DS4Windows not working? How to Fix and Troubleshoot
This page is dedicated on fixing your DS4Windows and resolving any issues as quickly as possible.
We have compiled a list of categories and sections on how to fix DS4Windows.
Simply click on the issue you are experiencing and follow the troubleshooting instructions for DS4 Windows to work correctly.
DS4Windows Common Issues
DS4Windows silently does not open, crashes, does not start or fails to save settings
DS4Windows silently does not work, crashes or open as normal but then fail to Start every time the “start” button is pressed followed by a error message on the Log.
DS4Windows not detecting my controller
Issues with getting your controller connected via USB or Bluetooth to the computer or to get them recognized by DS4Windows
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- DS4 not detecting controller
- Bluetooth connection issues
Games not recognizing the virtual controller
DS4Windows detects your controller and appear to function as normal, but games do not detect the controller
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- Games not recognizing the virtual controller
Controller detected but not behaving correctly in-game
Games detect the controller but it does not behave as expected when playing
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- It usually boils down to: the double input issue was not prevented, the user is using a misconfigured profile or the physical controller itself is faulty
- Controller not behaving correctly in-game
Keyboard and mouse remapping related issues
Check the Keyboard & Mouse (KB+M) remapping issues page for the usual issues faced by users and how to solve them.
For help configuring and fine-tuning a profile to have the best possible keyboard and mouse control then you are out of luck as no such guide exists on this site at the moment.
Double Input Related Issues
If the game detects both the real and the virtual gamepad at the same time then it will receive commands from 2 different devices at every button press and stick movement, which can lead to the infamous double-input issue that can make games unplayable.
Double Input issue may:
- Detect every command twice, making it unplayable
- Start 2 player mode randomly
- Ignore the virtual controller because it picked the real controller first
- Respond incorrectly to the controller’s inputs
- Usually happens because, even though the game is correctly reading the virtual controller, it is also incorrectly reading the real controller’s inputs at the same time
- Usually happens because the game detected the real controller first while being simultaneously unable to read its inputs
To prevent or fix this issue it’s necessary to hide the real controller in order to make only DS4Windows’ virtual controller visible to games.
Steam and DS4Windows relationship
- Steam and DS4Windows both have what is called “controller remapping” functions. To avoid conflicts, it’s recommended that every Steam controller related option is disabled so only DS4Windows is being used as a remapper
- Your controller will work as normal in the vast majority of games regardless of Steam’s controller related options being disabled
- A really small amount of Steam games require the usage of Steam’s controller options to have working or full DS4 controller support (e.g.: Horizon Zero Dawn). For more information on this, check the Steam related information page.
- Real or virtual Playstation controllers won’t be able to control the Big Picture interface (emulated Xbox controllers work as normal)
- There are a few games that require usage of Steam’s controller options to have working or full DS4 controller support (e.g.: Horizon Zero Dawn). Because DS4 controllers are ignored, it’s not usually possible to use the controller through the required Steam’s Playstation Configuration Support in those cases
Headphone/mic issues when controller is connected
Check the dedicated Headphone or mic related issues troubleshooting page.
DS4Windows not detecting controller
Here we will go through and focus on troubleshooting issues that can make DS4Windows not detect your REAL controller. If you are having issues connecting your controller via bluetooth use the DS4 BT troubleshooting guide.
Possible reasons for DS4Windows not detecting my Controller
You are using obsolete «old» versions of DS4Windows
If you just search “DS4Windows” on google, chances are that the first result is the obsolete version from jays2kings, which has not been updated since 2016 and should not be used anymore.
The currently maintained version you should be using is Ryochan7’s DS4Windows. If in trouble, check out the installation guide and the differences between the interfaces below.
Official Version
Obsolete «old» Version
Official Version- Ryochan7′ DS4Windows v3.X.X
- It’s the currently maintained version
- Note the blue and pink DS4 icon, the presence of the Output Slots tab and the maximum number of controllers being 8
Obsolete «old» Version
- ays2Kings’ DS4Windows v1.4.52
- This version has not been updated since 2016 and should definitely not be used anymore
- Note the black DS4 icon, that there is no Output Slots tab and the max number of controllers being 4
DS4Windows is stopped
DS4 needs to actually be running for things to work. If it is stopped then you can press the Start button on the bottom-right to make things roll again.
Controller is not properly connected / does not appear on Windows’ Devices and Printers
You have connected your controller to the PC but it does not appear on Windows’ Devices and Printers? No, that should not be possible under normal circumstances. Your controller MUST appear there in some shape or form, even if it does not looks like a controller. See connection types below or follow our specific pages on how to connect PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox, Nintendo controllers.
- PS3 Controller
- PS4 Controller
- PS5 Controller
- Xbox Controller
- Nintendo Controller
hen connected via USB a new entry should appear, so keep an eye for it. Test on other USB ports to be sure. If literally nothing happens then maybe:
- You have a faulty cable
- Your cable can only be used for charging and does not support data transfer
- Your controller’s or PC port is broken
When a controller has been paired to Windows via Bluetooth then its entry will exist there regardless if the controller is currently connected or not. Also…
- There is a correct and a incorrect method of pairing a controller to Windows. Both will result in the controller appearing to be connected, but on the wrong way the controller won’t remain connected for more than a few seconds and a Add a device notification will keep on appearing
- Check the dedicated Bluetooth connection issues page for more info
Controller was connected to the PC via Bluetooth: Paired incorrectly or needs to be re-paired
There is a correct and a incorrect method of pairing a controller to the PC via Bluetooth. Both will result in the controller appearing to be connected, but on the incorrect method the controller won’t remain connected for more than a few seconds and Windows will sometimes show a Add a device notification.
Sometimes this happen when a user had previously connected the controller to the PC, removed the device and is trying to simply turn on the controller in the hopes that it will reconnect. If in doubt, fully remove the controller from Windows’ Device list and re-pair it via the proper way.
Correct Method
Incorrect Method
Correct MethodUser manually makes Windows look out for a device that is in pairing mode
Incorrect Method
User simply turns on the controller and tries to accept the Add a device notification
Controller has been accidentally disabled
There is a chance that DS4W has permanently disabled your controller in a previous attempt of gaining Exclusive Access when using the Hide DS4 controllers option.
Though this can happen via any connection method, on Bluetooth removing and re-pairing the controller will fix the issue.
On USB, the easiest way to verify this is by checking if the controller works properly in other USB ports, though another indication for DS4 or DualSense users is that the lightbar will keep flashing yellow, indicating that the controller is only at a charging state (likewise, it will flash yellow only once then turn off if fully charged).
To check if your controller is disabled:
- Open Windows’ Devices and Printers by pressing Win + R in your keyboard, typing control printers then selecting Ok
- Locate your controller on the list
- Right-click on it, select Properties then select the Hardware tab
- Select the HID-compliant game controller and check its status at the bottom of the Window
- If disabled, re-enable it by clicking at Properties then Enable device
If it was disabled then re-enabling should fix the issue.
Controller is enabled but hidden
If you found out that:
- Your controller is properly connected
- Your controller is NOT disabled in the previous sections
- Still does not appear on Windows’ Game Controllers list
- And is not detected by DS4Windows
Then it may be hidden. The following tools could be the culprit:
HidGuardian
HidGuardian is a driver that can prevent Windows from recognizing a connected controller as an actual game controller. It was used by DS4Windows to prevent the double-input issue, but support for it was removed in v3.0.8 for 2 reasons:
- Users didn’t know how to properly configure HidGuardian and ended up having issues that were complicated to troubleshoot and fix
- The release of HidGuardian’s successor, HidHide, which works the same but is more user-friendly
As such, the latest versions of DS4Windows won’t request HidGuardian for hidden controller’s access and if a controller is hidden by it then it won’t be detected anymore.
Users who still have HidGuardian installed must:
- Uninstall it for their controller to be detected again
- To verify if HidGuardian is installed and uninstall it if present, check the legacy drivers section of DS4Windows uninstallation guide
- Install HidHide as a replacement for the “controller hiding” function that is necessary to prevent the double input issue
- For more information about HidHide and the double input issue, check the Preventing the double controller / double input issue in games guide
HidHide
HidHide is an optional (but highly recommended) third-party driver that can hide controllers from the system and only allow chosen processes to detect them. Its use along DS4Windows is recommended in order to prevent the infamous double input issue.
You can check if you have HidHide installed by opening Windows’ Apps and Features and searching for it, though if it do is installed then it’s probably just not properly configured to grant DS4Windows access to hidden controllers. Check HidHide’s guide for more info on that.
- If you are definitely sure DS4W has been properly whitelisted by HidHide and it still can’t detect the hidden devices try temporarily disabling it by opening the HidHide Configuration Client and unticking the Enable device hiding checkbox in the Devices tab
- If it still doesn’t work then try uninstalling HidHide via Windows’ Settings -> Apps and Features and rebooting
- If even with HidHide uninstalled your controller does not appear on Windows’ Game Controllers list then the problem lies elsewhere
Controller is a copy-cat/replica
For these type of controllers to be detected by DS4Windows, they need to:
- or present themselves as a complete copy of the original in a way that DS4Windows actually thinks they are the original and also behaves exactly like a original one
- or have specific support for them on DS4Windows’ code
- or try to force their detection by using the debug version of DS4Windows
You have disabled support for your type of controller in DS4Windows settings
- On DS4Windows’ Settings tab there is a option called Device options that allows the user to disable controller support per type. Check there if everything is enabled
- If changes are made then it is necessary to close the Device options Window and Stop -> Start DS4Windows again for them to be effective
Top 5 Ways to Detect a controller on Windows
- If you want to troubleshoot issues with your real controller then it’s better if DS4Windows is stopped/not running for these checks, otherwise you might mistaken a virtual controller with the real one
- If the Hide DS4 controllers option is active or if you have controllers hidden with HidHide then they may not appear on the Gamepad Tester website or in Windows’ Game Controllers list
- Connected DS3 controllers used with DsHidMini in DS4Windows mode won’t appear on the Gamepad Tester website nor in Windows’ Game Controllers list. Confirm if they are detected on DsHidMini Control Utility (DSHMC.exe)
Using a Gamepad Tester
The Gamepad Tester should work in most modern browsers and will show detected controllers along with some additional info such as their vendor and hardware identification (VID/PID).
DS4Windows не видит Dualshock или Dualsenses – что делать
DS4Windows является популярным программным обеспечением, позволяющим использовать контроллеры Dualshock 4 и DualSense на ПК с ОС Windows. Однако, иногда пользователи сталкиваются с проблемой, когда DS4Windows не обнаруживает геймпады Dualshock или DualSense. В этой статье мы рассмотрим несколько возможных решений этой проблемы.
Первым шагом, который следует предпринять, это убедиться, что ваш контроллер Dualshock или DualSense правильно подключен к компьютеру. Если вы используете беспроводное соединение по Bluetooth, убедитесь, что ваш компьютер имеет встроенный модуль Bluetooth или вы используете внешний адаптер Bluetooth. Убедитесь, что Bluetooth включен на вашем компьютере и контроллер находится в режиме поиска новых устройств. Если вы подключаете контроллер через USB, убедитесь, что кабель и порт USB работают исправно.
Если ваш контроллер Dualshock или DualSense все еще не распознается DS4Windows, следующим шагом может быть проверка драйверов. В некоторых случаях, Windows может не распознать контроллер как геймпад и не установить соответствующие драйверы автоматически. Чтобы решить эту проблему, вы можете установить драйверы вручную.
- Подключите контроллер к компьютеру через USB.
- Нажмите на значок “Мой компьютер” и “Диспетчер устройств”.
- Проверьте, нет ли устройства, рядом с которым расположен значок в виде восклицательного знака с треугольником. Если есть, то драйвер установлен неправильно.
- Нажмите “Обновить драйвер” и “Поиск драйверов на этом компьютере”.
- Выберите “Выбрать драйверы с этого компьютера”.
- В списке прежлагаемых драйверов выберите “Драйвер геймпада Xbox 360” и нажмите “Далее”.
- Дождитесь, когда завершится установка, после этого закройте все окна.
После этого DS4Windows должен успешно распознать ваш контроллер Dualshock или DualSense. Если проблема все еще не решена, попробуйте:
- Обновите DS4Windows до последней версии. Посетите официальный веб-сайт DS4Windows и загрузите последнюю версию программы.
- Перезагрузите компьютер и попробуйте подключить контроллер снова.
- Убедитесь, что вы используете оригинальный контроллер Dualshock или DualSense. Некоторые сторонние контроллеры могут не работать с DS4Windows.
- Проверьте форумы сообщества DS4Windows или похожие источники для поиска дополнительной информации или решений, связанных с вашей конкретной проблемой.
В заключение, если DS4Windows не видит ваш контроллер Dualshock или DualSense, первым делом проверьте подключение и драйверы. Если эти шаги не решают проблему, обновите программу DS4Windows и обратитесь к сообществу DS4Windows для получения дополнительной помощи.
DS4Windows Not Detected via Bluetooth Connection
There are 2 ways a controller can be paired to Windows:
- The controller makes the connection request to Windows (incorrect method)
- Controller is set in its special pairing mode and then the user manually makes Windows connect to it (correct method)
If the controller has been connected in the wrong method it will 100% not work even though it appears on Windows as if it has been properly added. If in doubt, make Windows remove the controller from its Device list and re-pair it again using the correct method. Check the following section on how to propperly connect a controller to the PC.
Correct Method
Incorrect Method
Correct MethodUser manually makes Windows look out for a device that is in pairing mode
Incorrect Method
User simply turns on the controller and tries to accept the Add a device notification
How to properly remove and re-pair a Controller
Pair a controller to Windows
- Verify if the controller is not already on Windows’ Paired Devices list. If it is, remove it as per the next section
- Follow the instructions in the dedicated Connecting your controllers to the PC page or use the specific pages on how to connect PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Controllers.
Remove a paired controller from Windows
Via Settings
Via Devices and Printers
Via SettingsOpen Windows’ Bluetooth Devices list on its Settings
Locate your controller on the list, click on it then select Remove device
Via Devices and Printers
Sometimes this can be used when Windows’ fail to remove a device through the usual Devices Settings menu
- Open Windows’ Devices and Printers
- Locate your device, right-click it then select Remove device
Windows can’t find the controller when adding via Bluetooth & Other Devices
- MAKE SURE YOUR DEVICE IS IN PAIRING MODE!
- For most controllers a 2.1 Bluetooth adapter is required
- Windows will not detect the device if it already is on its paired devices list, requiruing it to be removed from there beforehand
- If the controller has been previously connected to the PC but does not appear on the list anymore, check if it still exists on Windows’ Devices and Printers
- Sometimes Windows takes an awful long time to detect DS4v1 controllers
Controller connects and stays connected but Windows / DS4Windows does not recognize it
- Re-pair the controller to Windows using the correct method explained in one of the topics above just to be sure
- If you’re using a controller from your gaming console (PS3, PS4, PS5, Switch) make sure it has not accidentally connected to it/turned it on. It is recommended to fully turn off/unplug it when first attempting to pair the controller to the PC
- If this is not the case, check the dedicated controller detection issues page
Controller does not reconnect after system reboot, sleep or shutdown cycle
- If using a USB BT adapter it may be a compatibility issue between the adapter and the USB port being used. Test the adapter in other USB ports (un-pair the controller before moving the adapter)
- Sometimes this issue is caused by BT adapters that were were made for 2.0 USB ports being used in 3.0 ones
Controller connects and works but sometimes randomly disconnects or stop responding
Important If you are seeing the Add a device notification when trying to reconnect your controller then it is actually not properly paired. Check the «How to properly pair the controller» section on this page × Dismiss this alert.
- Generally causes by a bad Bluetooth signal stability. Refer to the Input delay on Bluetooth page for more related info
- Possible faulty controller or dying controller battery
- Check DS4Windows’ log for error messages
- Verify if the issue does not occur when DS4Windows or Steam are not running
- Keep in mind that using some controllers (DS4, DualSense) with DS4W or Steam makes them transfer more data, thus making them more prone to lose connection if your BT adapter is not up to the task
Cannot connect more than 1 controller or connection is lost
- Caused by a bad quality BT adapter or high signal interference
- BT adapter can’t mantain the necessary data rate
- Refer to the Input delay on Bluetooth page for more related info
Windows using integrated BT adapter instead of the external/USB adapter
The integrated BT adapter must be disable on Windows’ Device Manager:
- Press Win + X on the keyboard and select Device Manager on the appearing selection window
- Locate the integrated BT adapter under the Bluetooth section and disable it
- Replug the dedicated adapter or try disabling and enabling it again
Loss of WiFi or Bluetooth signal if controller is connected
- If using an integrated card that double as both the Bluetooth and Wifi adapter then it’s possible that its signal quality is so bad that one is interfering with the other. The solution would be to use a dedicated, good quality USB BT adapter
- Even if using independent BT and Wifi Adapters, if the signal quality of one of them is bad then it’s quite easy for severely interferece between them to occur anyway
- Make sure other devices’ (laptops, smart TVs, smartphones) WiFi and Bluetooth signals are not generating radio interference near the PC
- When DS4Windows starts communicating with controllers the amount the data being traded vastly increases and may serve as an explanation if this issue does not occur when the controller is connected but DS4Windows is not running
- Refer to the Input delay on Bluetooth page for more related info
Controller sometimes tries to reconnect to other nearby PC
Both PCs’ Bluetooth adapters probably have the exact same MAC Address, so the controller can’t differentiate between them and tries to connect to the first one that responds.
Latency/input delay issues on Bluetooth
A connection latency is how much time it takes for one system to communicate to another. In DS4Windows case, we refer to the time it takes for the system/DS4Windows to communicate with the controller. A high latency means a high input delay in games, meaning the time it takes for your character to respond to the controller commands.
A high but stable input delay will make the users’ character feel slow to respond, while a low input delay with high delay spikes may make the user prone to errors because of unexpected slow respond times.
It’s often considered that a really bad high latency is one where the input delay is above 20ms, though the ideal is to keep it bellow 10ms.
Usual controller latency
The following table can be used as reference for comparison on what input delay to expect with a supported controller and a good Bluetooth adapter:
Controller Usual input delay Minimum input delay Notes DualShock 3 5ms 5ms Connected through BthPS3 + DsHidMini (DS4Windows Mode) DualShock 4 4ms – DS4W Default settings 1,5ms – polling rate set to maximum v1 and v2 don’t have major latency differences DualSense 3ms 1ms Switch Pro controllers 16ms 16ms 16ms is the lowest latency the official controller can achieve Joy-cons 16ms? 16ms? Monitoring input delay
- You can check the current input delay by hovering your mouse above the controllers name on the Controllers tab (check the image above)
- If the controller’s latency goes over 10ms then it will appear on the Log
- If you have a DualShock 3, DualShock 4 or DualSense you can enable the Flash Lighbar at High latency option in the Settings tab, which will make the lightbar flash in a red color when latency spikes are detected.
For the DualShock 3 you need to have DsHidMini’s Lightbar to LED translation enabled, then latency spikes will cause all 4 LEDs to quickly flash × Dismiss this alert.
Input delay issues
In case you are having issues with input delay, keep something in mind: DS4Windows itself is probably not the cause of whatever high input latency/latency spikes that you may have! 98% chance of the issue being elsewhere.
Controllers do not communicate directly with DS4Windows via some driver, they connect to the default Windows’ Bluetooth Stack and DS4Windows just receives and sends data to it through the channels given by Windows.
If you are having latency issues then installing/uninstalling drivers won’t fix them unless they are directly related to your dongle’s driver. For this reason, messing with DS4Windows’ related drivers will probably be a waste of time.
Latency issues always boils down to:
- Low quality Bluetooth adapters (most integrated ones)
- High radio interference near the adapter
- Too many devices connected to the adapter
- Not using the correct/updated BT adapter’s driver
Causes of high or unstable latency
Note on «Bad» BT adapters Keep in mind that when the term «bad» is used it does not necessarily mean «cheap». Multiple users have confirmed they have no latency issues even with 4 controllers connected with cheap, generic $5 adapters from Aliexpress × Dismiss this alert.
Bluetooth and WiFi interference
Both use the same frequency. Although they should auto adjust to prevent interference, sometimes it just happens. Check if your area isn’t overloaded with different 2.4Ghz WiFi networks and Bluetooth devices. Also, if one of the signals is too weak then it’s quite easy for the other to heavily interfere.
Integrated or bad Bluetooth adapters
It’s quite common for integrated BT adapters to suck for one of the following reasons:
- They are inside the laptop’s shell or inside a case that act as an obstacle to the signal
- The Bluetooth adapter also is the WiFi adapter and they are both interfering at each other
- They are just being overrall bad. Integrated BT adapters generally have short range and can’t maintain the minimum data rate necessary when connecting more than 1 controller. Good integrated adapters are the exception, not the norm
Though the minimum BT specification required for most modern controllers is the 2.1 specs, more modern adapters should have better signal stability.
Multiple connected controllers
Each connected controller means more data that is being transferred through the Bluetooth adapter. If you have a bad adapter or high radio interference near it it may not be able to maintain the required data rate between the system and controllers, causing high latency or even connection loss. Not much can be done besides trying to lower the interference or replacing the adater with a better one.
A good quality adapter can easily maintain a stable, low latency connection with 4 controllers or even more.
DS4Windows causing controller to increase data transfer rate
This only applies to DS4 and DualSense controllers × Dismiss this alert.
DS4 and DualSense controllers can communicate in 2 different modes:
- PC friendly mode: only basic button/axes information is sent by the controller to the PC
- Native PS mode: controller sends its full set of information, including motion sensors data, status, touchpad states etc
When first connected to Windows, these controllers communicate in PC friendly mode and their data transfer rate is low. When picked by DS4Windows (or Steam for that matter), a request is sent for them to change into Native PS mode, which increases the volume and the frequency of data being sent.
Not only that, DS4Windows also sends data back to the controller related to the rumble, lightbar, triggers (DualSense only) etc.
When these changes occur, if the Bluetooth adapter can’t keep up with the required data rate then the user may suffer with high input delay or even connection loss. So if your never had latency problems when using your DS4/DualSense in games as a generic controller but then start having issues when trying to use DS4Windows or Steam this may be the cause.
Potential fixes to latency issues
Test with WiFi fully disabled
This test is recommended for those with integrated cards that work as both BT and WiFi adapters × Dismiss this alert.
By disabling the WiFi signal you have one less source of radio interference so you can then verify your BT adapter performance in a environment with less signal noise. Keep wifi enabled devices far from the PC too.
Set Windows’ Power Plan to High Performance
- Set the power saving plan of the PC to “High Performance” (usually the default in Win10 is balanced)
- On Windows’ Device Manager locate your Bluetooth Dongle -> Enter its properties -> Check if there is a tab called Power Management and disable the turn off this device to save power (untick the option)
Use a dedicated BT adapter
A dedicated, good quality BT USB Adapter should offer better performance than an integrated one. Because its antenna is located outside of the laptop/desktop’s shell, it also suffers less from signal loss caused by physical obstacles.
When using a USB adapter in a PC that also has a integrated one the latter must be disabled in Windows’ Device Manager in order for the USB BT adapter one to be used, since Windows can only keep one dongle active.
Moving the adapter to another USB port
Moving the dongle to a better located USB port may offer a better quality signal. Also, USB ports (specially 3.0 and above) can be a source of radio noise. Test the dongle in different ports to verify which offer you a better signal.
Connect USB BT adapter through a USB extension cable
A laptop/desktop’s shell is a source of radio noise, specially if it’s ungrounded or near high powered, high data transfer ports like USB 3.0 and above. This noise may worsen your BT’s adapter performance.
Connecting your BT adapter through an active cable extension, so it stays located at some distance from the computers shell (not necessarily nearer to the controller), is known to be useful in these cases.
Decrease the BT polling rate on profile settings
Only works with DS4 gamepads. The BT polling rates of other types cannot be controlled × Dismiss this alert.
On Profile Editor -> Other tab it’s possible to set the BT Poll Rate used for DS4 and DualSense controllers on Bluetooth. If you are having latency issues, specially with multiple controllers connected, try setting this value to 10ms or more. For most games, a controller input delay is only noticeable above 16ms.
Disable output data to the controller
Your adapter may not be up to the task to both receive and send data to the controller. In this case, you can set a profile with the Enable output data to DS4 option disabled. Keep in mind that disabling this option will also disable Rumble and Lightbar control.