How to Configure a PS3 Remote for a PC

With some configuration, PS3 controllers can be made PC-compatible.

PlayStation 3 controllers are fully compatible with the PlayStation 3 consoles for which they are designed, but they can also be configured to work with Windows PCs. All PS3 controllers have a USB port installed for charging, but this port can also be utilized to send data back and forth between the controller and the PC. Special drivers must be installed on the PC, as Windows does not include PS3 drivers with their operating system, and Sony has not provided an official solution.

Things You'll Need

• PlayStation 3 controller
• USB charging cable

Instructions

1. Download and install the latest version of the MotioninJoy PS3/PC drivers. They can be found on the MotioninJoy download page (motioninjoy.com/download). Make sure you download the correct version. For instance, x86 is for 32-bit versions of Windows while x64 is for 64-bit versions.

2. Plug one end of the USB cable into your PS3 controller and the other end into your PC. Windows will recognize that you have plugged it in, but it will not configure it to work.

3. Open the DS3 Tool application that was installed with the MotioninJoy drivers. There should be a link to it in your "Start" menu in a "MotioninJoy" folder. Click on "Driver Manager" and then click on "Load Driver."

4. Click on "Profiles" within the DS3 Tool and enable "PlayStation 3" to activate all functions of your PlayStation 3 controller. Click on the "Game Controller Panel" to open the Window's device menu. Right-click on "HID-compliant game controller" and select "Properties." Click the "Test" tab. Press the buttons on your PS3 controller to make sure that they respond correctly. If the buttons fail to respond, unplug the controller from the USB port and run through the steps again.

References

• MotioninJoy: Installation Instructions