How To Start Using A Ps4 Controller On Pc
First things first, you dont need an actual Sony PlayStation 4 to do this. You can just go out and buy a DualShock 4 controller and start using a PS4 controller on PC without any problem.
What youll need, however, are the following:
- A standard micro USB cable
It may also be necessary for you to use a third-party software to use the DualShock 4 on a PC. However, it wont take too long for you to set it up, and once youre done, you can basically make use of the full features of the DS4, from changing the lighting to checking the battery status and even using the built-in audio jack on the DS4 controller.
It is also possible to take advantage of the wireless function of the PS4 controller on PC via Bluetooth. Setting it up is easy. Youll either need to buy a Bluetooth adapter for your PC or use a PC that has the Bluetooth function built-in, which many modern laptops and mid-end or high-end gaming keyboards do.
You may also choose to purchase the official USB Wireless Adaptor from Sony, but any Bluetooth adapter that has support for Bluetooth version 2.0 and up should do fine.
Perhaps the only downside of using the PS4 controller on PC wirelessly is that you cant take advantage of the controllers audio jack. This means that youll have to plug your headphones directly into your computer, which can hamper your coach gaming session unless you pair it with a wireless gaming headset.
What You Need To Prepare
In order to use PS4 controller on PC smoothly, you are required to install additional software called DS4Windows and make minor adjustments. In this way, your Windows PC will think that you are connecting an Xbox 360 controller.
Before you do, you need to prepare:
- DualShock 4 Controller
- Bluetooth USB dongle
Now, lets see how to use PS4 controller on PC with DS4Windows.
How To Configure In
You should now be able to play most Steam games with your PS4 controller, but you can further customize how your controller works for specific games. Indeed, this step may be necessary for games that primarily rely on keyboard inputs.
To edit in-game controller settings, press the PS button on the center of the controller. From the resulting screen, you can map specific keyboard actions to your controller buttons. Most modern games should display the appropriate PlayStation button configuration, but some older games may display an Xbox controller instead. Nonetheless, you should be able to figure out the button mapping and use your PS4 controller with no issues.
When you’re finished playing, you should manually power down the controller. Simply hold down the PS button for 7-10 seconds.
You can also connect a keyboard and mouse to your PS4. You can even use a PS4 controller on an Xbox One.
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Causes Of Ps4 Controller Not Working On Pc
You may be having trouble connecting your PS4 controller to your Windows PC. One of the following factors likely is to blame.
Interference with Bluetooth signals
Signal interference is one of wireless technologys flaws. Youre using a PS4 controller thats wireless. Ensure there are no additional Bluetooth devices in the vicinity that could interfere with the signal.
The USB cord or port is defective
Youre utilizing a wired connection. Its conceivable that this is the cause of your PS4 controller not working on your computer. A faulty USB cable or a broken USB port could be the source of the problem.
The PS4 controller is turned off or has a low battery
Your computer is unable to locate or recognize that you are attempting to connect your PS4 controller wirelessly. Make sure the controller isnt turned off. Its turned on, but its not visible in the Windows Bluetooth settings. It may be caused by due to a low battery level.
There are problems with the drivers on your computer
When using a PS4 controller, sure gamers may have trouble connecting. Its because of an out-of-date or incompatible driver. Right-click each item under Human Interface Devices in the Device Manager.
Does Windows 10 Pc Support The Playstation 4 Dualshock 4 Controller
Windows 10 does not support third party controllers like the DualShock 4 controller as Microsoft encourages users to use their own Xbox controllers. However, this does not mean that its particularly impossible to use a PS4 controller on your computer. The opposite is, in fact, true as its very easy to connect a PS4 controller on Windows 10. Learn how to use a PS4 controller on PC in this article.
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How To Use A Wireless Ps4 Dualshock 4 Controller On Pc
If your computer does not have a built-in Bluetooth, you can buy any cheap Bluetooth adapter that plugs into any USB port in your PC. Alternatively, you can opt to use an expensive official Sony Bluetooth dongle for the same job.
Once you have the Bluetooth adapter connected, here are the steps that you must do to start using your wireless PS4 controller on your PC:
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Can You Use A Ps4 Controller On A Pc
If you hold down the PS and Share buttons simultaneously on your controller, your PC might automatically detect it via Bluetooth. If it doesnt, you might need a PS4 DualShock 4 wireless dongle to play wirelessly. Official ones can be purchased from Sony, or you can find one made by another manufacturer.
Can you play Steam games on your TV?
If youre using the Steam Link hardware to play games on your TV, the set up is basically the same, except you must plug the PS4 controller into the Steam Link rather than your PC. The Steam Link will even take care of some configuration steps automatically.
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Nd Way: Pair The Ps4 Controller With The Pc Via Bluetooth
Gaming over a wireless connection is obviously the most convenient, but there is always some latency with Bluetooth connections that hardcore gamers don’t want. That’s why they like to use the connection cable.
Of course, if you want, you can also connect the PlayStation 4 controller wirelessly to your computer if it supports Bluetooth version 2.1 or higher. In Windows 10, go to “Settings Devices” and open the “Add a Bluetooth or other device” subcategory. Now select “Bluetooth” in the menu that appears after selecting this option.
Now you need to pair your DualShock 4 controller. To do this, hold down the PlayStation and Share buttons at the same time while pressing the PlayStation and Share buttons at the same time. The PC should recognize the gamepad after a few seconds and display it as “Wireless Controller”. Select it to establish the Bluetooth connection.
Just enter “0000” when Windows asks for a PIN and the connection will be established. The PS4 controller will be automatically connected to the PC as soon as you press the PS button. And if you have problems with your favorite game despite successful pairing, take a look at DS4Windows, since most things can be solved with it.
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How To Connect Ps4 Controller To Steam
Before you start using your PS4 controller with Steam, there are some preliminary actions you should take, including making sure you have the latest version of the Steam client. Follow these steps:
Make sure any nearby PlayStation 4 consoles are unplugged. Otherwise, the controller might try to sync with the console instead of your computer.
Launch Steam on your PC.
Select Steam in the top-left corner of the window to open a dropdown menu, then select Check for Steam Client Updates.
When Steam relaunches, plug your PS4 controller into a USB port on your PC.
In the Steam client window, select View > Settings > Controller > General Controller Settings.
You should see your controller under Detected Controllers. Select the box beside PS4 Configuration Support. From this screen, you can give your controller a name, change the light’s color atop the controller, and toggle the rumble feature on or off.
If Steam isn’t detecting your controller, double-check the USB cable connection. Unplugging the controller and plugging it back in sometimes fixes the problem.
Select Submit to save your changes.
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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
How Do I Fix My Computer Not Detecting My Controller
What can I do if the gamepad isn’t recognized on my PC?
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How To Install Ps4 Controller In Steam
- Start Steam on your computer.
- Open the Controller tab in the top-left drop-down menu by going to Settings.
- Go to the General Controller Settings tab.
- Log in to your account and register your device.
- Calibrate joysticks and change preferences.
- Select PlayStation Configuration Support from the drop-down menu.
- Remap the controller in the game or via the Settings Controller tab.
How To Use Ps4 Controller On Pc Heres A Full Guide
Lost of users are confused about how to use PS4 controller on PC. If you are also struggling to figure it out, probably this post can help you. In todays article, you will learn a full guide from MiniTool about how to use PS4 controller on PC.
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Ways To Fix Ps4 Controller Won’t Connect To Pc
The new PS4 is equipped with a DualShock 4 controller, which helps to play game on TV, PC, or other devices. You need to connect the controller to PC first if youd like to use it its not a big deal. However, the problem occurs during the process users said their PS4 controller wont connect to PC. Dont worry, this problem can be fixed easily by following ways.
How Do I Setup The Dualsense Controller In Steam
Steam added initial support for the DualSense back in November 2020, and has improved support for it since then. Using Steam is by far the easiest way to get your DualSense working on PC, even if you want to use it in non-Steam games.
To start, connect the DualSense to your PC via wire or Bluetooth as described above. Once you have it connected, open Steam and launch Big Picture Mode. You should see the DualSense is now recognized and listed as a PlayStation 5 controller. Steam will automatically configure the keybinds to mimic an Xbox controller layout the Triangle button is Y, the Square button is X, etc.
You can choose Calibrate to tweak the joystick sensitivity, and Preferences to give the controller a name, enable/disable rumble, and configure the color and brightness of the LED strip around the touchpad.
One important tip here: make sure PlayStation Configuration Support is checked if you want to customize your DualSense controller’s layout or gyro controls. With this button checked, you can press the PlayStation logo button on the controller in any Steam game to pull up Steam’s controller configuration screen.
Reminder: the controller configurator is only available through Steam Big Picture mode.
If you just want your DualSense to work like any ol’ gamepad, though, you can leave this screen alone, no tweaking required.
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Do Ps4 Controllers Work On Windows 10
Having trouble with your PS4 controller? Windows 10 can help! There are some limitations with third-party controllers, but you can use a PS4 controller with your PC if the system supports Bluetooth and USB. There is also a DS4 Windows app that lets you use a controller with your computer. Read on to learn more. Below, well go over the pros and cons of using a PS4 controller with your PC.
Using Bluetooth to connect a PlayStation 4 controller to Windows 10 is easy! Follow the instructions in the following guide and your DualShock 4 controller should recognize Windows 10. To connect the controller to your PC, launch the Settings app from the Start menu and go to Devices. Select Bluetooth and click the Bluetooth button. When paired, the controller should appear as Wireless Controller.
To connect a PS4 controller to a PC via Bluetooth, you should first install DS4Windows. This application tricks Windows into thinking the controller is an Xbox 360 controller. To download this application, youll need a Windows file archiver utility. Once youve installed it, you can then connect your controller to your PC. Youll need the 0000-pair code to complete the process.
What Games Use The Dualsense Controller’s Features On Pc
You won’t have to use Steam to make the DualSense work in all games. In Windows the DualSense uses the generic DirectInput driver, which some games support out of the box. But most games today use Microsoft’s newer XInput driver, which is where Steam Input really comes in handy. PCGamingWiki keeps a list of games that use the DualSense features, but here are some highlights that support both Adaptive Triggers and haptic feedback:
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How Do I Connect My Ps4 Controller To My Pc Without Bluetooth
If Bluetooth is not for you, you can connect your DualShock PS4 controller to your PC via USB. To do so, all you need is a micro USB cable .
The next step is to go for a platform that offers native support for PS4 controllers such as Steam or use a third-party app like DS4Windows that will allow your computer to recognize your DualShock controller.
Since we already explained how to use the latter, we will not focus on how to connect the PS4 controller to the PC without bluetooth via Steam.
In this article, we explored some of the best troubleshooting methods to deal with the issue caused by your PS4 controller driver error on Windows 10.
Please make sure to let us know if this guide helped you solve your issue. You can do so by using the comment section below.
How To Navigate Steam With A Ps4 Controller
In addition to playing games, you can use your PS4 controller to navigate the Steam platform. For example, you can use the joysticks as a mouse and even enable the controller’s trackpad.
Open Steam in Big Picture Mode. You can select the Big Picture icon in the top right corner of the Steam client, or you can simply press the PS button.
Select the settings icon in the top right corner.
Select Base Configurations> Big Picture Mode Configuration.
From here, you can configure the control for navigating Steam in both Desktop and Big Picture mode.
Enjoy navigating Steam using your wireless PS4 controller.
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Dualshock For Windows And Macos
By Cal Jeffrey October 16, 2020 Here’s why you can trust us.
Microsoft’s Xbox controller has been the default gamepad for PC gamers for some time now, but you may prefer Sony’s competing — and also quite good — DualShock 4 controller. The good news is, you can easily configure it to work on Windows or macOS.
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The PlayStation 4 gamepad’s ergonomic and efficient design cannot be denied. Whether you play first-person shooters, roleplaying games, or any other genre, the DS4 is crafted to feel comfortable in button placement, weight, and grip. Long-time PlayStation gamers may wish to use it on their PC games because of its familiarity. Others opt for it instead of spending money on a new controller. And, of course, the DualShock 4 controller is perfect for playing games with the Remote Play app on your computer.
Whatever the case may be, it is relatively simple to connect and use the DualShock 4 with your computer. There are a few quirks, though, which is why we thought a primer on setting up and using them would be prudent.