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How to Connect a PS4 Controller to a PC

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Microsoft
Newegg

For some games, keyboard just isn’t good. Gamers who spend most of their time playing games on the PlayStation 4 may have trouble adjusting to playing games on a PC with keyboard and mouse. If you are looking for help how to connect your PlayStation DualShock 4 controller to a PC, then you’ve come to the right place. In this quick guide we’ll show you how to connect and configure your PS4 gamepad to work on your PC.

This may seem weird to you at first, but pairing your DualShock 4 controller with a PC is not an overly demanding or difficult tasks. In fact, PlayStation 4’s controller is fully compatible with Windows OS environment, however, it requires some configuring in order to perfectly work with most PC games.

Overall, the PS4 DualShock 4 controller is a fantastic choice if you need a gamepad for playing games on your PC. It fits perfectly in hands, and has all the necessary buttons and features required for playing PC games. The only downside to this whole story is that the audio jack on the controller doesn’t work on the PC, which means you’ll have to plug the headphones directly into your computer if you want to have any audio output.

Since DualShock controller can be bought separately from the PS4, all you need to connect this gamepad to a PC is your computer and a USB cable. In fact, even the USB cable isn’t necessary, as PS4 controller can be connected to a PC via Bluetooth. This, of course, means you need to have a computer with a Bluetooth module (most laptops have) or buy a special Sony PlayStation 4 USB Wireless Adapter that you can plug into your computer.

How to Use DualShock 4 on Steam?

Steam, a popular platform for buying and playing PC games, has recently released an update that allows you to use the PS4 DualShock controller within the app’s user interface. This also allows you to control the “Big Picture Mode”, play games, and browse the web.

For your PS4 controller to work, first open up Steam and make sure you have all the latest software updates installed. Once you do that, just connect the DualShock 4 controller to a PC via USB cable or Bluetooth and that’s it. You are ready to play games.

If you’re playing games without Steam, keep on reading, since the solution isn’t exactly plug-n-play, but it’s not complicated either.

How to Use DualShock 4 on PC?

In order for DualShock 4 controller to work perfectly on Windows without PC you’ll need to perform some additional actions. Follow these steps to configure your PS4 controller properly:

1. Download DS4Windows

As we already said, connecting a PS4 controller to a PC isn’t a complicated process. Unfortunately it is not a simple plug-and-play procedure either. You need to have some third-party software to make everything work properly. This software is called DS4Windows and it allows you to connect the PS4 controller to a PC without too much hassle. What it basically does is that it tricks your PC into thinking that an Xbox 360 controller is connected to it, and not a DualShock 4 gamepad. You see, the Xbox 360 controller has “native” support for Windows OS environment, so this makes configuring your PS4 controller a lot easier. You can download DS4Windows from here.

2. Install DS4Windows

Locate the ZIP file you downloaded and then extract the files to a known location. You will see two new files at that location. One is DS4Updater.exe and the other is DS4Windows.exe. You need to run the second file (DS4Windows.exe) to install the program. If you ever encounter any problems with this software, run the DS4Updater.exe file. This app will automatically download the latest software updates and drivers, which may potentially solve your problems.

3. Set up DS4Windows

When you run the DS4Windows application for the first time, it will ask you where you want to save your settings and profiles. We recommend that you select the “AppData” option. After that, a new window will appear. Click on “Install the DS4 Driver” to install the drivers necessary for the controller to work. Keep in mind this only applies to Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. If you have Windows 7 or older, then click on the second option “Install 360 Driver”.

4. Connect the controller to the PC via USB cable

Now you can connect your PS4 DualShock 4 controller to the PC. You have two ways to do this. Either via USB cable or via Bluetooth. To connect the PS4 controller to the PC via USB, all you need is a regular micro USB cable – the same one that comes with a bunch of smartphones. When you connect the USB cable to the controller and the PC, Windows should detect it and you will be ready to play games on the PC using the PS4 controller.

5. Connect the controller to the PC via Bluetooth

One of the best things about using the PS4 DualShock 4 controller is that you can play games on the PC wirelessly and achieve a certain amount of flexibility while playing games. The problem you have here is that most desktop PCs don’t have a Bluetooth module. But don’t worry, there are mini USB Bluetooth adapters that you can use and cost only a few dollars.

Once you enable your Bluetooth module, press and hold the center button on the PS4 controller, and then press the “Share” button simultaneously for three seconds. Keep doing that until the light on the top of the controller starts flashing. Then open the Bluetooth settings on the PC. Find the “Wireless controller” option. If Windows asks you for a pair code, just enter “0000” (without the quotes) and that’s it. The PS4 controller is now connected to your computer via Bluetooth.

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About author
Frank is the Editor-in-Chief at ViCadia. He is an avid PC gamer, as well as a tech enthusiast. Besides being a tireless writer, he is also ViCadia’s web developer.
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