Playing a number of PC games, such as Rocket League, Cuphead, or Dark Souls with a controller gives you much finer control over your movements. Here is what you need to hook up a PS4 controller to your PC:
- Bluetooth-enabled computer or Bluetooth dongle
- DS4Windows software
- PS4 controller
- USB cable (USB-A to micro USB)
Since your PS4 controller and PC are largely compatible, the process is quite simple and fast. It is not truly plug-and-play, so you should start by downloading DS4 software . You can find the steps and additional installation information here.
For this software to work properly, you need to make sure that you have Microsoft .NET 4.5 installed. If you do not have it already, download it from here.
You will also have to install the Microsoft Xbox 360 driver if you are running older versions of Windows 7. For Windows 7 SP1 and higher, this driver is already included.
Now you are ready to connect your PS4 controller to a PC wirelessly via Bluetooth or wired using a USB cable. For USB connections, simply connect one end to a USB port on your PC and the other to the micro USB port on the controller. If you choose to use Bluetooth, press and hold the PS and Share buttons on the controller together for three seconds until it flashes. Next, go to your Windows Bluetooth settings to finish setting up the device. The PS4 controller will be displayed as “Wireless Controller”. Click on pair an Windows will remember the setting going forward.