How To Use A Controller On Roblox Pc

How to employ a DualShock four PS4 controller on PC

How to use a DualShock 4 PS4 controller on PC (Image credit: Sony)

Using the DualShock 4 PS4 controller on PC isn't to everyone's taste. We commend you for choosing to alive the analogue life, rather than submit to the convoluted hand placement of a keyboard gamer.

Of all the options out there, the PS4 controller has become i of the squad'south favourite PC gaming controllers (opens in new tab), not least because it feels bang-up in your hands. The blueprint retains the classic shape of the DualShock controller, simply includes joysticks and triggers better suited to modern shooters and action games than its predecessor—though not as sensationally exciting as the PS5's DualSense controller (opens in new tab).

Unfortunately, the DualShock 4's utilize of generic DirectInput drivers—as opposed to XInput that the Xbox controllers utilize—means using a PS4 controller on PC isn't quite as easy every bit plugging in an Xbox gamepad. It takes a little bit more piece of work to get the DualShock 4 working on PC, but things are fabricated easier thanks to Steam, the PC gaming community, and an official (optional) Bluetooth dongle. In fact, if Steam is your go-to, native Steam support makes it just as plug-and-play every bit an Xbox gamepad.

To start nosotros'll walk you through getting your PS4 controller working with Steam. If you want to play games that aren't on Steam with your DualShock 4, DS4Windows is the tool for you.

Setup

What yous need

Hardware

Dualshock 4 PS4 controller
A micro-USB cable
(Optional) Dualshock 4 USB wireless Bluetooth adapter

Software

Steam
Or Microsoft .NET Framework 4.five (opens in new tab)
Xbox 360 controller driver (opens in new tab) (but for Windows seven users)
and DS4Windows (opens in new tab)

Working with Steam

PlayStation controller configuration ticked on in Steam controller settings menu

Using a PS4 controller in Steam

Open Steam
Get to Settings in top left dropdown
Open up Controller tab
Click General Controller Settings
Register device to your account
Change preferences
Calibrate joysticks
Tick PlayStation Configuration Support
Remap from Settings Controller tab/in game

Cheers to official Steam back up, at that place'south almost no setup involved in getting your PS4 controller working in Steam. Just be sure to pair or plug in your controller before opening Steam or any Steam games, otherwise your controller may not be recognized.

If you lot come across any connection issues, endmost and reopening Steam should exercise the pull a fast one on. Otherwise, try using a USB ii.0 port instead of a USB 3.0 port. DualShock 4s are weird like that.

Once connected, navigate to Steam'due south settings card—nether the top left dropdown—to get everything running smoothly. Under the Controller tab, open up Full general Controller Settings; yous should meet your controller listed under Detected Controllers. From here yous can register it to your account, so information technology will remember the settings on any PC y'all log into.

Personalize your controller menu in Steam — (Image credit: Valve)

Click Preferences to rename, or change rumble and lighting settings. You can as well click Calibrate to fine-tune the joysticks and gyro if you feel the need. One of import tip: click the cheque box next to PlayStation Configuration Back up if you want to exist able to exercise extra configuration of the controller on a per-game basis.

Back in the Controller tab of the Settings bill of fare, y'all tin can configure your controller for Big Picture and Desktop usage, as well, and even gear up Guide Button Chord Configuration.

Installing DS4Windows

How to install DS4Windows for non-steam gaming

Download Microsoft .Cyberspace Framework (opens in new tab)
For Windows 7, get Xbox 360 controller commuter (opens in new tab)
Plug controller or Bluetooth dongle in
Download DS4Windows (opens in new tab) and extract
Open DS4Windows
Check connexion in the Controllers tab
In Settings tab Hide DS4 Controller
Gear up Use Xinput Ports to one
Edit/Create a profile and remap

If y'all're just playing Steam games , y'all don't need to install anything else.

Offset, Download the newest Microsoft .NET Framework. If you're yet stuck running Windows 7, install the Xbox 360 controller commuter next. This commuter is included with Windows viii and 10.

Earlier you do annihilation else, plug in your PS4 controller with a micro-USB directly to your PC, or pair information technology (opens in new tab) through the Bluetooth bill of fare, or with a USB wireless adapter.

Download and extract newest DS4Windows .zip file adjacent, and open it up. You lot can ignore the DS4Updater if you lot already have the newest version.

Whatsoever controllers you've connected will be displayed under the Controllers tab. If non, close DS4Windows, reconnect your controller, so re-open the software. Don't worry about your controller's ID number, we won't be needing information technology.

Next, open the Settings tab in DS4Windows to configure a few things. Brand sure the Hide DS4 Controller box is checked. This volition forestall DS4Windows from alien with whatever game's default controller settings. For the same reason, make sure Use Xinput Ports is gear up to i.

DS4 Windows configuration menu screenshot

From the Settings tab, yous can also set DS4Windows to run at startup, or remain active in the groundwork. You can besides update DS4Windows directly from this tab by clicking Cheque for Update Now at the bottom left. To a higher place that, you'll come across Controller/Driver Setup. If you run into whatever issues, open this setup and follow the prompts to install any missing drivers.

DS4Windows works past reading your DualShock 4 as though it were an Xbox 360 controller. That means you lot won't get the correct Foursquare/10/Triangle/Circle button icons by default in most games. Some games will give you the option to change, but either way, it'll now work with any game that has Xinput support—i.e. most every modern PC game that supports gamepads.

You don't have to remap annihilation, but if y'all desire to change some buttons or suit sensitivity exterior of in-game menus, just open up the Profiles tab in DS4Windows. If you're feeling confident, click New to start a new profile, though this is easier said than done. Otherwise, select the DualShock 4 profile and click Edit.

Let's say yous want to swap your bumpers and triggers. First, find L1/R1 and L2/R2 in the scroll wheel in the Controls department, or just click them on the virtual controller. You want to swap L1 with L2 and R1 with R2, so start past clicking L2.

Then, just click the push button you want L2 to human action as—in this case, L1. Voila, your left trigger will at present act every bit your left bumper. Repeat this process with the other triggers and bumpers to complete the change and forestall redundancy. You can save this button setup as a separate profile and swap between profiles in the Controllers tab.

Connect via Bluetooth

PlayStation official bluetooth dongle, front and side angle, on a grey background — (Image credit: Sony)

How to connect your PS4 controller via Bluetooth

Agree controller's Share and PS push button until it flashes
Push dongle button until it starts flashing
Or, add your controller in your PC's Bluetooth menu
Pairing should happen automatically
Don't unplug the adapter, information technology'll relieve the last connection

To connect your PS4 controller via Bluetooth, simply hold the small Share button and the central round button simultaneously until the controller's backlight starts flashing, and then push on the end of the adapter until it starts flashing. One time both are flashing, they volition automatically pair after a few seconds.

For a PC with Bluetooth built-in, just navigate to the Bluetooth carte and select your controller from the Add Bluetooth devices list in one case it'south started flashing.

Luckily, you don't take to pair your controller every time you desire to use it. As long as you don't unplug the adapter, information technology will save its last connection, and then you lot tin can only tap your controller's primal PlayStation button to reconnect it.

The official Sony DualShock 4 USB wireless adapter is the simplest Bluetooth choice. You may take to chase for information technology or spend a little more than than you lot would on a standard Bluetooth dongle, only it's worth it for its out-of-the-box functionality.

Wes has been covering games and hardware for more than 10 years, first at tech sites similar The Wirecutter (opens in new tab) and Tested (opens in new tab) before joining the PC Gamer team in 2014. Wes plays a little chip of everything, but he'll always jump at the gamble to cover emulation and Japanese games.

When he's not obsessively optimizing and re-optimizing a tangle of conveyor belts in Satisfactory (it's really becoming a problem), he's probably playing a 20-year-one-time Final Fantasy or some opaque ASCII roguelike. With a focus on writing and editing features, he seeks out personal stories and in-depth histories from the corners of PC gaming and its niche communities. 50% pizza past volume (deep dish, to be specific).