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[IbizaPocholo]

DS4Windows 2.0 release makes pairing a DualShock 4 to your PC easier than ever

This is a big update with better performance and an enhanced interface.

www.pcgamer.com

Most PC games that support controllers are designed to work with the XInput Windows API, which is perfect for Xbox controllers, but not so much for the Sony DualShock 4. The DS4Windows utility fixes this by emulating an Xbox controller when a DualShock is connected, and now the incredibly-useful program has received a major update.

DS4Windows 2.0 was released yesterday, and as you might guess from the major version change, this is a big update. The interface is improved, the macro editor has been overhauled, and the entire program promises to be "snappier."

Here's the full changelog:

• Re-wrote GUI classes to use Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) instead of Windows Forms
• More utilization of data binding in application. More use of custom events for ControlService
• Added application file logger
• Refactored macro editor
• Changed Run as Task routine. Old routine will be replaced, if it exists, upon the first run of version 2.0.0
• New translation system is in place. Currently, only English and Japanese language packs are available. Looking for volunteers to provide updated translations for other language packs
• Re-written auto profile routine
• Snappier program and mapper routine
• Many other changes

If you already have DS4Windows installed, just run the built-in updater to get this latest version. However, if you are on a version older than 1.7.28, you'll have to manually download the installer from the link below.

You can download DS4Windows 2.0 from the release page here. The original site for the project, ds4windows.com, still points to an outdated release.

 

[Meted]

DS4 windows never works reliably for me so I hope this changes it

 

[base]

Via USB or can I pair the controller via Bluetooth?

 

[Exentryk]

I use Inputmapper instead of Ds4windows because it has a better macro system.

Will see if this new version has improved it.

 

[Elektro Demon]

I used input mapper. But I got a speedlink controller now, and every game reads it as an xbox controller.

 

[Shakka43]

Via USB or can I pair the controller via Bluetooth?

Both ways is fine.

 

[Nydus]

Is there any reason to use this over the built in steam function?

 

[Meted]

Is there any reason to use this over the built in steam function?

if you are playing something not on steam, emulation for one

 

[GHG]

Via USB or can I pair the controller via Bluetooth?

I've used both without any issues.

Although I've heard of people having issues on the Bluetooth side with certain dongles.

 

[Nydus]

if you are playing something not on steam, emulation for one

I just add the game to steam and works just fine. Did that with AC Odyssey. If i launch then game via steam as a non native game the controller emulation works as if I bought it on steam.

 

[Meted]

I just add the game to steam and works just fine. Did that with AC Odyssey. If i launch then game via steam as a non native game the controller emulation works as if I bought it on steam.

Emulation like i said in my post is something you might need DS4windows to make it work

 

[brap]

Guess I'll get this even though the old one worked for moi

 

[Nydus]

Emulation like i said in my post is something you might need DS4windows to make it work

ah sorry, misunderstood your post.

 

[MMaRsu]

Yea ive had it installed for awhile, no major improvements but Ive never had an issue with the old one

 

[Holammer]

I had some issues with DS4Windows long time ago and switched to ScpToolkit.
Always preferred the intuitive interface so I'll have to give it another try.

 

[jonnyXx]

Does DS4Windows work with windows store games?

 

[Wonko_C]

Does DS4Windows work with windows store games?

Yes, I've been playing Forza Horizon 4 with my DS4.

 

[jonnyXx]

Yes, I've been playing Forza Horizon 4 with my DS4.

Cool, thanks.

 

[V2Tommy]

Using the DS4 touchpad as a mouse cursor alone is a requirement for projector gaming. Makes this software indispensable.

 

[Fake]

Still a bit of ass making my Dualshock 4 work in old games. Tomb Raider for example.

 

[Birdo]

if you are playing something not on steam, emulation for one

The DS4 works straight out of the box with Retroarch (Wired & Bluetooth). I've never had to install anything (Windows 10).

 

[Fake]

Not working for me. The program fail to download the drivers.

 

[V2Tommy]

Not working for me. The program fail to download the drivers.

Did you Run As Admin during install?

 

[Shakka43]

Is there any reason to use this over the built in steam function?

This is good for when you prefer using other launcher frontends like Launchbox, Galaxy 2.0, etc.

 

[Makoto-Yuki]

still too much hassle.

sony/microsoft should just get their shit together and have windows install drivers. until then i'll just keep using an xbox controller.

 

[xPikYx]

I tried to onstall it bit when I run the program it doesn't seem to work. Went back 1.78

 

[Caffeine]

nice works fine

 

[Fake]

Did you Run As Admin during install?

Yes. The program fail to download the ViGEmBus driver and ask to try again.
Windows 7 x64

 

[Zambatoh]

Tried it out. Seems to work fine for me. That ViGEmBus Driver is new and it seemed to install without problems unlike the previous driver it was using.

 

[The Mad Draklor]

still too much hassle.

sony/microsoft should just get their shit together and have windows install drivers. until then i'll just keep using an xbox controller.

It’s really weird how in Linux of all things, DS4 support is built in.

 

[Fake]

It’s really weird how in Linux of all things, DS4 support is built in.

Is all OS from Sony Playstation are Linux based? Maybe that's explain why.

 

[The Mad Draklor]

Is all OS from Sony Playstation are Linux based? Maybe that's explain why.

BSD and Linux are Unix-like. However, FreeBSD is not Linux and they use different kernels.

 

[Fake]

BSD and Linux are Unix-like. However, FreeBSD is not Linux and they use different kernels.

I don't usally use Linux, but is kinda cool DS4 working on Linux. What impress me more is DS4 at launch working on Windows 7 while Xbox Controller not.

 

[The Mad Draklor]

I don't usally use Linux, but is kinda cool DS4 working on Linux. What impress me more is DS4 at launch working on Windows 7 while Xbox Controller not.

It’s surprisingly out-of-the-box easy. You just connect through Bluetooth or USB and you’re good to go whether you’re on Steam, using WINE, or playing a native Linux game w/o Steam.

 

[Fake]

It’s surprisingly out-of-the-box easy. You just connect through Bluetooth or USB and you’re good to go whether you’re on Steam, using WINE, or playing a native Linux game w/o Steam.

Just one single game I having trouble get working with DualShock 4 on Windows 7 x64: Tomb Raider Gold. Still trying to figure out how make this thing work. I used the previous verison of DS4Windows without sucess. I even have a cd with Xbox 360 controller because before DS4 I used a Xbox 360 controller for playing on PC, now replaced with DS4.

 

[Alexios]

I don't see anything radically different with this version. It works good as always. Most of that changelog seems like backend improvements that are invisible to most users.

 

[JohnSpartanLee]

Can you map multiple stuff to the touchpad (left side, middle, right side)?

 

[JareBear: Remastered]

I used DS4windows for awhile but switched to a One S wired controller. Hard to beat that.

 

[Wonko_C]

still too much hassle.

sony/microsoft should just get their shit together and have windows install drivers. until then i'll just keep using an xbox controller.

It's very streamlined now. Just download, install, pair via bluetooth and it's done. The Xbox One controller gives me more issues: R-trigger sometimes gets stuck, very noticeable in pinball games and can mess you up badly. Random disconnects (and some games really hate that and refuse to detect the controller unless you re-launch the game). And sometimes I have to completely restart the computer because it refuses to pair with the controller.

DS4 has been smooth sailing for me, with some neat QoL features like letting me remap the L-stick to the D-pad for some 2D games, easily switching between different profiles by flicking the touch pad, motion sensors for gyro aiming, etc. (Admittedly some of those features do require some tinkering, but once set up you never have to do that again)

 

[scalman]

is it worth it to update , i have no problems with old DS4. playing all windows and xbox games with DS4 controller on pc. everything works. some racing games like FH4 even have some stuff on light bar it works like rev meter or something , very cool stuff. im afraid to loose it with new version

 

[Explosive Zombie]

It makes it worse than ever, had to switch back to my prior version because the new version causes my stick to drift, like there's zero drifting in the old version but with this it's fucking aggressive.

 

[Myths]

I’ve been using this for a dog’s age now... I have it set to auto start when Windows boots cause man. I can’t stand booting a game then forgetting to apply the necessary drivers for functionality.

Bluetooth is the only way, via USB can disconnect with funny inserts causing your controller to stop working mid-game regardless of reconnecting.

 

[Alexios]

Steam input seems to interfere with this occasionally, or certain games, where they might or might not need me to force enable or disable Steam input to work right while others might default to another connected controller (I have a Fighting Commander and a flight stick at the moment) with no way to change that outside unplugging it or figuring out the device id to disable it from the hardware manager as I don't care to reach the back of my PC to unplug. Some might also get duplicate inputs even with the "hide PS4 controller" option.

Outside that, I've been using this with great success. I believe I'm using whatever branch is still updated (I recall occasionally having to google to figure out the page to download it from so that auto updates will work again) so I'm on version 3.2.7 atm.

So anyway, I'm using two controller profiles to mitigate potential issues. One is the basic layout that is just the normal Xbox style controls. The other is a passthrough profile for games that support DS4 and don't need an Xbox controller or get duplicate inputs with one. I've also set it so that a two finger touchpad swipe switches profiles but to be able to tell which profile I'm currently on I've changed the lightbar color, one is blueish and the passthrough profile is all white. However, certain Windows 11 (and 10 if I recall) functions like opening the Windows Store (just checking for built in app updates, it's not like I'd buy stuff there, lol) seem to sort of reset the controller(s), whenever I open them it blinks off and on. Some other programs cause the same thing, namely Dolphin and PCSX2. Usually that somehow also makes the lightbar the default dark blue until I scroll through the profiles.

It's a minor inconvenience which just means I can't know for sure which profile it's on when just grabbing the controller after some time and I will have to scroll the profiles first. But if there's a way to stop this from happening or get the lightbar to go back to its set color I'd like to know.

I use the controller plugged in USB if that makes a difference, I don't have a BT dongle at the moment.

That's it. That's the post.