How to pair your PS5 or Xbox controller with a computer, laptop, phone or tablet

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When you buy a new PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X / Series S console, get a great game controller with it. They are designed to perfectly complement those consoles, but both the PS5 DualSense controller and the Xbox wireless controller can have a life beyond them.

If you want a controller to play games on your desktop or laptop, or you’re tired of the touch screen controls on your phone or tablet, then try using the best controller you already have. Before you enter instructions on how to pair these controllers with other devices, note that some features of the controller, such as shutter voltage and vibration, may not work properly. You will also need to configure your controllers and they will not work with every game.

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How to associate a PS5 controller with Windows 10

Microsoft through Simon Hill

The easiest way to use your PS5 DualSense controller with a Windows 10 desktop or laptop is to connect it with a cable. All you need is a backup USB-A port on your computer, and you can use the USB-C to USB-A cable that came with your PS5.

But a wireless connection is probably preferable, and you can use Bluetooth to establish one, as long as your computer has a Bluetooth receiver (click the speech bubble icon in the lower-right corner of the taskbar to open the Windows action and search for Bluetooth). If your computer does not have Bluetooth, you can pick up a Bluetooth dongle like this USB TP-Link USB adapter for about $ 10.

Here’s how to connect the PS5 controller:

  1. Start on your Windows 10 computer and type “Bluetooth” in the Windows search box at the bottom left of the taskbar.
  2. Select Bluetooth settings and other devices, make sure Bluetooth is turned on On. Click on Add Bluetooth or another device, then press Bluetooth.
  3. Lift the controller and hold down the Create button on the top left and the center button with the PlayStation logo simultaneously for about three seconds.
  4. The light bar on the controller should start flashing quickly, which means it is in pairing mode.
  5. On your computer, you should see Wireless controller pop-up in Add a device list, and you can click on it to associate.

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