The DualShock 4 is a great controller, but it's designed specifically for the Sony PlaySation 4. That means, at least on paper, that it's not meant to be used with a PC. Fear not, since PCs are such powerful and flexible systems that you can get nearly any peripheral to work on them with a little effort. Here's how to do it with a DualShock 4.

Ways to Connect the DualShock 4 to Your PC

Wired

Before you make any of the settings changes or install any of the software you need to play games with your DualShock 4, you need to connect it to your PC. The easiest way is wired, with a USB-to-micro-USB cable. Plug the controller into your computer and it will appear as a gaming device.

Bluetooth

To pair the DualShock 4 to your PC over Bluetooth, you need to turn the controller off and force it into pairing mode. If it's wirelessly connected to your PS4, hold down the PlayStation button for a few seconds and select Sound/Devices, then Turn Off DualShock 4. If the light bar isn't on, you're good to go.

With the DualShock 4 turned off, hold down the PlayStation and Share buttons for three seconds until the light bar starts double flashing. This means it's in Bluetooth pairing mode. Right-click on the Bluetooth icon in your system tray and click Add a Bluetooth Device. Select Wireless Controller and wait for it to pair.

How to Connect the DualShock 4 to Steam

If your favorite games are on Steam, they might already work with the DualShock 4 with a quick tweak. In Steam, go into the Settings menu (under Steam on the taskbar), find the Controller menu, then click General Controller Settings. A new window will open up with a selection of different gamepad types. Check the box next to PlayStation Configuration Support. After that, pair the DualShock 4 with your PC (or power cycle it if it's already paired) and it should work with compatible games on Steam.

Steam general controller settings

How to Use DS4Windows to Connect the DualShock 4 to Your PC

Not all Steam games are compatible with the DualShock 4, and not all games are on Steam. However, most current games in Windows use Microsoft's XInput, an interface that processes Xbox 360 and Xbox One controller inputs. The DualShock 4 doesn't send XInput commands, so a wrapper is needed to translate its inputs into something your PC can deal with easier.

DS4Windows is a freeware program that tricks your PC into thinking an Xbox 360 controller instead of a DualShock 4 is connected. Follow these steps to get it to work.

Step by Step

Download the program from the Open DS4Windows.Follow the instructions in the pop-up window to make sure a generic gamepad driver is installed for the DualShock 4.Close DS4Windows and plug your DualShock 4 into your PC.Wait for Wireless Controller to be installed and to appear on your devices list.Open DS4Windows again. The DualShock 4 should appear under Controllers with a USB symbol under Status, and Windows will tell you that it's setting up an Xbox 360 controller. That's your DualShock 4, in disguise.Start playing!

DS4Windows

That's all you need to do to use your DualShock 4 with your PC as a wired controller. If you want to use it wirelessly, there's an extra step or two. It's easiest to set it up after you configure DS4Windows and connect your DualShock 4 to your PC over USB first. If it's paired over Bluetooth, make sure the gamepad shows up with a Bluetooth symbol under Status. That means it's connected wirelessly.

What Else Can You Do With DS4Windows?

By default, the DualShock 4 will act like an Xbox 360 controller with the touchpad functioning as a mouse, but DS4Windows offers more options. Click on the Profiles tab and double-click on the Default profile, or create your own new profile. An outline of the DualShock 4 will appear surrounded by various settings. Here you can remap the physical controls, program the touchpad and motion controls to act in different ways, adjust rumble settings, and tweak the analog sticks' dead zones and movement curves. You can even change the color of the light bar.

DS4Windows

DS4Windows offers many more options for getting your DualShock 4 to feel good on your PC. You shouldn't have to go into these settings because most games will behave properly after you set the software up the first time, but they're good to have.

The DS4Windows Downside: No Audio

While DS4Windows lets you use the DualShock 4's physical controls, touchpad, and motion controls, it won't enable the controller's headphone jack. That means you can't use a gaming headset connected through the gamepad like you can when it's connected to a PS4. It's one of the few drawbacks of using your DualShock 4 with a PC. Of course, there are plenty of options for wired and wireless headsets and headphones on your PC, so it isn't that big of a loss.

How to Use the DualShock 4 With PlayStation Now and PlayStation 4 Remote Play on Your PC

If you want to play PlayStation games on your PC, you can do it without making any changes to settings or installing driver wrappers. However, you can't do it without a cable. The PlayStation Now streaming service and PlayStation 4 Remote Play app both natively support the DualShock 4 and all of its features. Just plug it into your PC, load either app, and you can play games either from Sony's servers or your own PlayStation 4.

PlayStation Now

Bizarrely, even with Sony's official Windows apps, you can't use the DualShock 4 wirelessly over Bluetooth. You need to use a cable, or the (discontinued) DualShock 4 USB wireless adapter. Also bizarrely, wireless DualShock 4 gaming is supported on Macs running 10.15. The USB adapter is currently available on Amazon for almost $80, more than the price of the DualShock 4 itself, and good luck hunting one down for less.

Start With the Right Controller

For more, head over to our guide on how to choose the right controller for your PC. And if you're a multi-console gamer, we have also have guides for connecting your Nintendo Switch and Xbox controllers to your PC.

Further Reading

Game Controllers & Accessory Reviews