Is it possible to use a PS4 controller on a Windows 7 PC connected via Bluetooth?

[kpagcha]

I just got a Xbox One controller for PC with a wirless adaptor that doesn't work on Windows and I am extremely disappointed. After some research I could find dozens of instances of people with the same issue and no solutions whatsoever.

So I am thinking about returning it and getting a PS4 controller instead. Apparently they work for PC as well and you can get a USB Bluetooth adapter for 10$ and will work just perfectly.

However, I want to make sure I don't go through the same pain I've gone through to try to unsucessfully make the wireless Xbox One controller work on my Windows 7 PC.

These are the products I am looking at:
- PS4 controller
- Bluetooth 4.0 adapter

My main concerns are:

- does the controller work with batteries you need to replace or it's one of those batteries you can recharge with a USB cable like the ones phones use?

- does it work with Windows 7?

- does the Bluetooth adapter work with Windows 7?

- does Windows 7 detect the controller when connected via Bluetooth?

Basically what I want to know is: can I use a PS4 controller with my Windows 7 connected via Bluetooth adapter without an issue?

Note that I am not posting this without having checked the specs and read opinions and experiences before hand, but my experience with the previous controller has been so bad I don't trust anything anymore.

Thank you in advance.

 

[clarkjd]

I just got a Xbox One controller for PC with a wirless adaptor that doesn't work on Windows and I am extremely disappointed. After some research I could find dozens of instances of people with the same issue and no solutions whatsoever.

So I am thinking about returning it and getting a PS4 controller instead. Apparently they work for PC as well and you can get a USB Bluetooth adapter for 10$ and will work just perfectly.

However, I want to make sure I don't go through the same pain I've gone through to try to unsucessfully make the wireless Xbox One controller work on my Windows 7 PC.

These are the products I am looking at:
- PS4 controller
- Bluetooth 4.0 adapter

My main concerns are:

- does the controller work with batteries you need to replace or it's one of those batteries you can recharge with a USB cable like the ones phones use?

- does it work with Windows 7?

- does the Bluetooth adapter work with Windows 7?

- does Windows 7 detect the controller when connected via Bluetooth?

Basically what I want to know is: can I use a PS4 controller with my Windows 7 connected via Bluetooth adapter without an issue?

Note that I am not posting this without having checked the specs and read opinions and experiences before hand, but my experience with the previous controller has been so bad I don't trust anything anymore.

Thank you in advance.

If you don't trust anything anymore, why would you trust any answer you got on this post?

 

[kpagcha]

I just got a Xbox One controller for PC with a wirless adaptor that doesn't work on Windows and I am extremely disappointed. After some research I could find dozens of instances of people with the same issue and no solutions whatsoever.

So I am thinking about returning it and getting a PS4 controller instead. Apparently they work for PC as well and you can get a USB Bluetooth adapter for 10$ and will work just perfectly.

However, I want to make sure I don't go through the same pain I've gone through to try to unsucessfully make the wireless Xbox One controller work on my Windows 7 PC.

These are the products I am looking at:
- PS4 controller
- Bluetooth 4.0 adapter

My main concerns are:

- does the controller work with batteries you need to replace or it's one of those batteries you can recharge with a USB cable like the ones phones use?

- does it work with Windows 7?

- does the Bluetooth adapter work with Windows 7?

- does Windows 7 detect the controller when connected via Bluetooth?

Basically what I want to know is: can I use a PS4 controller with my Windows 7 connected via Bluetooth adapter without an issue?

Note that I am not posting this without having checked the specs and read opinions and experiences before hand, but my experience with the previous controller has been so bad I don't trust anything anymore.

Thank you in advance.

If you don't trust anything anymore, why would you trust any answer you got on this post?

Are you going to answer or not? I will trust a person with that exact setup for whom it has worked.

 

[thaddeus.johnso]

So I have used many different iterations of control schemes on my PC.

For Windows 7 the only solution I have found that is consistent is using Xbox 360 controllers with the microsoft USB dongle that you used to be able to get for around $10. Important note is that this dongle is ONLY for xbox 360 controllers. However, these controllers are old and often it is not a viable solution.

In my opinion the major issue with your setup is Win 7. I have never had good results with any bluetooth in windows 7. Bluetooth has a finicky stack and even in Windows 10 there are often problems. In my experience these problems have always been resolved by restarting the computer though. I have used both Xbox one and PS4 DS4 controllers on around 4-5 Windows 10 computers in the last week, I am home visiting for Xmas, with a cheap generic bluetooth adapter and have been successful every time. A few computer restarts while connecting the controllers have been necessary, as sometimes the PS4 controllers get stuck in the pairing process and causes the BT on the PC to get messed up. We have even used 3 PS4 controllers and 1 Xbox one controller to play gauntlet slayer on GoG galaxy yesterday. Very occasional latency blips with 4 controllers but no issues connecting.

So long story short is in my experience you are better off using a USB cable or an Xbox 360 controller with Windows 7. Nothing else has ever been consistent in my experience. If you upgrade to Windows 10 the BT issues you are having should be completely gone.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

a PS4 controller should work, but you'll need driver software for in (unlike an XBox/Xbox 360/XBox One controller, which is plug-n-play)


Tom's Guide, our sister site, did a nice how-to article this past summer:

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/connect-ps4-controller-pc,news-17952.html