Connecting your Playstation controller
Driver support for Playstation controllers are included in OS X. The only thing required for connecting your controller is to pair it to your Mac via Bluetooth.
Steps to connect your controller:
Step 1: Open your Mac's Bluetooth settings (Apple Menu > System Preferences > Bluetooth, or click the Bluetooth icon in the Menu Bar > Open Bluetooth Preferences.)
Step 2: Turn Bluetooth On.
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Step 3: Hold down the Playstation “PS” button and the “Share” button until the light at the top of the controller starts blinking quickly in a pulse fashion, this places the controller into pairing mode (see the figure)
Step 4: The Mac should quickly detect the controller and it will appear in the Bluetooth devices list as “Wireless Controller” or “PLAYSTATION(4) Controller” to pair the PS4 controller
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You'll need a USB Mini-B cable that connects the Playstation 3 controller to a console or USB port to charge it. Note the USB cable is only needed to set up the PS3 controller initially, and for charging it when necessary, the setup will be for the wireless usage of the Playstation controller through Bluetooth.
Step 3: Connect the PS3 Wireless Controller with your Mac via the USB Mini-B cable. Once connected, 'PLAYSTATION(R)3 Controller' will appear in your list of Bluetooth-enabled devices; however, it will indicate it is 'Not Connected'. Don't worry, this is normal.
Simultaneously, the 4 lights located at the top left of the controller will begin to slowly blink red; this indicates the controller is charging. NOTE: If the charger is new and/or has not been charged, stop now and allow it to charge for an hour before proceeding to the next step.Step 4: Tap the PS Button on the front of the controller and then unplug the USB Mini-B Cable from the controller. The 4 red lights should now blink faster, indicating the controller is attempting to pair with your Mac.
Step 5: Your Mac will then prompt you to enter a password to pair with the controller. Enter "0000" (without the quotations) and select 'Pair'. The 4 red lights will continue to flash and 'PLAYSTATION(R)3 Controller' should now indicate it is 'Connected' in your list of Bluetooth-enabled devices.
Congratulations! You have successfully connected your PlayStation Controller to your Mac. Now when you turn on the controller and open any controller-supported OS X video game both parties will automatically connect to each other, allowing you to simply pick up and play.
Tips, tricks, troubleshooting
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- Is the Bluetooth Preference Panel refusing to find the PS4 controller when used wirelessly? It’s probably simple, go here to fix Bluetooth discovery issues with OS X Yosemite using these steps.
- If the wireless approach doesn’t work at all for some reason, you can opt for a wired controller experience which is very easy to setup by connecting the PS4 controller to the Mac with the USB cable
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- When first pairing your DualShock 3 controller to your Mac, make sure to turn Bluetooth off on other nearby electronic devices to avoid confliction.
- Pairing your DualShock 3 controller to your Mac is a one-time setup. As long as the controller remains recognized in your list of Mac's Bluetooth devices you only have to tap the PS Button on the controller to wake it from standby mode and have it reconnect.
- To conserve your DualShock 3 controller's battery, disconnect the controller in your Mac's Bluetooth Preferences when it is not in use.
- In Step 4 after unplugging the USB Mini-B cable from the DualShock 3 controller, if the 4 red lights stop blinking after the cable is unplugged then your controller's battery is likely dead. Plug the cable back into the controller and allow it to charge for an hour or more before proceeding to the next step.
- After Step 5 is completed and the DualShock 3 controller indicates it is 'Connected' in your list of Bluetooth devices but it is not responding in your controller-supported OS X video game; close the video game and connect the controller to the Mac again via the USB Mini-B cable, right click on 'PLAYSTATION(R)3 Controller' in your list of Bluetooth devices and select 'Disconnect'. Unplug the cable from the controller, then plug the cable back into the controller, wait for the 4 lights to slowly flash red, tap the PS Button (your Mac will not prompt for you to enter a password this time), unplug the cable from the controller again, and 'PLAYSTATION(R)3 Controller' should then indicate it is 'Connected'. Open your OS X video game and attempt to play it again with the controller.
- If your controller is still not responding, access your OS X video game's in-game options and configure any controls that may conflict with the controller.
- Remember that Bluetooth devices that constantly cycle between being connected or disconnected often have low battery or some exterior signal interference. You can also check the PS3 controllers battery remaining from the Bluetooth menu bar item if you suspect a low battery to be causing issues.
Joystick Doctor
The perfect tool to help you play your games with a controller on your Mac.