2022-01-24T09:27:15 01:00

Connecting PS5 and PS4 controllers to PC: This is how it works

Thanks to Bluetooth, you can connect your PS5 or PS4 controller to your PC. However, not every game supports Sony's peripheral. Therefore, you will learn in this guide:

How to connect your PlayStation controller
Which platform you need for gaming
Which features work and which don't

You want to have even more console feeling with God of War on the PC? Then check out our guide for the optimal graphics settings.

How to connect the PS5 or PS4 controller to the PC

You can connect your PlayStation controller to your PC in two ways: The simplest variant is the direct connection via USB cable. This requires a USB-C to USB-A cable. Simply plug the cable into your controller and your PC or laptop. Your system will automatically set up the device and it will be ready for use after a few seconds.

To connect the controller via Bluetooth, your system must have a built-in Bluetooth receiver or an external adapter. To set up the hardware, go to the Windows icon at the very bottom left in Windows 10 or press the Windows key on your keyboard. Type "bluetooth" there and then click on "Bluetooth and other device settings".

Activate Bluetooth in the newly opened window and click on "Add Bluetooth or other device" and then on "Bluetooth". Your PC will now scan for available devices in its vicinity. Turn on your PlayStation controller and simultaneously hold down the PS button and the Create button next to the touchpad. When the LEDs start flashing, your controller shows that it is also scanning for Bluetooth connections.

You should then see your controller appear on your PC. One last click on "Wireless Controller" and the PS5 or PS4 controller and your PC are paired.

Using PS4 or PS5 controllers with Steam

Not every game supports the PlayStation controller. The remake of Final Fantasy 7, for example, cannot recognize the device and spits out an error message. You also have no chance to set or change anything in the button assignments. The situation is different with the gaming platform Steam. Valve's in-house program has supported the DualShock 4 and the new DualSense controller for quite some time.

Once you have established the connection between the device and the system, open Steam and go to "Settings". There you will see the item "Controller Settings", under which you will find the menu "PlayStation Configuration Wizard". Check the box and you can start gaming with Sony's peripheral.

In addition, you can calibrate your devices, determine the shutdown times and set the button assignments. Steam also allows you to control the entire program via the PS5 or PS4 controller in "Big Picture" mode.

If you want to play a non-Steam game with a PlayStation controller, you can add the title to your library and start it via Steam. To do so, click on the "Games" tab and then on "Add a non-Steam game to my library". Now select the games you want to add from the list that opens.

If you can't find your title, click on "Browse" and find the executable file (.exe) of the desired game on your hard drive. Once you've done that, you can launch the game from Steam and use the PS5 and PS4 controllers with Steam overlays to play.

Problems with the DualSense controller

Sony's new DualSense controller does not work completely flawlessly. Special features like the new adaptive triggers and the haptic feedback do not work on the PC yet. Steam does not provide a remedy either.

Some titles like God of War still have problems with Sony's in-house devices. Instead of circle, triangle or square, the buttons of the Xbox controller are displayed in the tutorials, menus and quicktime events. In other words: Instead of Sony's cross, you'll see Microsoft's A. The square is then displayed as the letter X and so on. Of course, this can be a bit confusing during gameplay.

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