Gaming On A Mac Here’s How To Connect A Ps4 Or Xbox One Controller
I walk you through the process of connecting a PlayStation 4 and Xbox One controller to your Mac via Bluetooth. No need to download drivers or use a dongle.
Patrick Holland
Senior Editor
Patrick Holland has an eye for photography and a passion for everything mobile. He is a colorful raconteur who will guide you through the ever-changing and fast-paced world of phones. He also is one of the hosts of CNET’s I’m So Obsessed podcast.
While the Mac has never really been known as a gaming computer, that hasn’t stopped people from clicking their arrow keys and spacebar while they played games like Minecraft and Fortnite. But if you’re not into the Mac keyboard and mouse controls for your games, you can use an Xbox or PS4 controller instead. It’s actually quite simple to connect them to your MacBook Pro, iMac or MacBook Air via Bluetooth — no need to download drivers or use a dongle.
Now that Apple Arcade has been available for over a month, there’s even more reason to think again about how to make gaming on a Mac a better experience. Launched in October, the $5-a-month gaming subscription service offers unlimited access to a catalog of a 100-plus games that you can play on a Mac, iPhone, iPad or AppleTV. Follow these steps to connect your gaming controller of choice to your Mac. I connected my Mac with the Sony DualShock 4 Wireless Controller and also the Xbox One controller that came with the Xbox One S and Xbox One X. Here’s how to do it.
Mapping A Controller On Mac With Steam
This is pretty easy to do in Steam. First, open Steam, enable Big Picture mode, click Settings, then Controller Settings, then place a check next to the controller you want to use with Steam.
Once you do this and connect/reconnect your controller to Steam, youll get a prompt to name your controller. Name it, then head to your Library in Big Picture mode.
Click the game you want to configure, then click Manage Game.
Next, click Controller Configuration. This will bring up an image of the controller youre using along with a way to map each of the buttons on your controller to a key on your Mac. Whatever you map each key to is how the game will respond when you press that button on your controller.
For instance, if moving forward is the w key, then youll want pushing forward on your left joystick to be mapped to w. If your jump is spacebar on your Mac, then you might make that X on a PS3 controller.
Use Multiple Game Controllers With Apple Tv
Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD support up to four Bluetooth game controllers simultaneously. If you’re using a Bluetooth audio accessory with Apple TV, only one game controller is supported.
Some apps let you use an iOS device as an additional controller, which doesn’t require a Bluetooth connection. For help using an iOS device as a controller in an app, contact the app developer.
Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Contact the vendor for additional information.
Read Also: Can You Buy Ps4 Games Online
Issue : Ps4 Controllers Light Wont Turn On
If your controllers light wont turn on and remains disabled, it likely has a battery issue. Your controller may be running out of battery charge, which is why it cant turn on or pair with your console.
In that case, connect the controller to your PS4 using a USB cable and let it charge for a while. After a few minutes, try pairing it with your console.
How To Connect A Controller To Mac
Justin Meredith June 16, 2021
Its common knowledge in the gaming world that Macs arent the best machines for gaming. I even wrote a whole post about optimizing your Mac for gaming recently. But that hasnt stopped people from trying . After all, buying a Mac doesnt leave you with a whole lot of cash to go and grab another PC for gaming. This is why Im going to show you how to connect a controller to Mac in this post.
Officially, an updated Mac supports the following controllers:
- Xbox wireless controller
- Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2
- Xbox Adaptive Controller
- PlayStation DualShock 4 Wireless Controller
- Various MFi controllers
However, you can connect a few more than this using some less obvious methods. In this post, Ill cover all of the major gaming controllers, as well as the Steam Controller, and then Ill go into controller mapping at the end.
Lets get into it!
Contents
Read Also: How Much Is Mortal Kombat 11 On Ps4
Connecting Ps4 Controller To Mac Wirelessly
Its likely that many of you reading this, namely those who have struggled with unofficial products and sketchy workarounds in the past, will be breathing a sigh of relief to learn that an official DualShock USB Wireless Adaptor exists.
The official wireless connector is a decent solution for Remote Play or playing Mac games that support the use of external controllers. But the critics may be sceptical about the high price of the accessory the top video on YouTube that mentions this product is titled WHY DID THEY MAKE THIS??? as much cheaper options are readily available: such as micro USB and Bluetooth.
How To Use A Ps4 Or Xbox One Controller On Mac
Keen Mac gamers should consider hooking up Sonys DualShock 4 or Microsofts Xbox One controller to a Mac to improve their gaming setup. Though its not designed for use with Mac, its easy to connect a PlayStation 4 controller to any macOS-equipped machine either using Bluetooth or a USB cable. And once you have a DualShock 4 controller connected to a Mac, you can use it to play Mac games in style.
Its also possible to use an Xbox One controller including the high-end Elite controller but the setup and configuration process will take a little longer, although the announcement of official PS4 & Xbox One controller support coming to iOS 13 and tvOS 13 leaves us hopeful that macOS Catalina will introduce it too.
For now though, well show you all the ways that you can use a PS4 or Xbox One controller on a Mac.
More interested in gaming on the Apple TV? Take a look at the best Apple TV game controllers that money can buy.
Also Check: Where To Purchase Playstation 5
How To Unpair The Ps4 Controller From Mac
If you later want to unpair your controller you can do so by right-clicking on its name in the Bluetooth area of System Preferences and then right-clicking it. Click Unpair to complete the process.
You shouldnt need to unpair a controller just to pair it with another device , but if youre having issues this can be a helpful troubleshooting step to try.
As mentioned before, other controllers can also be used on the Mac now too, including Xbox One.
If youre using an older version of macOS prior to MacOS Catalina, dont fret. You can still pair your controller with older Mac OS versions too, and its the same story if youre using a PS3 controller, too.
Do you use a game controller with your Mac? What do you think of the experience? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Which Controller Should You Choose
Just a quick glance at the instructions above shows that listing how to connect Xbox One controller to Mac takes up almost as much space as three different ways of explaining how to pair PS4 controller with Mac. So for some readers, that will make the decision of which controller to use a no-brainer.
If you already own an Xbox controller, its worth remembering that, while the above may look like a bit of a headache, the process is something that you only need to go through once.
Console and Mac gaming often tend to be treated as polar opposites, as if they are on different ends of the spectrum, and never the twain shall meet. But in reality, theres a huge grey area in the middle that offers up a lot of fun.
Using a controller can, for example, be a really compelling way to enjoy VR titles that arent on rails. In fact, until someone starts mass producing those omnidirectional treadmills from Ready Player One, they are the best way to do so.
Whichever option you choose, using a controller offers an intuitive and familiar experience thats backed up by all of the processing power a high-end Mac can offer. And dont forget to make sure your Mac is properly optimized for games.
There are certain viewpoints that are widely held by gamers those who play mobile games arent for real gamers, a Mac doesnt make for an effective gaming laptop or desktop, and that controllers are for consoles, mice and keyboards are for computers.
Recommended Reading: Can Ps4 Play 4k Ultra Hd
Mapping A Controller On Mac With A Third
Of course, you wont always be using Steam for your Mac gaming. Maybe you want to download an app from the App Store or a website. In these cases, you might not have any options to use a controller with the game using the built-in options. When this happens, a third-party mapping app can save the day.
A few popular apps are Joystick Mapper and Enjoyable. Both will not only allow you to map your controller to keys on your keyboard for games, but they can also map your controller to work across your Mac. That means youll be able to replace your mouse and some keys on your keyboard with a controller.
There are tons of other apps on Github if you end up not liking either of the suggestions. Just make sure to do your research before downloading a mapping app to your Mac.
Set Up The Controller
It is important to have good batteries installed, the controller may not work correctly and will disconnect quickly with the weak ones.
IMPORTANT: if you shut down Windows you need to pair the controller again using the same steps.However if you suspend/resume Windows virtual machine or restart Parallels Desktop without shutting down Windows, the controller will automatically reconnect, no need to pair it again in this case.NOTE: before pairing the controller again remove the previously added controller from the paired devices list.
Recommended Reading: How To Connect Another Ps4 Controller
Control Your Ps4 Console From A Mac
Install
Youâll need the following to use Remote Play:
- Always update your PS4 console to the latest version of the system software.
- An account for PlayStationâ¢Network Use the same account that you use for your PS4 console. If you donât have an account, youâll need to create one first.
- High-speed internet connection As a standard, we recommend a high-speed connection with upload and download speeds of at least 5 Mbps. For best performance, we recommend a high-speed connection with upload and download speeds of at least 15 Mbps.
- DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controller
- You can also use your wireless controller for your PS5 console. You can use Bluetooth® to connect your controller to a Mac running macOS Big Sur or later. If you canât connect using Bluetooth®, use a USB cable. For details on Bluetooth® pairing, see âUsing a wireless controllerâ.
- To use voice chat, youâll need a microphone, such as the built-in microphone on your Mac.
Connect Bluetooth Game Controller To Windows Virtual Machine
- Applies to:
- Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition
- Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition
Note: With the release of macOS Catalina 10.15.4 update, Apple improved connectivity of Bluetooth devices.
In Parallels Desktop 15 you can connect Bluetooth controllers to Windows.The following controllers are supported:
- Play Station DualShock 4
- SteelSeries Nimbus
You May Like: What Do You Get With Playstation Plus Membership
How Do I Connect My Ps4 Controller To My Macbook Pro 2020
Pair PS4 controller with Mac via BluetoothOpen System Preferences > Bluetooth.
Press the PS and Share buttons simultaneously on your controller until you see a light on your DualShock 4 start blinking to indicate that its ready to pair.
Look for the wireless controller in the list of Bluetooth devices on your Mac.
Pair Your Primary Dualshock 4 Controller With Your Ps4
To pair the first controller with your console, youll use your controllers USB cable to connect it to the PS4.
To start the process, plug one end of your controllers USB cable into the USB port at the front of your PS4.
Plug the other end of the USB cable into your controllers USB port.
Both your controller and your PS4 are now connected. Turn on your PS4 by pressing the Power button.
Your console will assign your controller to the first user account. Press the PS button on your controller and you may then choose your user account or create a new one. Enjoy gaming with your newly paired controller!
RELATED:How to Connect a PS4 Controller to Apple TV
Read Also: How To Delete A Game On Ps4
Play With The Ps4 Controller Via Usb On The Mac
If you connect the PlayStation 4 controller to a USB port on the Mac or MacBook is connected, then this is the easiest way to gamble on the Apple computer. However, the trend is more and more towards wireless operation of pretty much all devices. Therefore, for the sake of completeness, here is the possibility to connect the PS4 controller to the Mac via USB:
- Step 1: by matching Micro-USB to USB cable connect the controller to the Mac/MacBook
- Step 2: Press the PlayStation button on the controller
- Step 3: Select “About This Mac” in the Apple menu
- Step 4: Select USB for the hardware in the System Report
- Step 5: Select the “Wireless Controller” listed there
Connect Ps4 Controller To Mac Via Bluetooth
The second method for connecting PS4 controller to a Mac computer is using the built-in Bluetooth module in the controller. This method may be more suitable for those of you who want to play games from the comfort of your couch, because you do not need to care about wires.
Connecting your PS4 controller to Mac via Bluetooth is a little more complicated if compared with the first method. However, if you follow the steps below you wont have any issues.
Read Next
Recommended Reading: How To Open Interaction Menu Gta 5 Ps4
How To Connect Ps4 Controller To Mac For Minecraft
First, connect the micro USB end of the cable to your PS4 controller. Then, connect the USB end to your Mac. Click on the PlayStation button to turn it on. On your Mac click the Apple logo and from the drop-down menu choose About this Mac. Now click on System. Apr 04, 2018. You can connect your DualShock 4 controller to your PC using DS4Windows, a third-party application, in either wired or wireless mode .
The PS4 DualShock Controller is the premier gamepad for PC gamers. The added weight over the DualShock 3 provides a heftier, more powerful grip. It also touts improved analog sticks and triggers to its predecessor.
Mimaki jv4 service manual. Some consumers and gamers out there don’t even know that playing PC games with a PS4 controller is even possible. So, the ability to set things up will likely seem a bit foreign in concept. Especially, seeing as we will need to use a third-party program like DS4 Windows.
Thankfully, the connection between DualShock 4 and PC is made easy due to concept compatibility, the right portable program, and a USB connector. So, if you’re one of those that has been in the dark about PC gaming with a PS4 DualShock 4 Controller, this article about DS4 Windows will layout all of the details.
Make Sure Youre Running The Latest Operating System
To use an PS4 controller, your Apple device needs to be running at least one of the operating systems released fall 2019 iOS 13, iPadOS 13, tvOS 13, and macOS Catalina .
You can check the software version that you have installed on your iPad and iPhone by tapping Settings > About and looking for the Software Version row. On Apple TV, that information lives in Settings > System > Software Updates. On macOS, thats in System Preferences > Software Update.
Also Check: How To Delete Apps On Ps4