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uid: input-system-control-hierarchies
---

# Control hierarchies

Controls can be arranged in hierarchies. The root of a control hierarchy is always a [device](devices.md). You can find examples of hierarchies when browsing controls in the **Path** dropdown menu of the [Binding properties panel](./binding-properties-panel-reference.md).

For example, the Dpad control of a gamepad has a  has child controls of left, right, up, down, and the separate horizontal and vertical 1D axes.

![The Dpad control as viewed in the Input Debugger window, showing its child controls of down, left, right, up, x, and y.](Images/control-hierarchy-example.png)<br/>*The Dpad control as viewed in the [Input Debugger window](the-input-debugger-window.md), showing its child controls of down, left, right, up, x, and y.*

The arrangement of control hierarchies are defined in [layouts](layouts.md).

## Access hierarchies with code

You can access the parent of a Control using [`InputControl.parent`](xref:UnityEngine.InputSystem.InputControl), and its children using [`InputControl.children`](xref:UnityEngine.InputSystem.InputControl). To access the flattened hierarchy of all Controls on a Device, use [`InputDevice.allControls`](xref:UnityEngine.InputSystem.InputDevice).