Zwift Click: two buttons, no unlock, any app

The original Zwift Click is a single two-button pod, and its protocol is open enough that BikeControl can simply read it. There is no server handshake, no encryption context and nothing to renew before a ride.

Last updated:

The hardware

Buttons
2 — one pod
Actions in BikeControl
6
Power
Coin cell
Mounting
Clamps to the bar
Typical price
Second-hand, or already in the box with an older trainer

Two buttons, six actions

Two buttons sound like shift up and shift down and nothing else, and in most apps that is all they are. BikeControl reads a single, a double and a long press on each button as three separate actions, so the pair carries six: shift with a single press, steer or open the action bar on a long one, and keep double presses for whatever you use most. It is the smallest useful controller that does not ask anything of you afterwards.

Nothing to unlock — the v1 firmware is the easy one

This is the clearest difference between the two generations. The Click v2 ships with proprietary firmware that wants an encrypted handshake with Zwift’s servers roughly every 24 hours; the v1 has no such restriction, so it keeps delivering button events for as long as it is paired. If two buttons are enough for how you ride, the older Click is the less annoying device of the two by a wide margin — and BikeControl treats it as a first-class controller either way.

MyWhoosh and Rouvy share the Click v2’s setup guide

Setting the original Click up in MyWhoosh or Rouvy is step-for-step identical to setting up a Click v2 — the same screens, the same pairing, minus the unlock — so this site keeps one guide for both rather than two near-copies, and the links below point at it. Zwift, Biketerra and the “any other trainer app” walkthrough each have a page of their own for the v1.

What to know about the Zwift Click

Native support
Zwift reads the Click natively. MyWhoosh, Rouvy, Biketerra, and TrainingPeaks Virtual need BikeControl in between — and so does any other trainer app.
Unlocking
Nothing to unlock: the Zwift Click keeps sending button presses for as long as it is paired with BikeControl.
How it connects
The Zwift Click 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 in each trainer app

How to use the Zwift Click 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. Turn on the Click and pair it with BikeControl over Bluetooth. There is no unlock step: the original Click has no encryption handshake to refresh.
  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's 2 buttons cover more than shifting.
  5. Ride. Start a ride. The Zwift Click's buttons now trigger the actions you mapped, in whichever trainer app you are using.

Frequently asked questions

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

Yes. Zwift reads the Click natively. MyWhoosh, Rouvy, Biketerra, and TrainingPeaks Virtual need BikeControl in between — and so does any other trainer app. BikeControl pairs with the Zwift Click 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 have, and can I remap them?

2 buttons, one pod. Every one of them is remappable in BikeControl, and a single, a double and a long press count as separate actions — 6 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 need any kind of unlock or daily refresh?

No. The Zwift Click has no encrypted handshake to refresh, so it keeps sending button presses for as long as it is paired. That is the practical difference between it and the Zwift Click v2.

Which platforms does this work on?

BikeControl runs on iOS, iPadOS, Android, Windows and macOS, and reads the Zwift Click 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 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.