How to use the PlayStation 4 PC controller with Windows?

Although Sony would not give for the world a Windows driver, the reality is that you can easily connect the Playstation 4 joystick to the PC. Windows 7 and 8 will recognize it smoothly as a generic controller if connected via USB cable or via Bluetooth.

For wired connection you only need a USB cable to the micro USB.

To connect via Bluetooth, keep the PlayStation and Share buttons pressed simultaneously for three seconds, until the LED starts flashing.

Then from the computer accept the connection and its ready, the controller is paired. At this stage Windows sees the Playstation 4 controller as a generic gaming device. That means you do not have any profiles and presets in any game, and you’ll have to manually configure the buttons, kind of a setback, especially if you were accustomed to the convenience of an Xbox controller for PC that is recognized by any possible game.

PlayStation 4 PC controller

Fortunately there is a free software, called DS4Windows, which tricks the operating system to see Dual Shock 4 as being an Xbox 360 controller for PC.

How do you use it? Launch the app, install the driver for the Dual Shock 4, and then connect the device by wire or Bluetooth.

Although as a generic device, the PS4 controller automatically connects to the computer via Bluetooth, DS4Windows unfortunately seems to have some problems in the wireless connection, and some errors can occur, surely those will be corrected in next updates.

If you have installed DS4Windows and connected the controller, Windows will detect it as Xbox 360 for PC and will install the driver. From now on the PS4 joystick will be recognized in any game that supports an Xbox controller, that is virtually any PC game.

From the administration interface you can create different profiles to be consistent in every game, you can adjust the sensitivity of analogue buttons, to assign specific functions for the touch button and – something I always wanted to do on the PlayStation 4 – lets you turn out the LED light consuming the controller’s battery.