The Dualshock 3 controller for the Playstation 3 isn’t the easiest pad to get operating on a computer. So why bother when something newer is so much easier to use? In certain respects, the PlayStation 3 controller remains unique. The Dualshock 3 incorporates pressure-sensitive analog face buttons, which aren’t found on even the finest PC controllers. As a result, the Dualshock 3 is the ideal controller for playing PS2 games on the PCSX2 emulator. Without the analog buttons, Metal Gear Solid 3 simply doesn’t play correctly.
If you prefer the feel of Sony’s previous controllers than the revamped Dualshock 4, this is the controller for you. Using an open source utility called ScpToolkit, here’s the easiest method to get your PS3 controller operating on a PC.
Note: The DualShock 3 is natively supported by Steam, so you can just plug it in and configure it using the Big Picture mode Controller settings menu. Steam, on the other hand, does not support the DualShock 3’s gyro controls or (more significantly!) its analog face buttons, which is exactly what we’re looking for. Follow this procedure to get the PS3 controller operating on your PC, including the buttons.
Here’s a simple and easy-to-follow guide on how to connect a ps3 controller to a PC? In no time, you’ll be up and running!
Prerequisites
To sync the controller, we’re essentially attempting to deceive Windows 10 into believing it’s an Xbox controller. We’ll need specific drivers for this.
To get started, download and install the Microsoft DirectX runtime, Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package, Microsoft.NET Framework 4.5, Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 runtime, and Xbox 360 controller driver (only if you’re not using Windows 10).
Alternatively, connect the smaller end of the USB cable to the back of the PlayStation 3 controller and the larger end to an open USB port on the PC. After that, Windows will initiate a series of driver downloads.
However, depending on your Windows version, it may not download all of them, causing problems down the line. That’s why, just to be safe, we recommend manually downloading them.
Install ScpToolkit
- Connect the DualShock 3 controller to your computer via the mini-USB port and switch it on by pressing the PlayStation button in the middle of the controller. Then, for the controller to connect with Windows, download the most recent version of ScpToolkit, an open-source program.
- Install ScpToolkit from the “ScToolkit Setup.exe” installer that looks like a PlayStation 3 controller (you may need to extract it first using Windows 10’s inbuilt extractor tool). Choose the file location as desired during the installation procedure, then click “Install” without modifying any of the defaults except to ensure that the “ScpToolkit Bluetooth Pair Utility” under “Legacy Components” is turned off. If you are required to install “Prerequisites,” follow the prompts.
- You’ll be requested to “Run Driver Installer” when the installation is complete; do so by clicking the huge green play symbol in the centre of the window. On the next page, you’ll find a list of all the available drivers. Uncheck “Install Bluetooth driver” and “Install DualShock 3 driver,” and make sure “Install DualShock 4 driver” is not checked.
- To the right, click “Choose Bluetooth dongles to install” and choose your device, whether it’s a Bluetooth dongle or your motherboard’s inbuilt Bluetooth capability (if it doesn’t show up, it may need to be enabled). Select the one labeled “PLAYSTATION(R)3 Controller (VIDL xxxx, PID: xxxx)” under “Choose DualShock 3 controllers to install,” with “x” being a random mix of digits and letters specific to your device.
ScpToolkit will walk you through your options before installing and configuring the necessary drivers if you tap the “Install” button on the right-hand side.
As time goes on, notifications should appear on the right side of your screen. Run through them to ensure that the installs went smoothly.
When ScpToolkit is done, you can press “Exit” on the right side, underneath the previously used “Install” button.
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Using your Playstation 3 controller on PC
The Dualshock 3 should now operate like an Xbox 360 controller after it’s been installed. It should work with any game that has native XInput compatibility, which is pretty much any recent PC game that supports gamepads. Unfortunately, it won’t register as a PlayStation controller in the few games that support the DualShock 4, thus you won’t receive the right Square/Cross/Triangle/Circle button symbols by default. However, some games allow you to pick your own button icons. Look for it in the game options!
If you’re having trouble downloading ScpToolkit or using the controller, you may try posting in the PCSX2 forums’ official thread, but you might not receive a response.
How to connect your PS3 controller via Bluetooth
If you don’t want to deal with the wires and followed all of the Bluetooth installation instructions above, you should be able to just disconnect the controller and it will sync through Bluetooth within a few seconds. When it happens, you’ll see a notification in the system tray. Cool!
This also works after a reboot. If you let ScpToolkit start with Windows, you should be able to just connect in your PS3 controller and it will be detected right away. Unplug the controller after the LED has turned on, and it will be linked through Bluetooth again.
If you’re having Bluetooth problems, it’s possible that your dongle isn’t compatible. ScpToolkit’s Github discussions may potentially be of assistance. Bluetooth may be fussy, and any issues you encounter could be due to hardware, Windows version, or driver issues… To put it another way, best of luck.
Tinkering Options
ScpToolkit allows the user to tweak a number of settings and modify the PlayStation 3 controller in a variety of ways. Here’s how to get to the choices.
To run the tool, go to the Windows start menu and search for ‘ScpToolkit Settings Manager.’ This menu is used to fine-tune some of the tool’s capabilities, such as turning off auditory warnings, adjusting controller latency and sensitivity, determining the “dead-zone threshold,” flipping the axes, disabling vibration, and so on.
Finally, because we’re fooling Windows 10 into thinking the PlayStation 3 controller is an Xbox 360 controller, the PS3 controller will function just like an Xbox 360 controller. This implies that in some games, the button control scheme will not work. To put it another way, hitting X might not be the same as hitting X at all.
Most games, fortunately, allow you to alter the controls and assign certain buttons as you see fit. If it doesn’t work, go to the Windows Start menu and search for “ScpToolkit Profile Manager.” You may use this option to build custom mapping profiles, which enable you to assign specific tasks to buttons as needed.
If your game is being finicky, finding the proper mapping may take some trial and error, but stick with it and you should be able to figure out what works best.
Troubleshooting for Windows 10
When it comes to troubleshooting Windows 10, you’re certain to run across a variety of roadblocks in your operating system, especially when attempting to attach specific controllers to your PC. Although many Microsoft operating systems accept Xbox accessories and Xbox Live settings, older Sony hardware makes integrating this more current technology more difficult.
Even with ScpToolkit assisting in the prevention of most difficulties, you may encounter a few barriers and challenges throughout the installation process. You can, on the other hand, enable driver installations. We strongly advise that you back up all of your data on a regular basis, regardless of what you do. This will preserve a duplicate of your data so that you can simply recover it if you lose it.
- Step 1: Press the Windows key or choose Start.
- Step 2: On the left side of the Start Menu, choose the “gear” symbol. The Settings app will display on your screen. Step 3: Select Update and Security from the drop-down menu.
- Step 4: Locate and choose Recovery from the left-hand menu.
- Step 5: Select Restart Now (under Advanced Startup) from the drop-down menu.
- Step 6: Your system will restart and enter a mode that allows you to alter your firmware and startup settings, bypassing the driver signature enforcement.
- Step 7: A selection of options will emerge. Click Troubleshoot.
- Step 8: Select Advanced Options from the drop-down menu.
- Step 9: Choose Startup Options. Your computer will restart.
- Step 10: After your system restarts, you’ll see a new menu of options. After you’ve found Disable Driver Signature Enforcement, use the F7 key to restart your computer one last time.
- Step 11: Follow the steps above to reinstall and configure ScpToolkit when your system restarts.
Conclusion
That concludes our discussion. We hope you found this post interesting. If you have any problems connecting your PS3 to your PC, please let us know and we will assist you with the installation.
