How to Pair PS5 Controller to PC

The Sony DualSense is the best PS5 controller with its meaningful innovations, grip, and ergonomics, allowing you to make the most of gaming on the PlayStation 5. But getting it to work with the best gaming PCs might seem like a fool's errand; it wasn’t easy with the DualShock 4. Luckily, the DualSense’s PC support is way more robust, putting it in the league of the best PC controllers. Take a look below to see just how easy it is to connect.

Items needed to pair PS5 controller with PC:

Data-ready USB-C cable
Bluetooth adapter for PC

Where things might get a little tricky is ensuring you’ve actually got the means of linking your DualSense controller and your PC. The DualSense doesn’t come with a USB cable when you buy it as a standalone controller, and not every PC has Bluetooth. So, in order to pair your DualSense with a PC, you’ll need either a USB-C cable that supports data (some cheaper cables only carry power). The USB-C cable can be either a C-to-C if you have a USB-C port on your PC, or it can be USB-C-to-A if you’re only looking to connect using the classic rectangular USB connectors.

If your PC doesn’t already have Bluetooth, you can pretty easily add it. There are many Bluetooth adapters on the market, some that will go into a PCIe slot inside your computer and others that just need an open USB port.

How to pair the PS5 Controller to PC over USB

Plug your selected USB cable into an open port on your PC
Plug the other end of the cable into the USB-C port on your DualSense controller
Wait for your Windows PC to recognize the DualSense controller as a gamepad

How to pair the PS5 DualSense Controller to PC over Bluetooth

Access your PC’s Bluetooth settings (Press Windows key, type “Bluetooth”, and select Bluetooth & other devices from the menu)
Select Add Bluetooth or other device
Select Bluetooth in the pop-up window
On your DualSense controller (with it disconnected and powered off), press and hold the PS Button and Create button (next to the D-Pad) at the same time until the light bar under the touchpad begins to blinks
On your PC, select your DualSense controller from the list of available Bluetooth devices

Mark Knapp is a regular contributor to IGN and an irregular Tweeter on Twitter @Techn0Mark.