A quick guide to making your game Controller work with your PC
Beyond USB or wireless connection, see how to actually make your gamepad work correctly with your windows PC
I recently got a great piece of advice to start documenting and sharing useful life hacks I stumble upon while leading “a soft life”. The argument is that even if nobody reads them, documenting them in articles and posts will help me easily reference them.
Well, I know the “great advice” I received didn’t bring you here, I wish it did; because I wouldn’t have had to frantically search for an enticing title if “come and read a great advice ” would do the job 😃. Yes, so if you’re like me and you google all your little problems like “why the heck does my controller not work with my Windows PC?”, you’ve come to the right place.
Many PC gamers must have been in this situation where you have a new, sexy looking controller that your fingers have literally been itching to try out and then bummer, you’ve got no visual feedback from your pc screen after you’ve connected the gamepad. So frustrating!!!
Well, I’m here to help you. But first, a few disclaimers:
- This is a tweak for Windows PCs, as the subheading suggests.
- If you follow the steps here correctly, there shouldn’t be a problem. But in case your pc or controller sustains any damage, physically or otherwise, the author (aka me 😃) is not in any way responsible and as such, will not be liable to repair.
Phew! Now that we’ve got that out of the way, one of these 4 methods should resolve your controller problems.
Method 1: Using X360CE
X360CE is a must-have for all PC gamers that do not have Xbox standard gamepads. Since most modern PC games are designed to only work with Xbox controllers, X360CE is the perfect emulator for disguising your gamepad as an Xbox 360 controller.
A major advantage 💪 of using this program is the simplicity of the configuration. It requires no installation and you only need to copy the program and associated files into your game’s root folder.
I’ll spare you the configuration details. If you’d like to give it a try, click here to see the detailed steps for configuring it for your purpose.
Method 2: Using DS4Windows
DS4Windows reads as Dual Shock 4 Windows. This means it is strictly made for syncing Sony Dual Shock 4 controllers to Windows PC.
Sony Playstation Controllers do not work natively with Windows 😔— not with a USB cable and definitely not with Bluetooth.
The emulator works in a similar way as the X360CE. They both remap your gamepad input into a virtual Xbox controller or to your keyboard 😬and mouse.
If you have a Dual Shock Controller and you are on the lookout for a lightweight emulator for your PC, DS4Windows is your guy.
Method 3: Steam Controller Emulation
First, let’s have a background on Steam for those that don’t know or use the platform. Steam is a video game distribution platform for PC owned and developed by Valve Corporation. If it helps, think of Steam as an app store for games with so much more to offer. The platform has the largest market share in the global game distribution industry and its cross-platform offerings make it best-in-class.
In 2018, Valve introduced support for Dual Shock gamepads to Steam. Since then, PS4 and 5 owners have found it relatively easy to connect their gamepads and have access to all the inbuilt pad functionalities (touchpad and motion sensing) on Steam.
Unlike the previous methods, there is no need to download any extra program or move files around. Although you will still have to do some configuration.
Method 4
You do not need a soothsayer to tell you that if the three methods I’ve mentioned above fail to work for your controller, then nothing probably will.
Get an Xbox gamepad instead, please!!!
In conclusion, X360CE is the most versatile of all the emulators I’ve come across out there. It is the most likely to solve all your controller problems on Windows, although DS4Windows and Steam are much better for their niches.
Thank you for reading! I hope you found the article useful in resolving whatever issues brought you here. 😁
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