Control PC with Xbox Controller easily. If you’re a PC gamer that plays with gamepad, sometimes you need to use controller as mouse on desktop. A known struggle: when you need to put your controller away, Alt+Tab and do some stuff with mouse, like block some bully in Steam. There’s no need to do that anymore, reWASD steps into the breach! If you're on Windows XP, Vista, or 7, you'll need drivers that you can find on Microsoft's website. Just look up Xbox controller drivers. Windows 8 and 10 come with the drivers pre-installed, so both Xbox 360 and Xbone controllers are plug-and-play. There's also a way to spoof the Xbox controllers with a Playstation controller. Rotor Riot Wired Game Controller is like plugging an Xbox controller into your iPhone. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac While the 100+ games on Apple Arcade are designed for touchscreens, many of them. Jul 02, 2019 Once macOS starts back up, connect your Xbox One controller using a Micro-USB to Type A USB cable and you’ll see the controller’s Xbox light turn on if the driver installation was successful. To configure your Xbox One controller for use with your Mac, head to System Preferences, where you’ll find a new “Xone Controller” preference pane.
Once upon a time, Microsoft didn't support its own controllers on its own PC platform. You needed hacked drivers and workarounds to use the excellent Xbox One controller with PC games. That's no longer the case, with official drivers built right into Windows 10. So, while it's easy to do, there's more to it than just plugging it in. Here's a complete guide.
Products used in this guide
- The controller: Xbox One controller ($47)
- The cable: Anker micro USB cable ($11)
- Going wireless: Xbox Wireless Adapter ($23)
- For USB-C PCs: AmazonBasics USB-C adapter ($9)
- The app: Xbox Accessories for Windows 10 (Free)
How to use a micro USB cable with the Xbox One controller
By far the simplest way to use an Xbox One controller is to use a micro USB cable. Attach to the connector on your controller and any free USB port on your PC, and it'll automatically recognize it's there and you're good to go.
Any decent cable will do the trick, even the one that you use to charge your phone.
However, it's not just desktop PCs that you can use an Xbox One controller with. It's perfectly possible to use it with a tablet or laptop, and in those cases, you may only have USB-C connectors available.
The easiest thing to do is get a USB-C to USB-A dongle, allowing you to use a regular micro USB cable through the USB-C connector on your laptop or tablet.
The Xbox Wireless Adapter
Microsoft also has an official wireless dongle for Windows PCs that allows you to go wire free. The first-generation controller and the Xbox Elite controller don't support Bluetooth, so to go wireless on your PC you'll need the dongle.
It isn't expensive, and the redesigned model is much smaller than the original. Simply plug it in to your PC and connect your controller to is as you would the Xbox One, by holding down the pairing button on the top.
The Bluetooth controller
The current generation Xbox One controller from Microsoft supports Bluetooth. Any currently on sale, or that came with the Xbox One S or Xbox One X have Bluetooth capabilites. That means you can connect it to any Windows PC, laptop, or tablet that has Bluetooth built in.
- Open settings on your PC.
- Go to devices.
- Make sure Bluetooth is turned on.
- Turn on the controller by pressing the large round X button.
- Click on the controller in your discovered devices to pair.
This is particularly handy if you're taking a controller on the road with you and your laptop. One less cable to pack!
Taking advantage of the Xbox Accessories app
This is particularly handy if you're using an Xbox Elite Controller, as the Xbox Accessories app allows you to customize the buttons and paddles to a layout of your choice.
It's in the Windows Store to download to your PC, all you need to do is connect the controller to the PC to get started. There's a bunch of things you can do to customize your controller for your favorite games, and you can save two profiles to the Elite Controller at any one time.
All the gear you need
Exactly which piece of equipment you need will depend on which controller you want to use with which type of Windows PC. The list below covers off everything you might need to get your hands on.
Xbox One Controller($47 at Amazon)
The Xbox One Controller is officially supported by Windows 10, and it's also the best around!
Anker micro USB cable($11 at Amazon)
This braided cable from Anker is reliable, braided for durability and plenty long enough to reach your gaming PC.
Xbox Wireless Adapter($23 at Amazon)
The official wireless adapter from Microsoft, this is what you need if you're using an Elite or first-gen controller to go wire-free.
AmazonBasics USB-C adapter($9 at Amazon)
For laptops and tablets without regular USB ports, pop this into the USB-C connector and use a regular micro USB cable with your controller.
Xbox Accessories app(Free at Microsoft)
Particularly useful for Elite Controller owners, this app allows you to customize button layouts, paddles and save your favorite profiles for easy use.
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Power It UpKeep your Xbox One controller charged and ready with these battery options
Sick of standard AA battery cells? Try one of these great Xbox controller charging solutions instead.
Make your Mac invincible
Making the jump from console gaming to playing on a Mac can be a difficult transition, especially if you buy into the idea that the average Mac gamer is more skilled than their console equivalent.
Besides, you’ll also need to consider the fact that by moving to Mac you’ll no longer be able to use your library of console games, or play with friends you’ve made on there. Plus, you’ll have to learn to use a mouse and keyboard. Or will you?
If you’re wondering how to use Xbox One controller on Mac, or the one from PS4, you’re in the right place. This article is about using Xbox One controller on Mac, as well as PS4, to play games like Overwatch, Minecraft, Eve: Valkyrie, House of the Dying Sun, Thumper, Elite Dangerous, and Star Trek: Bridge Crew (be warned: you might need virtual PC software for some of these titles).
The great thing about having a choice in which controller to use is that, even though both of them are around the same price point, they have a few distinct differences, meaning every Mac user can pick the one more suitable for them. An Xbox One controller is, for example, a little heavier and boasts haptic feedback triggers, whereas the lighter Sony DualShock 4 has an additional (touchpad) button, integrated lithium ion battery, and motion sensitivity.
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How To Connect PS4 Controller To Mac
Controlling Mac With Xbox Controller Application
In addition to the advantages mentioned above, many Mac gamers prefer the DualShock 4 to an Xbox One controller because there are a few different ways of connecting PS4 controller to Mac. The first, and perhaps most obvious, is to use an official wireless adapter.
Connecting PS4 controller to Mac wirelessly
It’s likely that many of you reading this, namely those who have struggled with unofficial products and sketchy workarounds in the past, will be breathing a sigh of relief to learn that an official DualShock USB Wireless Adaptor exists.
The official wireless connector is a decent solution for Remote Play or playing Mac games that support the use of external controllers. But the critics may be sceptical about the high price of the accessory — the top video on YouTube that mentions this product is titled “WHY DID THEY MAKE THIS???” — as much cheaper options are readily available: such as micro USB and Bluetooth.
How to use PS4 controller on Mac with micro USB
If you’re not, for whatever reason, picky about whether you play wirelessly or not, then you can just connect PS4 controller to Mac using the micro USB cable that you’d usually use to plug it into your PlayStation.
The extra benefit of using micro USB is that the cable also charges your controller while you play. When you plug it in, you’ll see an orange light appear on the touchpad indicating that it’s charging.
Pair PS4 controller with Mac via Bluetooth
The easiest, fastest, and cheapest way to start playing is to connect PS4 controller to Mac with Bluetooth via PS4 Bluetooth pairing. To do that:
- Open System Preferences > Bluetooth
- Press the PS and Share buttons simultaneously on your controller until you see a light on your DualShock 4 start blinking to indicate that it’s ready to pair
- Look for the wireless controller in the list of Bluetooth devices on your Mac
- Click Pair, and the light on your controller will go from blinking to lit
An even quicker and easier PS4 Bluetooth pairing option is to use ToothFairy, a utility that lets you add and manage all your Bluetooth devices:
- Simply launch ToothFairy
- Highlight the controller from the list of devices
- Click Select
In Settings, you can also choose to add an icon to your menu bar that will connect to your chosen device (in this case, your PS4 Bluetooth controller) with a single click. At this time, there’s no controller icon, but you could use something like a keyboard symbol or the magic wand in its place.
Get ToothFairy for quick connection
Install ToothFairy for free and forget about any Bluetooth trouble. Any device will be paired with your Mac in a click.
If you love shortcuts, ToothFairy gives you an option to record a hotkey to connect or disconnect your controller, and show how much battery life your DualShock 4 has left next to its icon. As long as your controller is awake, ToothFairy is really handy for connecting it to your Mac with a single click!
Best of all, ToothFairy is available for free during your trial with Setapp, along with more than 150 top Mac utilities and apps. Try it out for seamless PS4 Bluetooth experience.
How to connect Xbox One controller to Mac
Since it’s so easy to connect a PS4 controller to a Mac, and since Xbox One controllers have built-in support for connecting to Windows, you could be forgiven for thinking that connecting Xbox One controller to Mac would be simple. Unfortunately, you’d be wrong — consider it a casualty of the ongoing Windows vs. Mac war!
It’s possible to connect Xbox One controller to Mac, but doing so requires a little bit of extra work. For a start, you can’t use Bluetooth to connect, so that’s the wireless route blocked right off the bat. You’ll also need to purchase a micro USB cable, since one isn’t included with Xbox One controllers like it is with a PS4 handset.
Xbox Controller Customization
Once you’ve got your controller and cable in hand, you’ll need to download an Xbox One controller driver for Mac before you can plug anything in:
Head to GitHub (yes, it’s shocking that mapping an Xbox One controller requires unofficial drivers downloaded from GitHub)
Download the latest release
Double click the .dmg file that appears in your Downloads folder
Run the .pkg file
Follow all of the instructions, check out the Read Me file, and then click Install to progress to the next step
Restart your computer and you’ll find an Xbox controller icon in your System Preferences menu
Now it’s time to (finally) plug your controller in, using a USB-C to USB-A adapter if necessary, and head to Security & Privacy to bypass the popup that’ll appear when you plug the controller in.
Controlling Mac With Xbox Controller Apps
Once all that’s done, you should be connected!
Which controller should you choose?
Just a quick glance at the instructions above shows that listing how to connect Xbox One controller to Mac takes up almost as much space as three different ways of explaining how to pair PS4 controller with Mac. So for some readers, that will make the decision of which controller to use a no-brainer.
If you already own an Xbox controller, it’s worth remembering that, while the above may look like a bit of a headache, the process is something that you only need to go through once.
Console and Mac gaming often tend to be treated as polar opposites, as if they are on different ends of the spectrum, and never the twain shall meet. But in reality, there’s a huge grey area in the middle that offers up a lot of fun.
Controlling Mac With Xbox Controller App For Android
Using a controller can, for example, be a really compelling way to enjoy VR titles that aren’t “on rails.” In fact, until someone starts mass producing those omnidirectional treadmills from Ready Player One, they are the best way to do so.
Whichever option you choose, using a controller offers an intuitive and familiar experience that’s backed up by all of the processing power a high-end Mac can offer. And don’t forget to make sure your Mac is properly optimized for games.
Controlling Mac With Xbox Controller App Free
There are certain viewpoints that are widely held by gamers — those who play mobile games aren’t for “real” gamers, a Mac doesn’t make for an effective gaming laptop or desktop, and that “controllers are for consoles, mice and keyboards are for computers.”
Controlling Mac With Xbox Controller App For Pc
Don’t buy any of that for a second! Gaming should be something that brings you joy and, whether that means crushing candy all the livelong day or using a controller with your Mac, more power to you.