Controller tester / Connection guides
PS5 controller not connecting to PC?
Start at the top: the first fixes solve most cases in a minute. After each one, press a button on the controller and watch the box below. If it turns green, Windows can see the controller and any remaining problem is in the game.
Never connected it before? Start with how to connect a PS5 controller to a PC.
No controller detected yet
Follow the steps below, then press any button on the controller. This box turns green when the connection works.
Swap the cable and the USB port
Many USB-C cables only charge and carry no data, which is the most common reason a wired DualSense does nothing. Try the cable that came with your PS5 or a phone cable you know transfers files. Plug straight into the PC, not a hub or monitor, and try a different port.
Charge it
A flat battery stops Bluetooth from pairing even though the lights may still blink. Charge it for 15 minutes, then try again.
Remove it and pair again
In Windows Bluetooth settings, remove DualSense Wireless Controller (or Wireless Controller). Then hold Create and PS until the light bar flashes quickly, and add it again. Pairing only works in that fast-flashing mode; a controller that is simply switched on won't appear.
Stop it reconnecting to your PS5
A DualSense reconnects to the last device it was paired with. If your PS5 is in rest mode nearby, the controller may grab it instead of your PC. Turn the PS5 fully off, or unplug it, while you pair.
Reset the controller
Turn the controller off. Press the reset button inside the small hole on the back, next to the Sony logo, with a pin for about five seconds. Then connect it with a cable, press PS, and pair again if you use Bluetooth.
Update the controller
Sony's free DualSense firmware updater for Windows updates the controller over USB; your PS5 also offers updates under Settings › Accessories › Controllers. Updates fix some Bluetooth connection bugs.
Fix the PC's Bluetooth
Update the Bluetooth driver from your PC or adapter maker, keep the controller within a few metres, and move USB Bluetooth adapters away from USB 3 ports and drives, which can interfere with the signal. If the controller keeps dropping out, a cable connection is the reliable fallback.
Connected, but the game ignores it
If the box above is green but a game doesn't respond, Windows is fine and the game is the problem. In Steam, open Settings › Controller and turn on Steam Input for PlayStation controllers; a game's own controller settings can override this, so check there too. For games that only accept Xbox controllers, add them to Steam or use DS4Windows.
If every button press counts twice, two tools are translating the controller at once, usually Steam Input and DS4Windows. Turn one of them off.
Rule out the controller
Pair it with a phone or another computer. If it fails everywhere, even over a known good cable, the controller or its USB port is faulty, and a repair or warranty claim is the next step. If it works elsewhere, the problem is your PC's Bluetooth or USB.
Questions
Why does my DualSense keep disconnecting from my PC?
Usually a weak Bluetooth signal or a low battery. Charge it, move closer, update the Bluetooth driver, and keep the adapter away from USB 3 devices. A cable connection never drops.
Why does Windows call it Wireless Controller?
That is how some Windows versions name the DualSense and the DualShock 4 in Bluetooth settings. It is the right device.
Do I need drivers for a PS5 controller on Windows?
No. Windows 10 and 11 support it without extra drivers. Steam Input or DS4Windows are only needed for games that expect an Xbox controller.
My controller works in Steam but not in other games.
Steam Input only translates for games launched through Steam. Add the game to Steam as a non-Steam game, or use DS4Windows for games outside Steam.
Last checked 2026-10-17. Menu names can change between system updates.