After a long wait, finally the much desired PlayStation 4 has crossed the entrance of your house! Enthusiastic, you immediately made an effort to configure it and make the best use of it but, at the climax, you realized that you didn't have the faintest idea of how to connect the controller to it, nor how to use it even on your computer. How do you say? Did I really hit the point? Perfect, then I'm happy to tell you that you're in the right place, at a time that couldn't be better!
In fact, below I will explain to you in detail how to connect ps4 joysticks both on the console and on the computer, in a very simple way and within a few seconds. Also, I'll take care of explaining how to take advantage of the pad on Steam for Windows and macOS and how to enable the feature Remote Play from Sony, so you can activate remote playback of your favorite titles.
Index
- How to connect PS4 joystick to console
- How to connect PS4 joystick to PC
- How to connect PS4 joystick to Mac
- How to connect PS4 joystick to phone
How to connect PS4 joystick to console
Whether you have one PlayStation 4, whether you bought the new Sony flagship, PlayStation 5, know that you will be able to connect yours in both cases DualShock 4 to devices. Since this is a gamepad designed specifically for the consoles in question, I assure you that the procedure is extremely simple and will only take you a handful of minutes. When you're ready, go ahead to the section of your interest!
Connect the PS4 joystick to the PS4
Have you just bought a PlayStation 4 and would like to know how to connect the controller to the console? Nothing simpler! All you have to do is turn on the console and connect the pad via USB cable: the association is completely automatic and, once the recharge is complete, you can also use the gamepad in wireless mode.
However, keep in mind that to use two or more controllers at the same time (up to a maximum of 4) on games that feature local multiplayer mode, you must register them all separately. To do this, after pairing the second pad, press the on it PS button to access the user association menu, choose the button New user, press the buttons Play as a guest e Do not log in: once the procedure is completed, you will be able to use the second pad for a local multiplayer session. Repeat the previous steps on each pad you want to pair.
Note: to associate the second pad to the console – and consequently to the console – a user SEN (complete with personal data, game data, accesses and so on), choose the option instead New User > Create a user.
Connect the PS4 joystick to the PS5
You bought one PS5 but, having only one DualSense, have you thought that you could still use your DualShock 4? Good idea, but know that you can use it only for playing PlayStation 4 titles on PS5, and not those designed specifically for PlayStation 5.
That said, for a wired connection, simply turn on your PlayStation 5 and insert the ends of the USB cable in the DualShock 4 and in the console: this will immediately recognize the controller and you can start using it, even if, as I told you previously, it will only be compatible with games PlayStation 4.
If, on the other hand, you don't have the cable at hand, you can also perform the operation in mode wireless, however, before proceeding, I recommend that you make a reset of your controller. Don't be afraid, I'll show you how to do it immediately.
Turning the DualShock 4, on the right side in correspondence with the screw, there is a small hole, you need to insert a toothpick or a small wire into it and press the button inside to five seconds. You will thus have made the reset of the controller. More info here.
Now turn on PlayStation 5 using your DualSense and log in with your account by selecting the profile you prefer. Move through the icons and choose the one in the shape of Gear at the top right to access the menu Settings. Then move between the items and go to Accessories, then General > Bluetooth accessories.
At this point, hold down the keys PS e Share on the DualShock 4 for a few seconds, until the central LED light starts flashing. In the screen of the Bluetooth accessories of PS5 the entry will appear DUAL SHOCK 4, select it with DualSense and press the key X twice, confirming the association. Now choose theuser which will use the controller among those listed and you will have completed the procedure.
How to connect PS4 joystick to PC
Connecting the DualShock 4 to the computer is not at all difficult: it is an operation within everyone's reach, which can be completed in a few minutes, both on Windows both MacOS.
Before proceeding to connect the controller in scope Windows, I advise you to carry out the preventive procedure of installing the drivers, using the software DS4Windows: it is a small free and open source program which, in just a few clicks, allows you to correctly install the drivers necessary for the operation of the DualShock and, if necessary, to emulate the behavior of the Xbox 360 controller (required by many games in order to to ensure that the input works optimally).
However, I must warn you that official compatibility has been extended exclusively to Windows 11 e Windows 10, so if you have an older version of the OS the program may not work properly.
That said, to download the program, which does not require installation, connect to the Ryochan7 developer's Github page and click on the version compatible with your operating system: x64 per Windows a 64-bit e x86 for 32-bit; if you don't know how to check the version, follow my guide on the matter.
Once the download is complete, open thearchive obtained and extract the contents in a folder of your choice (eg. Documents), taking care not to choose a network folder. If you don't know how to do it, you can refer to my guide on how to open zip files.
Once the archive has been extracted, go to the folder of your choice, start the program DS4Windows.exe and, in the window that appears on the screen, choose the option Program folder to use the program in portable mode, saving the necessary files in the same folder. Once that's done, choose Yes and click on the button Step 1: Install the DS4 Driver, confirming once again by pressing the button install. You are now ready to connect your PS4 controller to your PC.
Connect PS4 joystick to PC with cable
After completing the new driver setup procedure that I described in the previous chapter, you can now finally connect the DualShock 4 to your computer. If you intend to take advantage of the USB cable, all you have to do is connect the ends of the connector to both the pad and the computer, waiting for it to automatically recognize it.
If your computer has only revenue USB type C (smaller, new generation ones), you can easily remedy the problem by obtaining a special adapter.
If the running game does not recognize the DualShock 4 connected to the PC, I advise you to open the DS4Windows program, going to the folder where you extracted all the files and double-clicking on the file DS4Windows.exe, in this way the program will force the recognition allowing you to use the controller without further problems. More info here
Connect PS4 joystick to PC without cable
If, on the other hand, you intend to use the link via Bluetooth, first turn off the DualShock 4 (by pressing and holding the PS button, until the light goes out) and activate the pairing mode by pressing the keys simultaneously PS e Share, until the LED starts flashing.
Once the controller is set in pairing mode, all you have to do is activate Bluetooth on the PC (if you don't know how to do it, read the guide I wrote on the subject) and carry out the pairing procedure best suited to the operating system at your disposal .
- Windows 10 / 11– press the key combination Win + I, click on the icon devices, scegli l'opzione Bluetooth and other devices from the sidebar and click on the button Add Bluetooth or other device placed high. Afterwards, select the option Bluetooth and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the pairing (usually, you simply choose the DualShock from the list of discoverable devices).
- Windows 8.1 and earlier - apri il Control Panel calling it up from the menu Home (accessible via the icon in the shape of pennant located in the lower left corner of the screen), presses on the section Hardware and sound and then on the button Add a device. Next, select the pad from the list of detected devices, press the button NEXT and complete the pairing by following the on-screen instructions.
Finalized the connection between computer and DualShock, the latter should appear in the section Controllers by DS4Windows. If you want to reconfigure the keys, even creating different profiles, you can go to the tab Profiles; furthermore, you can set the program to load a different profile, based on the game being played, in the section Auto profiles. More info here
How to connect PS4 joystick to Mac
If you want to know how to connect ps4 controller to mac, all you have to do is choose whether to use the wired or wireless connection and proceed accordingly, without installing any type of additional driver.
To connect the DS4 using the USB cable, you simply must physically connect the ends of the USB/microUSB cable (basically the same one you use for recharging) to the appropriate ports on the Mac and the controller: recognition should be immediate. If your Mac only has USB type-C ports, while your cable has a USB type-A connector, you can equip yourself with a special adapter.
If instead you intend to connect the PlayStation 4 pad to the Mac wirelessly, turn off the controller holding down the PS button until the light is completely deactivated and turn it on again in pairing mode, by pressing and holding the keys PS e Share, until the LED starts flashing again.
At this point, on Mac, open the System preference by clicking on the icon in the shape of Gear attached to the Dock bar, click the button Bluetooth in the window that opens and wait for the controller to be shown among the discoverable devices. Finally, click on Connect at Wireless controller and wait for the pairing to complete. That's all! For more information, I suggest you follow my dedicated guide.
How to connect PS4 joystick to phone
Collegare joystick PS4 ad Android
If you have a smartphone Android, start by activating the Bluetooth: access the Settings by tapping the gear icon and then choosing the item Bluetooth. The next screen should have a checkmark BluetoothIf not, activate it. More info here.
Using the DualShock 4, press the button PS (the central one with the logo PlayStation) and that Share (find it on the left, near the d-pad). By doing so, the controller will enter pairing mode and the central light will start flashing.
Then go back to your smartphone and log in again Settings> Bluetooth, but this time it touches the voice directly Bluetooth to access an additional menu with the option Pair new device. Click this while the light on the pad is flashing and choose from the menu Wireless controller. The pairing process will complete automatically and will be confirmed by steady light on the DualShock 4 pad. Learn more here.
Connect PS4 joystick to iPhone
From iOS 13, the DualShock 4 is recognized by the devices Apple. So whether you want to understand how to connect ps4 joystick to ipad is iPhone, you can achieve this very easily.
Then open the Settings by tapping the gear icon, then choose the item Bluetooth and check that this is activated, in order to identify the DualShock 4 as soon as you try to pair it. More info here.
On your controller, press the button PS that you find in the center and that Share, top left, holding them down until a flashing light appears in the center. On the iPhone (or iPad), the entry will appear in the Bluetooth section DUALSHOCK 4 wireless controller: select it by tapping to complete the association with the controller. You can now use the DualShock 4 to play all titles that support its use. More info here.
