The good news for PC gamers is that Sony’s new Dualsense controller for PS5 works out of the box with Steam. This article explains how to use your PS5 controller with your PC.

What to Know

  • Connect your controller to your PC. A cable isn’t included with PS5, and you will need Bluetooth on your PC to connect wirelessly.
  • Open Steam’s Big Picture mode at the top-right of the Steam client. Click the Settings cog; then click Controller Settings.
  • What your controller appears as isn’t important. Click your controller and then Define Layout to check and set up controls.

How to Connect a PS5 Controller to your PC

If you have a USB-A to USB-C cable lying around, or if your computer supports USB-C directly, you can simply plug in your PS5 controller and be ready to use it on Steam. If you don’t want to use a cable or don’t have one, you can connect your controller to your PC via bluetooth.

On a Windows 10 PC that’s Bluetooth enabled, this process is easy.

  • Turn off your PS5 and disconnect your controller.
  • On your PC, open Start Menu > Settings > Devices > Add Bluetooth or other device.
  • On your PS5 controller, hold down the PlayStation and Create buttons to enter pairing mode.
  • In the Add a device window on your PC, select Bluetooth, and then select the controller that pops up. Windows will likely recognize your controller as some kind of generic gamepad, which isn’t an issue.

How to Use a PS5 Controller on Steam

Once connected, your controller is ready for Steam.

Turn off your PS5 and disconnect your controller.

On your PC, open Start Menu > Settings > Devices > Add Bluetooth or other device.

On your PS5 controller, hold down the PlayStation and Create buttons to enter pairing mode.

In the Add a device window on your PC, select Bluetooth, and then select the controller that pops up. Windows will likely recognize your controller as some kind of generic gamepad, which isn’t an issue.

Note

Not all computers come packaged with Bluetooth. If you want to use your controller wirelessly but don’t have Bluetooth, adding Bluetooth to your computer is surprisingly easy.

  • Open Steam’s Big Picture mode, located at the top-right of the Steam client.
  • Select the Settings cog; then select Controller Settings.
  • Your controller will appear under Detected Controllers; however, it may be recognized as an Xbox controller, a generic gamepad, or a DualShock 4 controller. Select your controller, and click Define Layout to make sure all your button bindings are correct.
  • If you’re having trouble getting Steam to detect your PS5 controller, try enrolling in Steam’s latest beta, which adds initial PS5 controller support. From your Steam client, open Steam > Settings > Account and enroll in the latest beta. Then return to Controller Settings.

Open Steam’s Big Picture mode, located at the top-right of the Steam client.

Select the Settings cog; then select Controller Settings.

Your controller will appear under Detected Controllers; however, it may be recognized as an Xbox controller, a generic gamepad, or a DualShock 4 controller. Select your controller, and click Define Layout to make sure all your button bindings are correct.

If you’re having trouble getting Steam to detect your PS5 controller, try enrolling in Steam’s latest beta, which adds initial PS5 controller support. From your Steam client, open Steam > Settings > Account and enroll in the latest beta. Then return to Controller Settings.

It’s likely more functionality will come to the PS5 controller when Steam’s latest update comes out of beta, but Steam itself can’t support all the features of the controller. Advanced haptic feedback and adaptive triggers require individualized support, as they are implemented on a per-game basis.

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