How to Pair PS5 Controller to PC

Beyond simply being one of the best gaming controllers, the Sony DualSense is also one of the best PC controllers. It has the ergonomics and grip to let you go ham for hours on end, and it’s crammed with some of the most meaningful innovations in gamepads since the contentious Steam Controller. But, getting the DualSense working on a gaming PC may seem like a fool’s errand — it’s made for the PlayStation 5 after all, right? Fortunately, PC support for the DualSense is a lot more robust than it was for the DualShock 4 controller just a generation prior. It can be as simple as plug-and-play or just a quick Bluetooth pairing to get started.

Items needed to pair PS5 controller with PC:

• Data-ready USB-C cable
• Bluetooth adapter for PC

Where things might get a little tricky is ensuring you’ve actually got the means of linking your DualSense controller and your PC. The DualSense doesn’t come with a USB cable when you buy it as a standalone controller, and not every PC has Bluetooth. So, in order to pair your DualSense with a PC, you’ll need either a USB-C cable that supports data (some cheaper cables only carry power). The USB-C cable can be either a C-to-C if you have a USB-C port on your PC, or it can be USB-C-to-A if you’re only looking to connect using the classic rectangular USB connectors.

If your PC doesn’t already have Bluetooth, you can pretty easily add it. There are many Bluetooth adapters on the market, some that will go into a PCIe slot inside your computer and others that just need an open USB port.

How to pair the PS5 Controller to PC over USB

1. Plug your selected USB cable into an open port on your PC
2. Plug the other end of the cable into the USB-C port on your DualSense controller
3. Wait for your Windows PC to recognize the DualSense controller as a gamepad

How to pair the PS5 DualSense Controller to PC over Bluetooth

1. Access your PC’s Bluetooth settings (Press Windows key, type “Bluetooth”, and select Bluetooth & other devices from the menu)
2. Select Add Bluetooth or other device
3. Select Bluetooth in the pop-up window
4. On your DualSense controller (with it disconnected and powered off), press and hold the PS Button and Create button (next to the D-Pad) at the same time until the light bar under the touchpad begins to blinks
5. On your PC, select your DualSense controller from the list of available Bluetooth devices