If you’re like me, the PS4 DualShock 4 controller has quickly become your favorite way to play PC games. If you don’t have access to a PS4 to use it on, you might be wondering how you can still use this great controller in your PC gaming endeavors. Never fear; I’ve got you covered! In this article, I’ll explain how to use the PS4 DualShock 4 controller on a PC without any additional hardware needed! Read on to see how.
1) Download MotioninJoy
You can use your PS4 controller on your PC using MotioninJoy. This software is available for free online, and it will allow you to use your controller on your PC. You will need to connect your controller to your PC using a USB cable, and then you will need to download and install the software. Once you have done this, you will be able to use your controller on your PC. The first time you plug in your controller, Windows will recognize it as an Xbox 360 controller and ask if you want to update the drivers. It should detect that this is not an Xbox 360 controller and prompt you about installing new drivers automatically.
Simply click Install or Next as appropriate, and follow the instructions on screen. The driver installation process may take several minutes depending on your internet connection speed; please do not disconnect from your Wi-Fi network during installation! If you get stuck at any point during installation just leave a comment below with what happened when installing the drivers, or contact us via email (support@motioninjoy) or live chat (bottom right of screen).
2) Plug in the controller
You’ll need a controller adapter to use the PS4 controller on your PC. The most popular one is the DualShock 4 USB Wireless Adapter, which you can get for about $20. Once you have the adapter, plug it into your PC’s USB port. You should see a light on the adapter turn on, indicating that it’s working. If not, try restarting your computer or checking that the adapter is properly plugged in. After doing so, you should be able to test out the controller by going into the Game Controllers panel and clicking Properties. On this window, you should be able to see an option called Settings. Click this button and then click Edit Device Settings.
In this new window, scroll down until you find an entry for Type: Analog Joystick – Xinput (most likely near the bottom). Change this entry from Xinput to Dinput-based device and then click Apply. That’s all there is to it! Now when you go back to the game controllers panel, the controller should show up as a Playstation 3 Controller under what type of device it is. And voila! Your PS4 controller is now usable on your PC with any games that support an Xbox 360 controller.
3) Configure settings
The first thing you need to do is make sure that your controller is updated with the latest firmware. To do this, connect your controller to your PS4 console via a USB cable and then head to Settings > Devices > Controllers. Next, open Steam and go to Settings > Controller > General Controller Settings. Here, make sure that PS4 Configuration Support is checked off. If it isn’t, check it and then click Save.
Now that that’s out of the way, launch Steam Big Picture Mode by clicking the controller icon in the top-right corner of the Steam client window. In Big Picture Mode, go to Settings > Controller Settings. You’ll see two options: General Controller Settings and Specific Gamepad Setting. Under General Controller Settings, make sure that there are no controllers listed besides the one you’re using. Click OK when done. Now head over to Specific Gamepad Setting under Settings > Controller Settings. You’ll be greeted with a list of all the games currently installed on your PC that have gamepad support (alongside their respective gamepad icons).
Selecting an icon will bring up an image showing what buttons are used for each game mode as well as any additional settings specific to each game mode (like analog stick deadzone or sensitivity). Click OK when done selecting games, which will take you back to Control Panel where you can select an option from Big Picture Mode. There are some more settings that you may want to configure while you’re at it. Go to Settings > Devices > Controllers and click Update Device List. Doing so will allow new controllers connected through Bluetooth or wired connection show up in the device list without having to manually reconnect them each time they disconnect and reconnect. Finally, find the setting called Allow Multiple Gamepads and set it accordingly based on whether or not you plan on using other controllers alongside your PS4 controller during gameplay (if not, set it to No).
One last thing to do before we can get into playing! Exit out of Steam completely and restart it. When asked if you would like to load all your saved games, select Yes – All Games Then Done. Now when you return to the main menu, you should see that PS4 Controller has been added as a control type on the left-hand side next to Keyboard/Mouse and Xbox 360 Controller.
4) Test It Out
You can use your PS4 controller on your PC to play games, use applications, and access the PlayStation Network. Here’s how:
- Press and hold the PS button on your controller to pair it with your PS4.
- Connect your controller to your PC using a USB cable or Bluetooth.
- Open the Settings menu in Steam.
- Go to Controller > General Controller Settings.
- Check the box that says PS4 Configuration Support.
- In the drop-down menu, select PS4 DualShock 4 CUH-ZCT2.
- You’re ready to go! Test out your controller in a game or application. If you have any issues connecting your controller, try pressing the Xbox button on the front of your controller while pairing it with your PS4. If this doesn’t work, check to make sure you installed firmware update 4.50 for the DualShock 4. If all else fails, try installing third party software like DS4Windows.