How To Connect Your PS5 Controller To Your PC
Windows PCs feature native support for Xbox-branded controllers — it's a given since both Windows and Xbox are Microsoft products. For a long time, only Xbox or generic controllers were permitted, but as Sony has gotten more invested in the PC scene, it's brought with it support for its proprietary controllers. That includes both the classic PlayStation DualShock and, more interestingly, the PlayStation 5 DualSense.
Seeing how the DualSense has amassed quite a reputation for itself in terms of both comfort and responsiveness, it's not unusual to want to play your PC games with such a thing. At the DualSense's initial launch, it was much harder to do, but nowadays, the process has been streamlined significantly. Even if you don't own a PlayStation 5 and want a DualSense for the express purpose of PC gaming, you can make the connection happen. All it takes is the right hardware and a bit of know-how.
How to connect a PS5 controller to a PC with USB
There are two ways you can connect your PS5 controller to a PC, one of which is a bit more involved than the other. If you're strapped for time and don't mind the distance constraint, the fastest way to connect a DualSense to a PC is with a USB-C cable. Whether your DualSense came with a PS5 or you bought it piecemeal, it should have come with a companion USB to USB-C cable, which you can use to facilitate a quick and sturdy connection.
- Connect the USB-C end of the cable to the charging port located at the top of the DualSense controller.
- Connect the other end of the cable to a USB port on your PC.
- Windows will automatically detect the controller and begin setting it up.
- When the controller setup is finished, you'll get a notification that it's ready.
After Windows finishes setting up the DualSense controller, you should be able to use it right away to play games. Just like with an Xbox or generic game controller, most games you play should be able to detect the presence of the connected DualSense and either allow you to use it right away or switch to it in the game's internal settings. If you're playing games through Steam, the Steam Controller Layout menu should also detect the controller, allowing you to customize the layout and function of its buttons to an extent.
How to connect a PS5 controller to a PC with Bluetooth
If you'd prefer to go wireless, you can pair your DualSense controller with your PC over Bluetooth — you just need to press a few particular buttons on the controller to get them to shake hands.
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Tap the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start menu.
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Type Bluetooth, then hit enter.
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In the window that opens, toggle the switch next to Bluetooth to the On position.
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Click the "Add new device" button.
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Select Bluetooth in the new window that appears.
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Check that the player indicator on the DualSense (the front light) is currently turned off.
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If the player indicator is on, press and hold the PS button until it turns off.
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Press and hold the Create button on the front-top-left of the DualSense controller, then press and hold the PS button until the light bar starts blinking.
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While the light bar is blinking, the DualSense should appear in your PC's list "Add new device" Bluetooth menu.
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Click on the DualSense option in the Bluetooth list on your PC.
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Click the Pair button to connect the controller and PC.
Remember, you can only pair your DualSense to one device at a time. Because the controller isn't connected to USB, its battery will drain like usual during gameplay, and you'll need to plug it into either the computer or the PS5 to recharge.
PS5 controller features supported on PC
Besides just being generally comfortable to hold and use, the DualSense controller is well-known for its various additional features, including its touchpad, motion controls, and haptic feedback. If you want to use those features while it's connected to a PC rather than a PS5, then we have a bit of good news and bad news for you.
The good news is that it is possible to use all of a DualSense controller's advanced features while playing PC games. The bad news is that whether or not you can use those features is heavily reliant on a handful of factors, the biggest one being whether there is already DualSense feature mapping for the game you're trying to play.
Generally speaking, if you're playing a game on your PC that is also available on PS5 ("Marvel's Spider-Man," "Death Stranding," "Final Fantasy VII Remake," etc.), and you have any external input modifiers like Steam Input disabled, then the advanced features should work as they're supposed to. If you're playing other games or software, though, then the features won't work, at least not natively. You'll need an XInput wrapper like DualSenseX to enable the features manually, and even then, it still may not work.
Why your PS5 controller won't connect to PC
While Windows PCs have become much more accommodating of Sony hardware than they used to be, the two may still occasionally not get along for one reason or another. There are a variety of factors that could prevent your PC from detecting your DualSense controller, whether you're using a wired or Bluetooth connection.
In the latter case, the most likely culprit is that your controller is paired to a different device, such as your PS5. Your DualSense can only have its Bluetooth signal paired to one device at a time; make sure that your PS5 is completely turned off before you try to pair it to your PC. If your PS5 is on, it'll interfere with the Bluetooth signal.
If you're trying to use a hard connection, the cause may be some defective hardware. There could be a problem with the particular USB port you're trying to connect to, or otherwise, your DualSense's USB cable may be damaged. Try connecting to a different port or using a different cable to make the connection.