Controller tester / Connection guides
How to connect a PS5 controller to a PC
A USB-C cable is the quickest way and needs no setup. Bluetooth takes a minute to pair. Either way, the box below turns green the moment your PC can see the controller.
Already tried and it won't connect? Go to PS5 controller not connecting to PC.
No controller detected yet
Follow the steps below, then press any button on the controller. This box turns green when the connection works.
Plug it in with a USB-C cable (quickest)
Connect the DualSense to a USB port on your PC with a USB-C cable. Windows 10 and 11 recognise it straight away; there is nothing to install. Press the PS button, then any button, and check the box above.
If nothing happens, try another cable before anything else. Many USB-C cables only charge and carry no data, and that is the most common reason a wired controller isn't detected.
Or pair it over Bluetooth
Your PC needs Bluetooth, built in or from a USB adapter. With the controller off, hold the Create button (the small one left of the touchpad) and the PS button together for about three seconds, until the light bar around the touchpad starts flashing quickly.
On Windows 11, open Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Add device › Bluetooth. On Windows 10, open Settings › Devices › Bluetooth & other devices › Add Bluetooth or other device › Bluetooth. Choose DualSense Wireless Controller (it sometimes appears as Wireless Controller). The light bar stops flashing once it is paired.
Set it up in Steam
Steam supports the DualSense directly. Open Steam › Settings › Controller and make sure Steam Input is turned on for PlayStation controllers. Steam then translates the controller for games that only expect an Xbox pad, and Big Picture mode shows the right PlayStation button icons.
Games outside Steam
Many recent PC games, including Sony's own PC releases, support the DualSense natively. Features such as adaptive triggers and detailed haptics often work only over a USB cable, not Bluetooth.
For a game that only accepts Xbox controllers, add it to Steam as a non-Steam game so Steam Input can translate, or use DS4Windows, a free open-source tool that makes the DualSense appear as an Xbox controller.
Check every button and stick
Once the box above is green, open the PS5 controller tester to see every button, trigger and stick live, and run the drift test if a stick feels off.
Questions
Why won't my PS5 controller connect to my PC?
With a cable, swap to another USB-C cable that carries data. With Bluetooth, remove the controller from your Bluetooth devices, pair again with Create + PS, and make sure it isn't connecting to a PS5 nearby. If it still fails, press the reset button in the small hole on the back for five seconds and try again.
Do I need DS4Windows for a PS5 controller?
No, not for Steam games or games with native DualSense support. DS4Windows only helps with games that accept Xbox controllers and nothing else.
Can I use a PS5 controller on PC without Bluetooth?
Yes. A USB-C data cable works on any PC, and it is also the connection that unlocks haptics and adaptive triggers in games that support them.
How do I turn the controller off on PC?
Hold the PS button for about ten seconds until the lights go out. Pressing PS again turns it back on and reconnects it.
Will it still work with my PS5 after pairing to a PC?
Yes, but it pairs with one device at a time. To go back, connect it to the PS5 with a USB cable and press the PS button.
Last checked 2026-10-17. Menu names can change between system updates.