Zwift Click v2: 10 buttons, and the daily unlock

The Zwift Click v2 is the controller in the Zwift Cog upgrade kit: two pods, five buttons each, and one of the best-feeling sets of buttons on any indoor cycling controller. It is also the only controller here that expects to check in with Zwift’s servers.

Last updated:

The hardware

Buttons
10 — two pods of five
Actions in BikeControl
30
Power
CR2032 coin cell
Mounting
Almost anywhere on the bar
Typical price
Around 50 USD, bundled with the Zwift Cog upgrade kit

Ten buttons, thirty actions

Five buttons on each pod, and BikeControl reads a single, a double and a long press on each button as three separate actions — thirty assignments from a device most apps treat as nothing but shift up and shift down. Riders use the spare ones for steering, the on-screen UI, emotes or a pause, depending on which app they are in. The pods run on a CR2032 coin cell and clamp almost anywhere on the bar, which is why so many trainers ship with them in the box.

The 24-hour unlock, and how to avoid it

Unlike the original Click, the Click v2 ships with proprietary firmware that expects an encrypted handshake with Zwift’s servers roughly every 24 hours. Let it lapse and the device stops sending button events after about a minute of being connected — the single most common reason a Click v2 goes quiet in another app. Since BikeControl 6.4 you choose how to live with that the first time BikeControl finds the device: use the right pod only, which needs no unlock ever and remaps ＋ to shift up and B to shift down, or unlock with Zwift, which keeps both pods working but needs the Zwift app once a day. You can switch later with “Set up again”.

Do not accept a controller firmware update

Firmware updates can change the protocol the Click v2 speaks and break third-party compatibility until BikeControl catches up, so leave them alone unless BikeControl tells you otherwise. Zwift has lifted this kind of restriction on earlier generations of its hardware before, and we would rather it did so again than keep shipping a workaround — but until then the workaround is what there is.

What to know about the Zwift Click v2

Native support
Zwift and Rouvy read the Click v2 natively. MyWhoosh, Biketerra, and TrainingPeaks Virtual need BikeControl in between — and so does any other trainer app.
Unlocking
Both pods need an unlock through the Zwift app every 24 hours; the right pod on its own needs none, but only with BikeControl.
How it connects
The Zwift Click v2 pairs with BikeControl over Bluetooth. BikeControl then reaches your trainer app over Network, Bluetooth, or Accessibility, depending on which app it is — so BikeControl can run on the same device as the app or on a phone beside it.
Platforms
BikeControl runs on iOS, iPadOS, Android, Windows and macOS. Apple TV cannot run BikeControl itself, but an app that accepts the Network connection can be driven from an iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC.
Free and Pro
BikeControl is free to try for 5 days (7 on Windows); after that the free version allows 15 controller actions a day until you buy Base, a one-time purchase of about 4.99 $. Pro (about 2.50 $/month) adds three actions per button, use on all your platforms, and BikeControl's own virtual shifting without the 20-minute daily limit.

The Zwift Click v2 in each trainer app

How to use the Zwift Click v2 in any trainer app

  1. Install BikeControl. Install BikeControl on iOS, Android, Windows or macOS — on the device that runs your trainer app, or on a phone or tablet next to it.
  2. Pair the Zwift Click v2. Turn on the Click v2 and pair it with BikeControl over Bluetooth. BikeControl asks once how you want to use it: the right pod alone, with no unlock ever, or both pods with a daily Zwift unlock.
  3. Pick your trainer app. Choose your trainer app in BikeControl. Each one arrives with a default mapping for its own actions, and BikeControl connects over Network, Bluetooth or Accessibility depending on what that app accepts.
  4. Map the buttons. Change any assignment you like in BikeControl's keymap editor. BikeControl reads a single, a double and a long press on each button as three separate actions, so the Zwift Click v2's 10 buttons cover more than shifting.
  5. Ride. Start a ride. The Zwift Click v2's buttons now trigger the actions you mapped, in whichever trainer app you are using.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use the Zwift Click v2 with trainer apps other than Zwift?

Yes. Zwift and Rouvy read the Click v2 natively. MyWhoosh, Biketerra, and TrainingPeaks Virtual need BikeControl in between — and so does any other trainer app. BikeControl pairs with the Zwift Click v2 over Bluetooth and hands each button press to the app as an action it already understands, so no app has to add support for the hardware.

How many buttons does the Zwift Click v2 have, and can I remap them?

10 buttons, two pods of five. Every one of them is remappable in BikeControl, and a single, a double and a long press count as separate actions — 30 assignments in total. Shifting is usually two of them; the rest go to steering, the on-screen UI, emotes or whatever your app exposes.

Does the Zwift Click v2 need to be unlocked with Zwift?

Both pods need an unlock through the Zwift app every 24 hours; the right pod on its own needs none, but only with BikeControl. That choice is offered the first time BikeControl finds the device, and you can change it later with "Set up again".

Which platforms does this work on?

BikeControl runs on iOS, iPadOS, Android, Windows and macOS, and reads the Zwift Click v2 on all of them. It can run on the same device as your trainer app or on a phone next to it, depending on how that app accepts input.

Do I need to pay to use the Zwift Click v2 with another app?

BikeControl is free to try for 5 days (7 on Windows); after that the free version allows 15 controller actions a day until you buy Base, a one-time purchase of about 4.99 $. Pro (about 2.50 $/month) adds three actions per button, use on all your platforms, and BikeControl's own virtual shifting without the 20-minute daily limit.

Comparing controllers, or looking for a different one? See all supported controllers and apps, the Virtual Shifting hub, or download BikeControl — free to try on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS.