Gaming on a PC is a preference for many as it gives the user the option to customize the hardware. Most PC gamers use the traditional keyboard and mouse combo while gaming, but using a controller gives a more intuitive experience. People who have gotten used to a PS4 controller have found it harder to go back to a keyboard-mouse combo. These controllers have all the buttons that a PC title might require. So switching over to a controller and adjusting to it might take a while, but it is worth it.
So if you are someone who likes PS4 controllers but prefers gaming on PC, then you would be happy to know that you can connect your PS4 controller to your PC too. You can connect it through a wire or even wirelessly, just like you do with a PS4 console. So here in this article, how you can connect your PS5 controller to your PC and then game on it. There are multiple ways to connect your PS4 controller to your PC, and here we will take a look at a few of them. We have included multiple methods so that if a particular method does not work for you, you can go for another one. So without any further ado, let’s get into it.
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How to connect a PS4 controller to your PC?
If you have the controller, the PC(Windows or Mac), and a USB cable, you are good to go. If you wish to connect the controller wirelessly, then you can do it using Bluetooth. Your PC needs to have a Bluetooth adapter that supports Bluetooth 2 and above. If you don’t have Bluetooth built into your system, or if it’s not compatible, you can even get yourself a Sony PlayStation 4 DualShock USB Wireless Adaptor dongle that will go right into the USB port of your computer.
Steam users:
People who use Steam don’t need to worry about anything at all. With an update that was pushed out to the launcher, people can now directly get the PS4 controllers configured to Steam. All you need to is open up the Steam game launcher, connect the controller via the USB cable, and you are good to go. You can even control the Big picture mode of Steam using just the Dualshock 4. All you need for this to work is to ensure that you have updated the Steam game launcher to the latest version, and it should work flawlessly. But for people who don’t game on Steam, you need to use one of the methods mentioned below.
Connect your PS4 controller through a USB cable:
The latest version of Windows 10 comes with support for the PS4 Dualshock controller natively. You need to connect the USB cable to the PC’s USB port and then connect the other end of that cable to your controller. You can now launch any game that supports a controller, and you will be able to play that game using it.
Connect your PS4 controller wirelessly via Bluetooth:
If you wish to wirelessly operate using the PS4 controller, just like you do with your PS4 console, you can do it by connecting the PS4 controller to your PC via Bluetooth.
If you do not have a Bluetooth adapter on your computer by default, you can buy a small USB receiver and connect it directly to a USB port on your computer.
- Press and hold the PS Button and the Share button for three seconds until the lightbar at the top of the controller begins to flash. This means it is ready for pairing.
- Press and hold Windows Key + X and choose “Settings” from the list of options.
- Click on Devices.
- Click on the Bluetooth & other devices tab.
- Then click on “Add Bluetooth or other device.”
- Follow the on-screen instructions after that to complete the pairing process of your computer and your PS4 controller.
Once it shows as connected on your computer, launch any game that supports the controller, and you will be able to use it. Do keep in mind though that you need to keep your controller charged up to use it wirelessly. To charge the controller, simply use the USB cable that you use to connect your controller to the PS4 console. This time you can use your PC’s USB port to charge it up.
Download and install DS4Windows:
If you cannot get your controller working just by simply connecting it to your computer, you should download the third-party program DS4Windows.exe.
- Download the program by clicking on this Github link.
- After the zip file is downloaded, right-click and choose to extract it.
- Then double-click on the file DS4Windows.exe and get it running on your computer.
- When the application window shows up, click on Step 1: Install the DS4 Driver.
- After the driver installation is complete, click on Finish.
Now to connect your controller wirelessly to your computer, you need to connect it via Bluetooth.
- Press and hold the PS Button and the Share button for three seconds until the lightbar at the top of the controller begins to flash. This means it is ready for pairing.
- Press and hold Windows Key + X and choose “Settings” from the list of options.
- Click on Devices.
- Click on the Bluetooth & other devices tab.
- Then click on “Add Bluetooth or other device.”
- On your screen, you should see the option to connect to a Wireless Controller.
- Follow the on-screen instructions after that to complete the pairing process of your computer and your PS4 controller.
- Open up the DS4Windows application again.
- Then minimize the application and then launch any game that you want. You will be able to play it using your controller.
Once you are done playing the game, you need to turn off this application.
- Open the DS4Windows application and click on Stop.
To disable the connection, you can then turn off Bluetooth on your computer. If you want to connect your computer and controller again, press the PS button on your controller, turn on the Bluetooth on your PC and open up the DS4Windows application.
Download and install InputMapper:
Another third-party program that helps you connect a controller to a PC is the InputMaper program.
- Download the program by clicking here.
- Install the application that you just downloaded.
- Then connect the controller to your PC via a USB cable or connect it via Bluetooth. Just follow the steps mentioned above about setting up the connection between the controller and the computer via Bluetooth.
- Now open the InputMapper program, and it should recognize your controller and make it ready for use. Just launch any game that you want after that and play it using your PS4 controller.
This is how you can connect the PS4 controller with a Windows PC. If you have any questions or queries about this article, then comment down below, and we will get back to you. Also, be sure to check out our other articles on iPhone tips and tricks, Android tips and tricks, PC tips and tricks, and much more for more useful information.