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How to connect PS3 controller on Mac OSX, PC
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How to connect a PS3 controller.md

How to connect PS3 controller on Mac OSX, PC, etc.

This is how you connect PS3 controller to Mac OSX, PC, etc. when previously connected to a PS3. You will need a Mini USB cable. Overcome your laziness, get up of your chair, and go get one!

A big misconception is that keep holding PS button will reset the controller's pairing. It DOES NOT! From my testings, the controller keeps paring with the last machine it was CONNECTED VIA A USB CABLE.

Here are the steps:

  1. Turn OFF your PS3 controller by either...
  • (on PS3) hold PS button -> Turn off Controller, OR
  • (on Mac) open Apple menu System Preferences -> Bluetooth -> Click X button on the device list, OR
  • (on the controller itself) insert paperclip into pinhole near L2 button.
  1. Use a USB cable, connect the controller to your new machine you want.
  2. Wait just a second until the red light on the controller flashes, unplug the USB cable. Now the controller's setting is reset.
  3. On your computer, go to System Preferences (OS X) or Control Panel (PC)
  4. Open Bluetooth settings page. Start Scanning.
  5. Turn ON the controller by pressing the PS button. Wait a few seconds.
  6. If it asks for Access Code, enter 0000.
  7. Now connected! (yey)

Tested on:

  • PS3 Console
  • MacBook Pro (Early 2011) with OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Note:

  • If you have Steam opened, hitting PS button will switch Steam into full screen mode. Pretty sleek.
@johnmap
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johnmap commented May 20, 2015

I have the same experience as john-kurkowski - after following these exact instructions the controller is paired automatically with no codes. Doesn't even appear in the Bluetooth list but works in games. (OS X Yosemite 10.10.3)

@oliverbenns
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No luck with me on 10.10.3 either. It never gets detected.

@neurogenesis
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Confirmed that the PS3 controller works both wirelessly via BT (bluetooth) and wired. As reported above for 10.10.3:

  • you will not see the PS3 controller listed in the bluetooth preferences (and so can't pair)
  • pairing with the USB cable & reset method will pair the controller (without pair code 0000)
  • the controller will show as connected from BT menu drop-down as PLAYSTATION(R)3 Controller
  • the lights will continue to blink quickly for as long as the controller is ON and connected via BT
  • it's possible to be connected via bluetooth and wired, resulting in odd behavior (disconnect via BT menu dropdown)
  • to connect the PS3 controller to BT (while not plugged in), just hold power button until it starts blinking quickly (and confirm connectivity via BT menu drop-down).

@diegobassan
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Follow all the steps, the control is paired in Yosemite. When connected by cable, appears on OpenEmu but no buttons respond. When using Bluetooth, even if connected to the drop-down menu it does not even appear in OpenEmu. Someone went through it and managed to solve?

@floer32
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floer32 commented Mar 15, 2016

I can't get this to work with multiple controllers. Has anyone succeeded with that?

@ajfisher
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Just trying this now on 10.10.5 - the controller won't pick up in the BT control panel - however it will be detected as a BT LE device and so will appear in your BT menu in the OSX menu bar.

Unplug from USB, hit the PS button and it will flash rapidly. At this point make sure you see "PLAYSTATION CONTROLLER" in your BT menu which you'll need to hit "disconnect" if you want to turn it off.

Enjoy using your controller.

@josheverett
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These instructions work well for me on 10.11.3.

For folks wondering about how to get the red lights to stop blinking/flashing once the controller is connected, I stumbled upon a quick workaround:

I'm using the controller to play games via OpenEmu. When that app closes, for some reason it stops the lights from blinking. So now whenever I pair the controller, I just open and then close OpenEmu and the blinking lights go away. :)

For this to work, the controller must be powered on and connected (via bluetooth to your Mac) before you open OpenEmu, and the controller must have been previously configured to be used in OpenEmu's control options.

@frankandrobot
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frankandrobot commented Nov 3, 2016 •
edited

Gents there seems to be a workaround: OpenEmu/OpenEmu#1041
I'm currently waiting for Xcode to download on my El Capitan 10.11.6 and generic ps3 controller.
Will report back if this technique works or not.

Update: Happy to report that that post got it working for me!

  1. Run the fi.sh script https://github.com/Hoffa/fi.sh
  2. Before turning BlueTooth back on, I deleted the ~/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.Bluetooth.BIGOLEGUID.plist file (this is apparently new to El Capitan).
  3. Did the "defaults read /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist" command.
  4. Rebooted entirely.
  5. Then turned on Bluetooth.
  6. Then clicked the P3 button.

@JohnMCrooks
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I seem to be able to use the PS3 controller wired without needing to do anything on OSx Sierra 10.12.1

@nchauley
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Howdy folks. Works right off the bat in Sierra 10.12.1:

  1. Reset controller - (on the controller itself) insert paper clip into pinhole near L2 button.
  2. Use controller USB cable and connect to your Mac.
  3. Turn ON the controller by pressing the PS button. *Controller lights will fast blink
  4. Open Bluetooth preferences on Mac, controller should automatically pair (no msg to enter pair PIN code)
    • controller will be listed under devices as:

screen shot 2016-12-15 at 4 55 41 pm

  1. Controller works with or w/out USB cable. *Lights on controller will constantly fast blink (wired or unwired) while connected to Mac and during game play.

@MattTreichelYeah
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Echoing multiple controller problems, for some strange reason I'm able to have 4 paired in the Bluetooth list but only 2 of them connected at one time. At one point I swear I had 3 connected but I think it was a fluke.

@mookeljackson
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mookeljackson commented Dec 29, 2016 •
edited

Hey yo. Just thought I'd pop this in here, because I had a lot of trouble with this, but it is now solved. Was originally running a PS3 controller w/ Yosemite, and the issue was a complete lack of connection between the Mac and the controller. Initially thought it was an issue w/ Yosemite not supporting it, so I deleted the directory /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist - reset SMC/PRAM, everything. Even updated to Sierra. No joy. However, the original control I bought was not an authentic Sony Control, which came with a USB cord, and it was only when I swapped that cord on a whim, is that it worked in but a second. Might be unique to my situation, but I tried everything else. May help. x

@InPen
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InPen commented Mar 17, 2017

Hi everyone,

I was successful syncing my PS3 remote to my mac via Bluetooth and I also configured the buttons in Dolphin but my controller is still not functional :/ am I missing a ps3 software installation or something?

screen shot 2017-03-17 at 1 38 09 pm
screen shot 2017-03-17 at 1 53 42 pm

@asahui
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asahui commented Mar 20, 2017

Hi, everyone

It looks like nobody talks about rumble issue. I can get my PS3 controller used in Sierra 10.12.3 (even though the light flash constantly), but I could not get the rumble working or even have it tested. I tried games on steam that support rumble both on Windows and MacOSX, and it worked on Windows but not MacOSX. Is it a problem just in Sierra？

@selimanac
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selimanac commented Jan 15, 2018 •
edited

not working on High Sierra :( v10.13.2. It is connected easily but no data flow.

@chiggpatel1
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Also not working on High Sierra :( v10.13.2. It is connected easily but no data flow.

@chiggpatel1
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I found a way to connect it to a PC even with bluetooth
https://www.techmen.net/connect-ps3-controller-pc/

@gustavopi
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I got something! I did so many things in my High Sierra Macbook Pro 2012 that is difficult to say why is working. But I can say this: I have three ps3 controllers, one 100% original untested (will use only with my console), a good imitation and a bad imitation. The bad imitation won't even apear on the bluetooth list, it's virtually impossible to connect. The good imitation can be used. It will connect but will blink all the time and the bt will say is not connected, but I can play Alien Isolation! However, I have to keep it wired or it will turn off automatically. Maybe with some third-part software will work properly.

Also, I must say the bluetooth control of macOS High Sierra is the same crap of all predecessors systems. The panel is to simplistic, does not give any details of devices, does not provide any feedback of tasks, it's unstable and not even my iPhone works right, I gave up using bluetooth mouse. I cannot understand why Apple did so lazy job with Bluetooth.

@viraldigi
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You can also take help of google or watch video on youtube to solve your problem.
feel free to visit my website - https://sggreek.com/

@requeijaum
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Doesn't work from PowerPC Leopard (10.5)... I'm investigating this...

@Pokepig96
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Hi i'm on a macbook air 2017 with 10.15
It keeps flashing and won't stop flashing
help?

@vfxdev
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vfxdev commented Dec 28, 2019

Worked perfectly on 10.15.2. Thanks!

@moburkhardt
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Having issues under MacOS 11, wired with a USB Cable I am able to receive the input on the M1 MacBook Pro, but once I go wireless even though a connection is displayed in the BT menu I am not able to register any inputs or even that a controller is available.

was troubleshooting with https://gamepad-tester.com and https://vividmachine.com/controllers/

@obrien-k
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Doesn't work from PowerPC Leopard (10.5)... I'm investigating this...

I'm just curious what you're running in 2019 on Leopard! Haha

@tejaswani12
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@roger23p
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roger23p commented Jul 1, 2021 •
edited

I too had the same problem with my Play station 3 and I could not find it untill Play station 4 came into business. I really want to solve this problem but what else can we do I had to go to buy new PS4 and I want to tell you that it is really amazing. Thanks for listening to me. Also, the information shared here is amazing.
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@TurnOffTheTV
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I tried, but this doesn't work with a motion controller or navigation controller (I think). It'd be completely pointless, because I think they'd register as seperate controllers, but I'm a little disappointed.

@myalban
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myalban commented Nov 8, 2021

don't work on Monterey anymore

@hellosagar
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is there is any work around or script to get it working?

@josephschito
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Found a solution! Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FU5oQs7jnw
😄

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