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Connect a PS4 Controller via USB. You can simply use you mini USB cable that came with your PS4 controller to connect it to your Mac computer. Plug the PS4 controller cable into a USB port on your Mac. Then, turn on your controller by holding down the PS4 button located between the two controller sticks.
Making the jump from console gaming to playing on a Mac can be a difficult transition, especially if you buy into the idea that the average Mac gamer is more skilled than their console equivalent.
Use a Micro-USB cable to connect the PS4 controller to your Mac. Press the PlayStation button in the middle of the gamepad (to turn it on). Choose Apple About this Mac. Click System Report. Super quick 10 seconds tutorial on how to connect a Sony PlayStation 4 Dual Shock 4 Wireless gaming controller to a Mac using Bluetooth. No drivers, plug-ins, skills or extra softwares required. Whichever controller you choose, we show you, below, the different techniques for playing with a PS4 or Xbox One controller on your Mac. Connect a PS4 controller to a Mac. To play your favourite MacOS games from your Mac using a PS4 DualShock 4 controller, follow these three techniques. The official wireless adapter. Although there is no plug. Luckily, you can use a variety of controllers on your Mac, including your Xbox One Controller. While the PlayStation 4’s DualShock 4 will play nicely with your Mac over Bluetooth, the Xbox One controller will take a bit more effort. It’s nothing too tricky, though, and you can pull it off with a bit of patience.
Besides, you’ll also need to consider the fact that by moving to Mac you’ll no longer be able to use your library of console games, or play with friends you’ve made on there. Plus, you’ll have to learn to use a mouse and keyboard. Or will you?
If you’re wondering how to use Xbox One controller on Mac, or the one from PS4, you’re in the right place. This article is about using Xbox One controller on Mac, as well as PS4, to play games like Overwatch, Minecraft, Eve: Valkyrie, House of the Dying Sun, Thumper, Elite Dangerous, and Star Trek: Bridge Crew (be warned: you might need virtual PC software for some of these titles).
The great thing about having a choice in which controller to use is that, even though both of them are around the same price point, they have a few distinct differences, meaning every Mac user can pick the one more suitable for them. An Xbox One controller is, for example, a little heavier and boasts haptic feedback triggers, whereas the lighter Sony DualShock 4 has an additional (touchpad) button, integrated lithium ion battery, and motion sensitivity.
![How To Use Ps4 Controller On Macbook How To Use Ps4 Controller On Macbook](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SVBEcy9ewl0/maxresdefault.jpg)
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How To Connect PS4 Controller To Mac
In addition to the advantages mentioned above, many Mac gamers prefer the DualShock 4 to an Xbox One controller because there are a few different ways of connecting PS4 controller to Mac. The first, and perhaps most obvious, is to use an official wireless adapter.
Connecting PS4 controller to Mac wirelessly
It’s likely that many of you reading this, namely those who have struggled with unofficial products and sketchy workarounds in the past, will be breathing a sigh of relief to learn that an official DualShock USB Wireless Adaptor exists.
The official wireless connector is a decent solution for Remote Play or playing Mac games that support the use of external controllers. But the critics may be sceptical about the high price of the accessory — the top video on YouTube that mentions this product is titled “WHY DID THEY MAKE THIS???” — as much cheaper options are readily available: such as micro USB and Bluetooth.
How to use PS4 controller on Mac with micro USB
If you’re not, for whatever reason, picky about whether you play wirelessly or not, then you can just connect PS4 controller to Mac using the micro USB cable that you’d usually use to plug it into your PlayStation.
The extra benefit of using micro USB is that the cable also charges your controller while you play. When you plug it in, you’ll see an orange light appear on the touchpad indicating that it’s charging.
Pair PS4 controller with Mac via Bluetooth
The easiest, fastest, and cheapest way to start playing is to connect PS4 controller to Mac with Bluetooth via PS4 Bluetooth pairing. To do that:
- Open System Preferences > Bluetooth
- Press the PS and Share buttons simultaneously on your controller until you see a light on your DualShock 4 start blinking to indicate that it’s ready to pair
- Look for the wireless controller in the list of Bluetooth devices on your Mac
- Click Pair, and the light on your controller will go from blinking to lit
An even quicker and easier PS4 Bluetooth pairing option is to use ToothFairy, a utility that lets you add and manage all your Bluetooth devices:
- Simply launch ToothFairy
- Highlight the controller from the list of devices
- Click Select
In Settings, you can also choose to add an icon to your menu bar that will connect to your chosen device (in this case, your PS4 Bluetooth controller) with a single click. At this time, there’s no controller icon, but you could use something like a keyboard symbol or the magic wand in its place.
Get ToothFairy for quick connection
3d home design software for mac. Install ToothFairy for free and forget about any Bluetooth trouble. Any device will be paired with your Mac in a click.
If you love shortcuts, ToothFairy gives you an option to record a hotkey to connect or disconnect your controller, and show how much battery life your DualShock 4 has left next to its icon. As long as your controller is awake, ToothFairy is really handy for connecting it to your Mac with a single click!
Best of all, ToothFairy is available for free during your trial with Setapp, along with more than 150 top Mac utilities and apps. Try it out for seamless PS4 Bluetooth experience.
How to connect Xbox One controller to Mac
Since it’s so easy to connect a PS4 controller to a Mac, and since Xbox One controllers have built-in support for connecting to Windows, you could be forgiven for thinking that connecting Xbox One controller to Mac would be simple. Unfortunately, you’d be wrong — consider it a casualty of the ongoing Windows vs. Mac war!
Ps4 Controller On Macbook
It’s possible to connect Xbox One controller to Mac, but doing so requires a little bit of extra work. For a start, you can’t use Bluetooth to connect, so that’s the wireless route blocked right off the bat. You’ll also need to purchase a micro USB cable, since one isn’t included with Xbox One controllers like it is with a PS4 handset.
Once you’ve got your controller and cable in hand, you’ll need to download an Xbox One controller driver for Mac before you can plug anything in:
- Head to GitHub (yes, it’s shocking that mapping an Xbox One controller requires unofficial drivers downloaded from GitHub)
- Download the latest release
- Double click the .dmg file that appears in your Downloads folder
- Run the .pkg file
- Follow all of the instructions, check out the Read Me file, and then click Install to progress to the next step 3d avatar creator software.
- Restart your computer and you’ll find an Xbox controller icon in your System Preferences menu
![How To Use Ps4 Controller On Macbook How To Use Ps4 Controller On Macbook](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1Z7Z5z1v-EQ/maxresdefault.jpg)
Now it’s time to (finally) plug your controller in, using a USB-C to USB-A adapter if necessary, and head to Security & Privacy to bypass the popup that’ll appear when you plug the controller in.
Once all that’s done, you should be connected!
Which controller should you choose?
Just a quick glance at the instructions above shows that listing how to connect Xbox One controller to Mac takes up almost as much space as three different ways of explaining how to pair PS4 controller with Mac. How to update macbook pro os x el capitan. So for some readers, that will make the decision of which controller to use a no-brainer.
If you already own an Xbox controller, it’s worth remembering that, while the above may look like a bit of a headache, the process is something that you only need to go through once.
Console and Mac gaming often tend to be treated as polar opposites, as if they are on different ends of the spectrum, and never the twain shall meet. But in reality, there’s a huge grey area in the middle that offers up a lot of fun.
Using a controller can, for example, be a really compelling way to enjoy VR titles that aren’t “on rails.” In fact, until someone starts mass producing those omnidirectional treadmills from Ready Player One, they are the best way to do so.
Whichever option you choose, using a controller offers an intuitive and familiar experience that’s backed up by all of the processing power a high-end Mac can offer. And don’t forget to make sure your Mac is properly optimized for games.
There are certain viewpoints that are widely held by gamers — those who play mobile games aren’t for “real” gamers, a Mac doesn’t make for an effective gaming laptop or desktop, and that “controllers are for consoles, mice and keyboards are for computers.”
Don’t buy any of that for a second! Gaming should be something that brings you joy and, whether that means crushing candy all the livelong day or using a controller with your Mac, more power to you.
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I know what some of you are thinking. Why would you want to use a PS4 controller on your laptop when you game? I understand where you are coming from. But, the fact is there are some games that just play better even on a PC when you use a controller. While Windows offers support for Xbox One and Xbox 360 controllers, what about those of you with the PlayStation 4?
The PS4’s controller is one of the best controllers available today, with a button layout that is familiar and easily supported by most PC games with built-in controller support. On top of that, the built-in trackpad on the controller can even be used as a mouse input, much like the trackpad on your laptop.
While the setup procedure isn’t quite as easy as the Xbox controllers, and the PS4 Controllers aren’t plug and play, it’s not very difficult to connect and use them on your gaming laptop, whether you are running a high-end VR ready laptop or an affordable gaming laptop under $500. In fact, most of you should be able to connect your PS4 Controller in just a few short minutes.
What You Will Need
Before I show you how to set it up, you need to gather the PS4 accessories and supplies you need to set it up. Here’s what you will need:
- PS4 Controller
- Laptop (If possible, with Bluetooth)
- Micro USB Cable or Bluetooth Dongle (optional)
The micro USB cable or Bluetooth Dongle are optional and only needed if you don’t have a laptop with Bluetooth or if you prefer to connect to your laptop the old-fashioned way.
PS4 Controller and Steam
Steam is one of the most popular gaming platforms available for PC, and they have released an update that allows you to use the PS4 Controller with almost any game in your Steam library. To use it with Steam, simply load Steam and run any updates to make sure your version of Steam supports the PS4 controller. Plug in your controller and launch your favorite game from your Steam library. But remember, this will only work with games downloaded and installed through Steam.
Setting Up the PS4 Controller with Your Laptop
If you want to use your PS4 Controller with your laptop while you play other games that aren’t from Steam, then you must follow the steps below. Don’t worry, the process is easy and shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes.
Install the Software
Remember when I said it wasn’t quite plug and play? Now you will see why. By default, Windows will not recognize your PS4 controller. However, by downloading and running DS4Windows, you can fool Windows into thinking that your PS4 Controller is an Xbox 360 controller, which is natively supported by Windows 10. To get the software, simply visit the website and download it, then run DS4Windows.exe to begin the setup procedure.
Setup DS4Windows
The first time you launch the application, you will be asked where to store your profiles. I suggest you keep the default location, unless you want to regular tinker with your profiles later. A new window will popup. Click on “Install the DS4 Driver” to setup your PS4 Controller. This procedure will work for Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10. If you have Windows 7, you will also need to click on “Install 360 Driver.”
Connect the PS4 Controller to Your Laptop
The PS4 Controller can be connected in two different ways:
- Micro USB Cable
- Bluetooth
If your laptop has Bluetooth, I recommend pairing it with your laptop using the Bluetooth settings in Windows. To pair it, press and hold the central PS button and the Share button for three seconds until the lightbar at the top begins to flash. Then check your Bluetooth connection in the taskbar of Windows and select “Wireless Controller.” During the process, you may be asked to enter a code, if so enter “0000”. Once complete, your PS4 controller will be paired with your Windows laptop. Now you can game wirelessly much like you do on your PS4.
However, if you don’t have Bluetooth, you can connect a micro USB cable to your controller and then to your laptop. Just make sure the cable is long enough for you to play your favorite games comfortably. This setup is a bit easier, since all you have to do is plug a cable into your controller and PC.
Limitations
While the PS4 controller is a great controller choice for PC users, there are a couple of limitations that you should be aware of, outside of running third-party software to do it.
First, not every game will support it, even if they include basic controller support. This doesn’t mean that you can’t use it, it only means that your game of choice may not have all the controls mapped properly for the PS4 controller. You will need to map the buttons yourself in the game in order for it to work properly.
Next, is the audio jack on the controller. Currently, there is no support for the built-in audio jack on your PS4 controller. I wouldn’t let that stop you from buying a headset or other amazing PS4 accessories. Just remember to plug them directly into your laptop if you’re going to use them.
Parting Thoughts
Of all the controllers I have used over the years, the PS4 controller is one of my personal favorites. Really, it may even be a tie between it and the Xbox controllers that are so popular today. While I wish that Windows would support it natively, it’s no surprise that you have to jump though a few hoops to get it work, especially when you consider the rivalry between Microsoft and Sony.
Ps4 Pro New Controller
However, thanks to DS4Games, the process is still pretty simple and almost anyone should be able to connect their PS4 controller to their laptop.
Do you use a Sony PS4 Controller or an Xbox One controller on your laptop? If so, which one do you like better. Tell me your thoughts and opinions on both the controllers and how well they work on Windows in the comments below.