How To Connect A Ps4 Controller To A Pc Using A Wired Connection
This is quite possibly one of the simplest sets of instructions ever. To use a PS4 controller via USB on a Windows 10 computer, take a micro USB cable, plug the large plug into the computers USB port and plug the small plug into the PS4 controller. Congratulations, youre done with this part of the guide.
Next, well look at the Bluetooth method, but be warned that your mileage may vary. Especially if you plan to use DS4Windows this way.
How To Connect Ps4 Controller To Pc Wirelessly
If youre looking for a wireless solution, then Sony has you covered with the DualShock wireless adaptor for PC. This launched in September 2016 and is available from various online retailers, including Amazon. Simply:
- Plug the adapter into your PC USB port and wait for drivers to install
- Hold down the Share and PS buttons at the same time on your DualShock 4
- This will pair both devices and you should now be able to use your PS4 controller on PC
Note: You are not restricted to just using a Sony controller on PC. Some third-party controllers that also utilize the XInput API will also work, but its worth investigating it thoroughly online before buying a controller that doesnt work!
Configuring Controllers In Games
The above methods connect a PS4 controller to a Windows 10 system. Once connected, you may have to customize how it works within a game. Since its a PS4 controller, all buttons may not work the same in all games.
To change/check how the controller works in a game, follow the steps below.
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How To Connect Your Ps4 Controller Via Bluetooth
To connect your PS4 controller via Bluetooth, simply hold the small Share button and the central circular button simultaneously until the controller’s backlight starts flashing, then push on the end of the adapter until it starts flashing. Once both are flashing, they will automatically pair after a few seconds.
For a PC with Bluetooth built-in, just navigate to the Bluetooth menu and select your controller from the Add Bluetooth devices list once it’s started flashing.
Luckily, you don’t have to pair your controller every time you want to use it. As long as you don’t unplug the adapter, it will save its last connection, so you can just tap your controller’s central PlayStation button to reconnect it.
The official Sony DualShock 4 USB wireless adapter is the simplest Bluetooth option. You may have to hunt for it or spend a little more than you would on a standard Bluetooth dongle, but it’s worth it for its out-of-the-box functionality.
How To Emulate A Steam Controller With A Ps4 Controller
Valve now offers official support for the PlayStation 4s DualShock 4 controller. It will function similarly to a Steam Controller, with support for the controllers touchpad and other features. Games that support the Steam Controller will work with the PS4 controller, and you can also create profiles to emulate keyboard and mouse events with the PS4 controller in various games that dont offer official support for the controller. In other words, it works just like the Steam Controller.
To enable this feature, open Big Picture Mode in Steam by clicking the controller-shaped Big Picture Mode icon at the top-right corner of the Steam window.
Head to Settings > Controller Settings in Big Picture Mode and enable the PS4 Configuration Support option.
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Reconnect any connected PS4 controllers and theyll appear here. You can select them and configure them in the same way youd configure a Steam Controller.
For example, you can select a game in Big Picture mode and select Manage Game > Controller Configuration to configure how your PS4 controller behaves in the game. This screen provides a lot of options for remapping what your controllers buttons do in a game.
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How Do You Connect Your Ps4 Controller To Your Pc Without Downloading
There may be cases where you dont need to install a utility program to connect your PS4 controller to your PC. If you prefer gaming on Steam, Steam will automatically recognize the controller when you plug in the USB cable.
You may also be able to plug in the controller and go to your Devices Settings and connect to the controller without any further work on your part.
Connect Ps4 Controller Through Bluetooth Or Usb
The first thing you need to do if you want to use PS4 Controller with Windows is to connect it to the PC physically. You can do this by either of the following ways:
First Method Connect PS4 Controller through USB
The easiest way to establish a physical connection between your computer and PS4 is by using a micro-USB cable. The best part of using this method is that once you connect PS4 to the PC, you dont need to do any further configuration.
You can use the regular micro-USB cable for this purpose. Next, follow these steps:
- Plug in the smaller end of the USB cable into the port on your PS4. The port is present on the front side
- Next, plug in the bigger end of the cable in a USB port on your Windows computer
- Go to the next step
Second Method Establish a connection via Bluetooth
If you dont like or want to use a micro-USB cable, connect the PS4 controller to your PC using Bluetooth.
In case your Windows computer has Bluetooth capabilities, you can directly pair it with the PS4 controller. In case it doesnt have the Bluetooth feature, you will have to use an external Bluetooth adapter.
To ensure the Bluetooth adapter driver runs without any problem, you should have the latest Bluetooth driver on your Windows computer. If you dont know how to manually update device drivers, use DriverDownloader.
Download DriverDownloader by clicking the link below.
Once your Bluetooth adapter is ready, connect the two devices together. Here are the steps to follow:
For Windows 10
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Is There A Way To Use A Dualshock 4 Controller With A Pc Of Course There Is It’s Just Not As Straightforward As You Might Think
ByLewis Painter, Senior Staff Writer| 23 Mar 2020
More and more people are shifting from console to PC when it comes to gaming, simply because a powerful gaming PC can provide better graphics and frame rates than can be achieved by either the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One – and high-end gaming PCs can easily outperform the PS4 Pro.
Even the confirmed specs of the PS5, due out later this year, can’t compete with some high-end gaming PCs.
However, console converts can struggle with using a keyboard and mouse, especially those of us that have been using a controller for years. Could we use the DualShock 4 controller to play games on PC? Technically yes, but its not as straightforward as you might hope.
If you don’t own a DualShock 4 yet, or want to grab a second pad specifically for your PC, you can grab one from at the time of writing, in a range of colours including black, blue, red, and white.
If you want to play your PS4 games on your PC, there’s a way to do that too – check out how to use PS4 Remote Play on PC for more.
How To Connect A Ps4 Controller To A Pc Using Bluetooth
Connecting your PS4 controller using Bluetooth is a little trickier.
The first thing you need to do is put your PS4 controller into pairing mode. With the controller off, press and hold the round PlayStation button and the Share button together until the light starts to flash bright white.
Now, open the Start Menu and search for Bluetooth, then click on Bluetooth and Other Device Settings.
Now click the big plus icon next to Add Bluetooth or other device.
Next choose Bluetooth
Youll now see a list of available devices. The PS4 controller should show up as Wireless Controller.
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Is My Dualshock 4 Controller Compatible With Pc
Back when the PS4 was revealed in 2013, Sony announced that the DualShock 4 controller would be compatible with Windows. It meant that gamers didn’t have to fork out for extra accessories, and provided them with the freedom to switch between the two platforms – or so they thought.
Unfortunately, it isnt quite the plug-and-play solution that we hoped itd be, and using a DualShock 4 controller on a PC takes a bit of work if the game doesnt specifically have DualShock 4 support.
Connect Via Windows 10 Bluetooth
A wireless PS4 controller can connect to a Windows 10 system via Bluetooth.
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How To Emulate An Xbox Controller With A Ps4 Controller
RELATED:Why You Should Get an Xbox Controller for PC Gaming
Xbox 360 controllersand Xbox One controllers, now that Microsoft has finally released the necessary driversare usually best for PC gaming. Many PC games are designed specifically to work with Xbox controllers. Many games also require xinput input, which Xbox controllers provide, but other types of controllers dont.
If youre using a a PS4 controller with an emulator to play older games, you could easily configure the emulator to accept the controllers button presses. If youre using it with a PC game, you may need to open the PC games control-settings and configure the game to respond to the controllers inputs.
But for games that expect an Xbox controller, you may have to emulate xinput. This will convert the PS4 controllers input to the equivalent Xbox button presses, and games will just work with the DualShock 4 just like they would with an Xbox controller. Theyll just think youre just using an Xbox controller.
Sony hasnt released any official drivers for the PlayStation 4 controller on a PC, so theres no official way to do this. There are tools for emulating xinput with a PS4, but theyre unofficial, third-party tools developed by the community.
We recommend the free Input Mapper program. This tool will also helpfully show the battery level of your controller, which is something you wont normally be able to see in Windows.
Using Native Support In Steam
If DS4Windows sounds like a lot of work and you already keep the majority of your games in Steam anyway, we have great news. Steam added support for DualShock 4 controllers out of the box at the end of 2016, which means youll no longer need an app like DS4Windows in order to use your DualShock with your favorite games. Instead, all you need is Steam running on your computer, your DualShock 4, and a microUSB cable to connect to your device .
Heres the catch: in order to use your DualShock 4 with Steam natively, youll have to use Steams Big Picture Mode, a tool that opens Steam into a controller-friendly, console-like layout. Its actually a pretty nice app, and makes launching games easier with a controller, but its not everyones cup of tea, so youll want to keep that in mind before deciding to go with Steam over DS4Windows. Start by making sure that, if you have DS4Windows installed on your computer, its not running. Close out of the app completely. Then, to open Big Picture Mode, look for the icon above in the top of the Steam window and select it. Big Picture Mode opens in full-screen mode, displaying a Steam logo. Your controller should automatically begin working here, already able to control big picture mode. The lightbar will also light up on your controller.
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How To Connect Ps4 Controllerto Pc With Bluetooth
If your PC supports Bluetooth – and if it was made in the last ten years, chances are it does – you can pair and connect your controller wirelessly.
This method also works for the newer PS5 DualSense controller, although that controller might not be supported by every game.
1. Open your PC’s search menu and search for “Bluetooth.”
2. When “Bluetooth and other devices settings” appears in the search results, click on it.
3. Make sure your computer has Bluetooth enabled by setting the switch labeled “Bluetooth” to “On.”
4. Hold down the Playstation and Share buttons on your controller until the backlight starts flashing.
5. On your PC, click “Add Bluetooth or other device,” and select “Bluetooth.”
6. You’ll see your PS4 controller listed as “Wireless Controller.” Click it to finalize the connection. If you’re asked for a passcode, enter “0000.”
Dave Johnson contributed to a previous version of this article.
Why Should I Use The Dualshock 4 With My Pc
You might already own one or two DualShock 4s if you have a PS4. Being the leading console this generation means theres more DualShock 4s in the homes of gamers everywhere, and while the PS4 hasnt quite hit the sale highs of the PS3 yet, we wouldnt be shocked to learn more DualShock 4s exist in the world than DualShock 3s, thanks to the wide-ranging accessory market for the PS4. If you have a DualShock 4 lying around your house and youre looking to add another player to a PC co-op game, or youre looking to try out a new way to control your favorite titles on PC without running out to buy a brand-new controller, the DualShock 4 is not just an optionits a great one. Heres why:
There are a few downsides to using the DualShock 4 on PC, of course. Plenty of PC games use the Xbox controller icons in game to identify a button, and if you dont have a sense of familiarity with those buttons, it may be difficult to remember which ABXY button maps to the square, triangle, X, and circle buttons on the PS4. Likewise, for those playing over Bluetooth with their controller, youll likely find the battery life is relatively poor on the DualShock 4, especially compared to the Xbox One controller.
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Reset The Ps4 Controller
If your PS4 controller is still not connecting, you may as well try to fix the problem by resetting PS4 controller.
How to reset a PS4 controller:
Install Xbox 360 Controller Driver
This step is only for those using Windows 7 or a lower version. If you have Windows 10, directly go to Step 3.
You cant use the PS4 controller with Windows 7 or lower versions by just physically connecting it to your PC. Windows Games cant directly recognize PS4 they need a bit of help in this department. What you need is a third-party application software that emulates Xbox 360 controller.
However, for such applications to work on Windows 7 or a lower version, you will need Xbox 360 controller software. You can download the software from Microsoft website.
Here are the steps to follow:
- Open the file and install the software
- Reboot Windows when the installation is complete
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Why Connect Ps4 Controller To Pc
PlayStation Now is Sonys game streaming service. Subscribe and you can access hundreds of classic PlayStation games on PS3 and PS4. PS Now offers native support for the DS4 and the DualShock 3 , which means you can just plug it in as detailed above, load up the app and start playing.
The major advantage in using the official controller is that these PlayStation games have been built specifically to take advantage of the DualShock 4 features, and by using a keyboard or third-party peripheral you may not get the effect that you want in-game.
Native PS4 controller support is also available with some Steam games, though youll have to check your Steam settings to find out. Theres an option too to change the your PS4 configuration settings too so that you can program the buttons on the PS4 to your own specification.
Gone are the days of troubleshooting your PS4 controller to get it work on PC. Simply plug-and-play, or grab that wireless adaptor and go hands-free. Happy gaming!
Start With The Right Controller
For more, head over to our guide on how to choose the right controller for your PC. If you’re a multi-console gamer, check out our guides for connecting your Nintendo Switch and Xbox controllers to your PC.
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