Can you connect a PlayStation 4 or Xbox controller to your MacBook?

by | Mar 22, 2021 | How-To Guides

Can you connect a PlayStation 4 or Xbox controller to your MacBook?

Look, playing with a mouse and keyboard is fun for some gamers. But, using a controller gives the player more, well, control!

Gaming on a computer no longer means just playing on a PC. Macs are a preferred gaming platform for small but passionate communities of video game players.

What games are available on Macs? Well, triple-A titles such as BioShock Infinite and Diablo III to indie hits like Cuphead and Undertale are downloadable via the viral digital distribution service Steam or the App Store. But what about games like the infamous (and incredibly popular) Grand Theft Auto V? If you switch to Windows on your Mac, that opens up the opportunity to play even MORE games.

Long story short, a new MacBook Pro can be an elite, lightning-fast gaming platform. But why stick with using the mouse and keyboard? Why not have a controller in your hands to really play these games more efficiently? Well, good news and bad news.

Bad news? As of this writing, Apple has yet to make a controller for MacBooks.

The good news? You can easily hook up a PlayStation 4 or Xbox controller to the computer.

In need of a better handle for your gaming session? Learn how to connect your DualShock or Xbox One controller to your new MacBook.

PlayStation 4 Controller

playstation-4-controller-being-held

Good news, Sony fans! There are three ways to connect the DualShock 4 to a MacBook; via Bluetooth, the charging cable that came with the console, and a specialized adapter.

Bluetooth

  1. Open up System Preferences on the Mac and when it opens, click on Bluetooth.
  2. Make sure the Bluetooth settings are on. If they are not, click on the Turn Bluetooth On button located on the left side.
  3. Hold down the PlayStation and Share buttons at the same time to put the controller in ‘Discovery Mode.’
  4. Since Bluetooth is on, the MacBook will pick up the signal coming from the DualShock. The light in the controller will begin flashing, and the controller will appear on the devices list in the Bluetooth menu.

Using a Micro USB cable

  1. Connect the DualShock to the Micro USB cable and then connect it to the MacBook.
  2. Press and hold the middle button with the PlayStation logo on the controller.
  3. Next, go into the About this Mac menu and click on System Report.
  4. From here, click on USB to bring up a list of devices that are connected via USB. Look for the term ‘Wireless Controller’ to see if it is connected. If the term is there, then the controller will work with it. If it does not show up, try this process again with a different cable.

Using an adapter

Perhaps Sony has taken note of how many people use the DualShock to play on computers? They have created a USB device to connect your controller wirelessly…no Bluetooth required. It is both compatible with PC and Mac devices too.

Xbox One

xbox-one-controller

The Xbox controller, unfortunately, cannot connect to a MacBook via Bluetooth. It requires a Micro USB cable and a special driver download.

  1. Log onto GitHub and download the 360Controller driver. Despite the name, both Xbox 360 and Xbox One controllers are compatible with it.
  2. Find where the downloaded file went, click on it to run the installation process.
  3. Make sure to save your
  4. After the device has restarted, go into System Preferences, and there will be a new icon labeled Xbox 360 Controllers, which will be located at the bottom.
  5. Now, and finally, connect the controller to the Micro USB cable to start using it.

You know, there is something kind of ironic about using a Microsoft accessory on an Apple device. Add installing Windows to the same MacBook and… it’s even more ironic, don’t you think?

Life is short. Play more.

MacBooks are capable of doing a lot, and gaming is no exception. After all, with the computers being so lightweight, it is a gaming computer that is easy to carry. But you know what makes gaming on a MacBook even better? Having a reliable controller in your hand. So, if there are spare PlayStation 4 or Xbox One controllers lying around the house, connecting them to your MacBook will certainly put them into good use.

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