard to A3 (also A2 if 2 x USB Cables - for example the Logitech G815 RGB Keyboard)
- CONNECTED DEVICES on the right should now show the KEYBOARD icon (see image below).
CORSAIR KEYBOARDS: These must be placed into BIOS mode or Zen will not detect it. You can find this kind of information on the Mouse & Keyboard page.
Don't worry if the CONNECTED DEVICES icon is a question mark, we simply haven't gotten around to adding the brand logo of your device yet. If you would like us to add the logo, get the VID of the device from Device Monitor (F3) and contact us at the Cronus Support Center so we can add it.
If your keyboard also outputs as a MOUSE (see image below), you will first need to add it to the device ignore list before continuing (see Ignore Device instructions in the next step).
If no icons are displaying at all, even if you are using the powered Cronus MK Switch, then unfortunately your mouse or keyboard is likely not compatible with Cronus Zen.
You only need to follow this step if your keyboard is also outputting as a mouse, otherwise, you can skip to the next step (Test Mouse).
1️⃣ Select the M&K settings tab. You will notice that the Connected Devices are now listed on the left.
2️⃣ Navigate to CONNECTED DEVICES and right click the MOUSE icon - select Add To Ignore List
3️⃣ You can view all ignored Keyboards & Mice devices by clicking on the Ignore 'Eye' icon.
If you can't see this part of the M&K Settings panel, then your screen resolution is likely too low. Simply use the scroll bars to scroll down and to the right so you're able to get access to huge amount of features in this panel, even with a low res laptop screen 👍
If needed a device can be removed from the Ignore List by opening the Ignore List, selecting the ignored device, then clicking the "Remove" button.
Demo Video: Click Here
We're assuming that you have followed this guide using the MK Switch, which should be connected to Zen's A3 USB PORT.
Unplug your gaming keyboard if it is still connected to the Zen and connect it to the MK Switch (or connect your gaming keyboard to A2 if you are using a second MK or laptop keyboard to operate Windows).
Open Zen Studio, click the Device tab, then press the MK Switch button to select ZEN. Your Mouse and Keyboard will now patch directly to the Cronus Zen, which is outputting to your PC as the controller of your choice (connect an XBOX/PS/SWITCH controller to the A1 USB PORT.
When you connect a PlayStation controller to A1, Zen will mirror as a PS4 or PS5, and the game will display PlayStation icons. Connect an Xbox controller to A1, Zen will mirror as an Xbox One X/S (the official Xbox Accessories App for Windows will correctly detect the exact model of Xbox controller) and all PC games will display Xbox icons.
Remember, the game thinks you have a controller connected, so all menus will be controller menus, not mouse and keyboard menus. This is how you can get Mouse & Keyboard into controller lobbies and have a little fun 😉
If the connected devices are not displaying or the taskbar says 'Device Disconnected', make sure all the USB cables are firmly connected, then hit the Zen reset button a couple of times until everything syncs. If that doesn't work the USB bus may have crashed, so close Zen Studio and try again.
If using Parallels on a Mac click the Windows icon on the top right of the screen > Devices > USB & Bluetooth and make sure that "Cronus Bridge" has a checkmark next to it. This indicated that the Zen is being passed from the Mac to your Parallels VM.
For the example below, a DualSense controller is connected to A1 with the emulator output set to AUTO, so the Zen is 'mirroring' as a PS5. A Logitech G815 keyboard and a Razer Deathadder Elite mouse are connected to A2 and A3.
Press the MK Switch button to select PC so you can use your Mouse again. Open Zen Studio and select the M&K Settings tab. Press F3 to open the Device Monitor, then highlight the PS4_RX, PS4_RY (Boxes 9 & 10) and PS4_LX, PS4_LY (Boxes 11 & 12) outputs so they can be viewed in the output monitor. As soon as you are ready to start testing your gaming Mouse & Keyboard, press the MK Switch to select ZEN. Your Mouse and Keyboard will now patch directly to the Cronus Zen.
Now it's the moment of truth. Move your mouse around in circles and you will see the RX/RY values move in real-time. Also press keys such as WASD on the keyboard and you will see their mapped controller outputs highlight. The plot graph in the image below shows the mouse moving in circles. You can see where the mouse is spinning slow, then faster.
If you have gotten this far, congratulations your Mouse & Keyboard is compatible and fully working with Cronus Zen 👍
If you're using an MK Switch and the Mouse & Keyboard icons do not shown under Connected Devices in M&K Settings, but they do show in Device Manager, don't worry they're connected and working, there's just a small glitch when using an MK Switch instead of a second Mouse or Keyboard.
You have to manually select the Auto Scan Devices button - we're working on a fix (click here for a work around using an Auto KeyPress tool - see script below).
Step 2: Connect Zen to your desktop with both the PROG cable and the CONSOLE/PC USB cable to port A3 of your Zen. Connect your Keyboard into your MK Switch.
Step 3: Open Zen Studio and select the M&K Settings tab. Some keyboards like Redragon output as both a mouse and keyboard. If this is happening with your setup, right click on the Mouse and select IGNORE DEVICE for the keyboard. Disconnect the mouse, then reset the Zen and it should show only a Keyboard is connected. You can now connect your Mouse to back to your MK Switch.
Step 4: Import one of the preset MK profiles (everything has been done for you including key mapping, sensitivity, tuning, and ballistic curves). For this example, we will be using Apex Legends. Now click "Finalize Layout" on the left of the screen to save settings to your device.
If settings are not finalized any settings made or loaded profiles for your Zen will be reset once the PROG cable is disconnected from your Zen.
Step 5: Unplug the PROG USB cable. If you are gaming on a PC, keep the console USB cable connected, if you are gaming on a console, for example an Xbox Series X , connect an original Xbox controller to A1 (license donor), and connect the CONSOLE USB cable to the Xbox. Press the Zen reset button and the RGB lights will turn GREEN.
Step 6: Match the in-game settings that you're given on the Apex Legends Page linked below.
Step 7: Play :)
Logitech GHUB Download https://www.logitechg.com/en-us/innovation/g-hub.html
Corsair ICUE Download https://www.corsair.com/us/en/downloads#download_form_1
Razer Synapse 3 Download https://www.razer.com/synapse-3
Using an MK Switch is a very convenient way of gaming with one set of mice and keyboard as it prevents the need of requiring a second set of mice and keyboard connected to your computer. Once a mouse and keyboard are connected to your Zen all inputs will be output as controller and your mouse and keyboard will be output as a controller. An MK Switch lets you flip between how you would like to use these devices with a single button press. Simply follow the steps below to set your binds and you are ready to go.
1) With your mouse and keyboard connected to your MK Switch set the output of your MK Switch to output to your computer.
2) Ensure your mouse is in On-Board Memory Mode. For Logitech mice, this is done in GHUB by clicking the gear icon on the top right of the screen and making sure that On-Board Memory Mode says "ON". If it shows as "OFF" simply click the button one time. If On-Board Memory Mode is not enabled the profile containing the binds that were customized will not be detected by Zen Studio correctly. For other devices please refer to your mice manufacturer. This is usually done in the software used to set DPI and Polling.
3) With your MK Switch set to output to your computer set the controller button you wish to use to "Listening" in MK Settings by double-clicking it.
4) Set your MK Switch to output to your Zen and press the G button or mouse button you wish to use. If done correctly with a G button or mouse button which is bound as a keyboard key on the Onboard Memory profile the bind will show MouseKey before the keyboard button. Otherwise, if it is a mouse button it will show up as the mouse button it is. If the bind is set with a keyboard it will then show as the keyboard key it is and not display MouseKey before the key.
5) Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until you have mapped all G buttons and mouse keys you wish to use with your MK profile.
6) With your MK Switch set to output to your computer set the controller button you wish to use to "Listening" in MK Settings by double-clicking it.
7) Set your MK Switch to output to your Zen and press the keyboard key you wish to use with your connected keyboard. If done correctly the bind will show as a keyboard key and not display MouseKey as it would when setting binds with a mouse
8) Repeat Steps 6 and 7 until you have mapped all keyboard keys you wish to use with your MK profile.
In the picture above for Step 4 RS / R3 is to as 0. This is a bind set with a keyboard and will only output when 0 is pressed on a keyboard connected to your Zen. The other bind RB / R1 is also set to 0 though this was done with a G Button on a Logitech mouse which is why it shows as MouseKey 0. Mice that have a keyboard key assigned to a G Button or mouse button will show MouseKey before the keyboard key and only output with a mouse when the mouse button or G Button on your mouse is used. If your bind does not show MouseKey before it and you used a mouse to set your bind make sure that you have set the bind to "Listening" first. This is done by having your MK Switch set to output to your computer then double-clicking the bind you wish to use. Then make sure your MK Switch is set to output to your Zen and press your G or mouse button.
9) Click "Edit" under "Profile Info" and set a name for your MK Profile. Then "Confirm" once done.
10) In the upper right of MK Settings click "Export Layout" to save a copy of your MK Profile to use another time if you wish. Only one MK Profile can be loaded onto your Zen at a time. Loading another profile after the current one you are using will overwrite the current profile. This makes it easy as simply importing the profile you just made without the need of having to reset all binds, tuning, translator, sensitivity, and ballistic curve again.
