Keen Mac gamers should consider hooking up Sony's DualShock 4 or Microsoft's Xbox I controller to a Mac to improve their gaming setup. Though it'south not designed for use with Mac, it'south easy to connect a PlayStation four controller to any macOS-equipped machine either using Bluetooth or a USB cable. And one time you have a DualShock 4 controller continued to a Mac, you lot can employ it to play Mac games in manner.

Information technology'south also possible to employ an Xbox One controller - including the high-finish Aristocracy controller - but the setup and configuration procedure will have a little longer, although the announcement of official PS4 & Xbox One controller back up coming to iOS 13 and tvOS thirteen leaves us hopeful that macOS Catalina will introduce it too.

For at present though, we'll show you all the ways that y'all can use a PS4 or Xbox One controller on a Mac.

More interested in gaming on the Apple TV? Take a look at the all-time Apple TV game controllers that money can buy.

How to connect a PS4 controller to a Mac

So, how tin can I connect my PS4 DualShock 4 controller to my Mac to play macOS games? While there's no Mac Plug'n'Play back up for Sony's DualShock 4 controller, in that location are still a few ways that you can connect your PS4 controller to your Mac and play your favourite macOS games.

Official wireless adapter

While at that place's no plug and play support for the DualShock 4 on a Mac, Sony has released a wireless USB adapter that'll enable wireless connectivity beyond PCs and Macs, although it'll toll y'all around £20 at GAME (though information technology'southward much cheaper at the moment).

If y'all don't want to fork out for the official accompaniment, there are other options bachelor to y'all.

Micro-USB cable

PS4 Dualshock

The easiest mode to connect a PS4 controller to a Mac is to use a Micro USB cable. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Apply a Micro-USB cable to connect the PS4 controller to your Mac.
  2. Printing the PlayStation button in the middle of the gamepad (to turn it on).
  3. Choose Apple > Nearly this Mac.
  4. Click System Report.
  5. Choose USB.
  6. Wait for Wireless Controller under USB.

If y'all can see Wireless Controller (it's called "wireless" even though it'southward continued via a cable), and so your PS4 controller is connected to the Mac. Information technology'll now work with any compatible games. It'due south worth noting that Steam offers total DualShock iv controller support across Mac and PC, meaning yous won't need to tweak any additional controller settings when playing a controller-supported Steam game.

Bluetooth

PS4 Controller

Hooking up your PS4 to a Mac using Bluetooth is dandy because information technology enables you to game without the wire (and without ownership the official adapter), allowing y'all to sit down back and use the Mac just like you'd apply a console.

Setting upward a PS4 controller to a Mac via Bluetooth takes a scrap more effort, merely it's still not that difficult. Follow these steps to set up your DualShock four controller with a Mac wirelessly.

  1. Open up Organisation Preferences (Apple menu > System Preferences).
  2. Click Bluetooth.
  3. Put the PS4 controller in Discovery Mode by holding down the PlayStation button and Share button at the same fourth dimension.
  4. The calorie-free on the front of the controller will wink quickly, and Wireless Controller will appear in the Bluetooth window. Click Pair.

The device will now say connected, and yous'll run across how. You can now employ the PlayStation controller with the Mac.

How to connect an Xbox I controller to a Mac

Okay, so now we've established that it's pretty like shooting fish in a barrel to connect a DualShock four controller to a Mac, an Xbox One controller shouldn't be much harder, should information technology? Sadly, that's not the example - even when using the official wireless adaptor.

Micro-USB

Although connecting via Bluetooth is out of the question, there is a fashion to connect an Xbox One controller to a Mac via a micro-USB cablevision, but it'southward a flake more circuitous than with Sony's DualShock 4 controller.

  1. Caput over to GitHub and download the well-nigh recent version of 360Controller (it supports both Xbox One and Xbox 360 controllers, don't worry!).
  2. Open the .DMG file you downloaded and run the 360Controller installation bundle.
  3. Follow the on-screen instructions to install 360Controller. It'southward worth noting that the installation requires a Mac restart, then make sure your files are saved earlier installing.
  4. Once the Mac has restarted, caput to System Preferences (Apple menu > System Preferences) and select Xbox 360 Controllers – it should be a new icon at the bottom of the list.
  5. Plug in your Xbox One controller and tweak the button mapping equally desired.

Once yous've tweaked the mapping settings, save your preferences and shut the Arrangement Preferences window. Now, just load upwards your favourite controller-supported Mac game and enjoy!

Looking for games to play on-the-go? Take a look at our selection of the best iPhone & iPad games.