How to Connect a PS5 Controller to Your PC

It’s hard to go back once you pick up and use a PS5 DualSense controller. It’s a great option amongst the current generation of controllers with an added haptic feedback feature that makes it all the better.

The PS5 controller was such a big hit with PC gamers that the gaming platform Steam released support for it within just a few weeks of its official release.

After some updates, Steam now supports LED customizations and features like gyro, trackpad, and rumble. Adaptive triggers may be next on the list of supported features.

So let’s go over how you can use these features while gaming on PC.

How to Connect a PS5 Wired Controller to a Windows PC

If you’re using Windows 10 or 11, setting up a PS5 wired controller is simple. Just make sure that Windows is up-to-date to avoid any connection issues.

1. Grab your PS5 controller and the USB cable that came with it.
2. Plug the USB cable into your controller.
3. Connect the USB to an available USB port on the PC.
4. Wait until the PC makes the hardware-connected sound, then wait until it installs the drivers.
5. Once the drivers are installed, Windows will notify you that the controller is ready for use.

How to Connect a PS5 Wireless Controller to a Windows PC

The DualSense controller can be used wirelessly with computers that support Bluetooth or have a Bluetooth dongle, just like in the PS5. Here are the steps to pair your PlayStation controller to your Windows 10/11 PC.

1. Press the Windows button on your taskbar, then look for the Settings cog and click it.
2. On the new window, click on Devices.
3. Turn on Bluetooth, then click on Add Bluetooth or other device.
4. On the new window, select Bluetooth.
5. Enable your PS5 controller pairing mode by holding down the Playstation button and the share button together until the light around the touchpad begins to flash rapidly.
6. The list of Bluetooth devices should change on Windows. Scroll down the list until you find Wireless Controller and click it.

How to Setup Your PS5 Controller on Steam

Now that your PlayStation controller is connected correctly, you may want to make sure Steam games recognize your inputs as expected.

Steam has outstanding controller support. It just needs a little setup to enable several of its features. Here’s how to set it up.

1. When logged into your steam account, navigate to the top left, click the Steam menu, and press Settings.
2. On the new window, click on Controller (towards the bottom left of the menu), then click the General Controller Settings option to the right.
3. Tick the PlayStation Configuration Support box.
4. You can now go back to the Big Picture Mode and customize many aspects of the controller to your liking.

How to Use Your PS5 Controller on Non-Steam Games

The previous section covers Steam games. But what about using your PS5 controller with non-Steam games? You can still use your controller in those games with the help of Steam:

1. Press the Game menu at the top of Steam’s main screen, then pick Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library.
2. Pick the game you want to use your PS5 controller on and click Add Selected Programs to add it to your Steam library.

If the Steam scan doesn’t list the game you’re looking for, use the Browse options instead and manually look for the game’s folder.

After that, the game you’ve selected is ready to be played with your PS5 controller. Just make sure to launch it through Steam to avoid any input issues.