Most PC games only require a gaming mouse and keyboard to be played properly. It isn’t necessary to buy the best PC controller to actually enjoy a video game on your PC. However, there are some games that just work better with a good ol’ PS3 controller.
Racing games, for example, are easier and more fun when using a controller. Steering a race car with a keyboard feels awkward and imprecise to most gamers; a controller’s analog sticks are better suited to the task.
Thankfully, gaming PCs are compatible with just about any controller on the market. With a small investment of time, you will be able to play using whatever controller suits you best (in this guide, we’re boldy assuming that that’s a PS3 controller).
So, this one is for all you control freaks out there. Sit tight and let us show you how to connect your PS3 controller to a PC without breaking a sweat.
How to Use a PS3 Controller on PC
To connect your PS3 controller to your gaming PC, you will need a USB cable (that’s the one which functions as a charging cable for DualShock controllers), or a Bluetooth adapter if you intend to connect the controller wirelessly. (Some PCs have built-in Bluetooth support, so check that before you spend extra cash on an adapter.) There are two main methods to install a PS3 controller: with SCP driver package or with SCP Toolkit. We’ll show you how to do both.
Preparation
Before we start the installation, we have to check a few things. First, make sure the PS3 console is unplugged from your wall socket. The console itself can possibly prevent the connection of the controllers to the PC. Connect the controller to the PC via USB or Bluetooth and install the DualShock 3 drivers; Windows should automatically prompt you to do this. After that is completed, make sure these are installed on your PC:
- Microsoft .NET Framework
- DirectX web installer
- Visual C++
The versions of these software packages change constantly, so you’ll need to do a bit of Googling to find the correct one.
In case you’re using the Windows 7 operating system. you will also need to get the drivers for the Xbox 360 controller.
Method 1.1: SCP driver package (USB)
Here’s how to use the SCP driver package to connect your PS3 controller via the USB method:
- Download the updated version of the SCP DS Driver from the web. Make sure to have Winzip, Winrar, or 7-zip installed on your computer.
- Unzip the downloaded file.
- Open the unzipped folder and copy all of its content into the SCP Server/bin on your computer. Choose ‘Replace files.’
- Open the SCP Server and copy content from the bin folder into it.
- Go to the ‘Program Files’ folder on your C disk.
- Then, make a new folder ‘Scarlet.CrushProductions.’
- Once again, copy the content of the bin folder into it.
- Open the bin folder that you have just copied, find SCP Driver, right-click on it and choose ‘Run as Administrator.’
Before you click the install button on the new window, you will have to examine a few things. First, the checkboxes for ‘Configure Service’ and ‘Install Bluetooth’ options need to be checked.
If you have a Windows 7 OS you will also have to check ‘Force Install’ in order to install those drivers that Windows 10 and Windows 8 already have, but Win 7 does not.
- Go ahead and start the installation process.
- When the installation process is done you will need to click on the ‘Exit’ button.
- Open the SCP monitor and your PS3 controller should be recognized.
If the controller is not detected, try to unplug and reconnect it. If it’s still not detected, try rebooting your computer. The controller is properly working when SCP monitor displays ‘Charging.’ If it displays ‘Disconnected’ under Host Address, that means that Bluetooth isn’t working.
Method 1.2: SCP Driver Package (Bluetooth)
To connect the PS3 DualShock controller via Bluetooth using the SCP driver package, follow these steps:
- Connect the Bluetooth adapter to your PC, or turn Bluetooth on if your PC has built-in support.
- Open ‘Program Files’ folder and the newly created ‘Scarlet.CrushProduction’ folder inside.
- Open ‘Zadig’ folder and start the app.
- Click on the ‘Device’ tab, then ‘Load Preset Device’ and choose ‘Bluetooth.cfg.’
- Click on ‘Options,’ then on ‘List all devices.’
- On the drop-down menu, find the Bluetooth adapter.
- If you need to identify your Bluetooth adapter, you can go to ‘Bluetooth and other devices’ and ‘Devices and printers.’
- After choosing the Bluetooth device you want to use from the drop-down menu, click on ‘Replace Driver.’
This action will set up your Bluetooth device to work exclusively with the PS3 controller. You should keep that in mind if you were planning to pair other BT devices to the same adapter. If possible, we recommend dedicating one device specifically for your PS3 controller in order to avoid trouble in the future.
Go back to the SCP monitor and check the message under Host Address. It should be able to detect your controller. If it doesn’t immediately detect the device, don’t panic. Try unplugging and plugging back in, or rebooting your computer. One of those should do the job.
Method 2: SCP Toolkit (USB & Bluetooth)
The second method is a lot simpler, as you’re about to see. The process is completely the same for both the USB and the Bluetooth connection setup.
- Download the SCP toolkit from the internet.
- Install the downloaded program.
- After installation, open the program and click on ‘Run driver installer.’
- Choose ‘Dualshock 3 driver’ for PS3 controllers or ‘Dualshock 4 driver’ for PS4 controllers.
- Choose the model of the Bluetooth device you want to use from the drop-down menu.
- Click ‘install.’
After the installation process, go to the SCP monitor to check if the controller is detected. Make sure that it works properly both with and without the cable.
PS3 Controller on PC: Calibration & Settings
After the installation process, you can check if the controller is working properly and calibrate it. If you are using Windows 7, open the ‘Control Panel’ and go to ‘Devices and Printers.’ If you are using Windows 10, open ‘Bluetooth and other devices’ and go to ‘Devices and Printers.’
Don’t get confused when you see that the Xbox 360 controller is detected. Everything is fine, we just made the computer think that there is an Xbox 360 controller instead of DualShock. Right-click on the device, choose ‘Properties,’ and the calibration window will open. In that window, you can check whether your PS3 controller is working properly and also calibrate its settings.
Final Words
If you followed our guide to the letter, everything should be ready to go. The good thing is that your PC lets you play your games in the way you want to play. This allows you to use that special controller that you are used to. Sometimes it takes a little bit more work, but it’s worth it.
If you own a PS4, we have a similar guide on how to connect a PS4 controller to a PC. Alternatively, you can get a cheap DualShock 3 on Amazon for less than $25.
Sources:
- What is an SCP Toolkit, SCPToolkit
- How to Set Up an Xbox 360 Controller for Windows, Xbox Support
- PlayStation Now Compatible Controllers, PlayStation, March 9th, 2018
- SCP Driver Package, Emulation Wiki