Controllers

Controllers for Mac

PlayStation Controllers

Pair a PlayStation controller and map its buttons, touchpad, and supported motion controls.

Choose your controller

Controllers supports DualSense, DualSense Edge, DualShock 4, DualShock 3 / Sixaxis, and PlayStation Access. Available inputs differ by model.

Pair DualSense and DualShock 4

  1. Connect with a data-capable USB cable, or start Bluetooth pairing.
  2. On DualSense or DualSense Edge, hold PS + Create until the light bar blinks. On DualShock 4, hold PS + Share.
  3. Open the Bluetooth panel in Controllers and click Connect, or pair through macOS Bluetooth Settings.
  4. Select the connected controller, assign a layout, and turn mapping On.

Map touchpad and motion inputs

DualSense, DualSense Edge, and DualShock 4 expose buttons, sticks, analog triggers, the PS button, touchpad inputs, and gyro controls. Touchpad first- and second-finger positions can be assigned as axes.

DualSense Edge also supports back-paddle and Fn-button bindings. Press the control while editing a layout to find its input.

For motion, assign Motion Sensor Cursor or Motion Sensor Scroll and configure activation and sensitivity in Settings > Motion. Hold the controller still briefly if the cursor drifts.

Connect DualShock 3 or Sixaxis

  1. Connect the controller by USB and press the PS button.
  2. To use Bluetooth afterward, connect by USB once, press PS, and unplug. If a pairing code is requested, enter 0000.

These models do not pair through normal Bluetooth scanning. Controllers supports their buttons and sticks; no battery readout is available.

Use PlayStation Access

Connect PlayStation Access by USB or Bluetooth. Controllers supports its eight ring buttons, Center button, stick and stick click, PS and Profile buttons, and reported battery level.

Access has no gyro, so motion bindings are unavailable. Start by mapping a few frequently used actions and test each one in your target app. See More comfortable controls for setup ideas.

Limits and troubleshooting

  • Battery readouts are for wireless connections; USB connections do not show a battery percentage.
  • Some controllers, especially DualSense, may sleep despite Keep Controllers Awake.
  • Controllers does not control rumble, lighting, adaptive-trigger effects, or controller audio.

If a game reacts twice to each press, try Exclusive mode where available. Turn it off when you want the game to see the controller directly. See Troubleshooting.