How to Connect a PS4 DualShock 4 Controller to a PC

The DualShock 4 is specifically designed for the Sony PlayStation 4, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use it with PC games. PCs are powerful and flexible systems, so you can get nearly any peripheral to work on them with little effort. Follow these steps to connect a DualShock 4 controller to your gaming PC:

How to Connect the DualShock 4 to Your PC

There are two ways to connect a DualShock 4 to your gaming PC. You can go the wired or wireless routes, but setting up those connections is a bit different than how you would do it on a PlayStation 4 console.

Wired Method

Bluetooth Method

How to Configure the DualShock 4 on Your PC

Connecting the controller is only the start of the process, due to how the DualShock 4 communicates with your PC. Most current Windows games use Microsoft’s XInput, an interface that processes Xbox 360 and Xbox One controller inputs. The DualShock 4 doesn’t send XInput commands, so a wrapper is needed to translate its inputs into something your PC can deal with easier. There are two good options: DS4Windows and Steam’s controller compatibility settings.

The Comprehensive Way: DS4Windows

DS4Windows is a freeware program, currently updated and maintained by Ryochan7 on Github, that tricks your PC into thinking an Xbox 360 gamepad is connected, instead of a DualShock 4. Follow these steps to get it to work:

By default, the DualShock 4 acts like an Xbox 360 controller, with the touchpad functioning as a mouse. That said, DS4Windows offers more options. To start, click the Profiles tab and double-click the Default profile (or create your own new profile). This causes an outline of the DualShock 4 to appear surrounded by various settings. Here, you can remap the physical controls, program the touchpad and motion controls to act in different ways, adjust rumble settings, and tweak the analog sticks’ dead zones and movement curves. You can even change the light bar’s color.

DS4Windows offers many other options that facilitate a smooth DualShock 4 experience on PC. You shouldn’t have to open these settings, because most games will control properly after you set the software up the first time.

The (Potentially) Easier Way: Steam

If your favorite games are on Steam, they’ll work with the DualShock 4 with a quick tweak:

Steam’s DualShock 4 compatibility is inconsistent, and this technique obviously won’t work with non-Steam games. As a result, you may have better luck simply using DS4Windows and keeping the Steam compatibility mode disabled. If you own a Steam Deck, the compatibility mode there might be your only option without extensive software tweaks (and installing Windows on the Linux-based system).

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 instructions for connecting your Nintendo Switch and Xbox controllers to your rig. Want to use the most advanced PlayStation controller for PC gaming? Visit out guide on how to connect your DualSense to a PC.