How to use a PS4 or Xbox One controller on Mac: DualShock 4 & XB1 on macOS

How to use a PS4 or Xbox One controller on Mac: DualShock 4 & XB1 on macOS

Keen Mac gamers should consider hooking up Sonys DualShock 4 or Microsofts Xbox One controller to a Mac. It's easy to connect a PlayStation4 controller to Mac OS X, either using Bluetooth or a USB cable. And once you have a PS4 controllerconnected to a Mac, you can use it to play in style. Its also possible to use an Xbox One controller, but the process will take a little longer. Dont worry though; here, well show you all the ways that you can use a PS4 or Xbox One controller on a Mac. See also: So, how can I connect my PS4 DualShock 4 controller to my Mac to play macOS games? While theres no Mac plugnplay support for Sonys DualShock 4 controller, there are still a few ways that you can connect your PS4 controller to your Mac and play your favourite macOS games. While theres no plug and play support for the DualShock 4 on a Mac, Sony did recently release a wireless USB adapter thatll enable wireless connectivity across PCs and Macs, although itll cost you .

If you dont want to fork out for the official accessory, try our other options below. The easiest way to connect a PS4 controller to a Mac is to use a Micro USB cable. Follow these steps: If you can see Wireless Controller (it's called wireless even though it's connected via a cable), then your PS4 controller is connected to the Mac. It'll now work with any compatible games. Its worth noting that Steam offers full DualShock 4 controller support across Mac and PC, meaning you wont need to tweak any additional controller settings when playing a controller-supported Steam game. Hooking up your PS4 to a Mac using Bluetooth is great because it enables you to game without the wire (and without buying the official adapter), allowing you to sit back and use the Mac just like you'd use a console. Setting up a PS4 controller to a Mac via Bluetooth takes a bit more effort, but it's still not that difficult. Follow these steps to set up your DualShock 4 controller with a Mac wirelessly. The device will now say connected, and you'll see how.

You can now use the PlayStation controller with the Mac. Read next: Okay, so now weve established that its pretty easy to connect a DualShock 4 controller to a Mac, an Xbox One controller shouldnt be much harder, should it? Sadly, due to the way that the Xbox One controller was designed (including use of Microsofts proprietary wireless connectivity system and not Bluetooth like the PS4 controller), it means that its not possible to use Bluetooth to wirelessly connect the controller. Although connecting via Bluetooth is out of the question, there is a way to connect an Xbox One controller to a Mac via a micro-USB cable, but its a bit more complex than with Sonys DualShock 4 controller. Once youve tweaked the mapping settings, save your preferences and close the System Preferences window. Now, simply load up your favourite controller-supported Mac game and enjoy!