Questions

Do you need a controller driver on a Mac?

For any controller made in the last several years, no. macOS supports PlayStation, Xbox (Bluetooth models), Switch Pro, Joy-Con, 8BitDo and every MFi pad out of the box; pair it and it appears in System Settings, Game Controllers. The driver question only comes up for older hardware, and for the different problem of a game that ignores a controller the Mac already sees.

Steps

1. Pair a modern controller; no driver is needed.
2. If a game ignores it, use a mapper rather than a driver.
3. For generic HID pads, connect by hand in InputConfig, Devices.

Controllers that still need a driver

• Wired Xbox 360 controller: macOS never supported its protocol. The old 360Controller kernel extension is unmaintained and does not load on current macOS; there is no supported replacement. An 8BitDo wireless adapter or a modern controller is the practical answer.
• Original Xbox One controller without Bluetooth (2013 model): it has no Bluetooth, so it needs a cable, and support over USB depends on the macOS version.
• PS3 DualShock 3: not officially supported; some people get it working over Bluetooth after a manual pairing, many do not.
• Logitech F310 and similar DirectInput pads: seen as generic HID devices, so they do not appear under Game Controllers, but InputConfig can connect them by hand from its Devices menu and map them.

When a driver is not the problem

If the controller appears in System Settings and a game still ignores it, no driver will help; the game does not read controllers. A mapper sends the keyboard and mouse input the game does understand. That is what InputConfig is for, and it is free.

Questions

Related

• How to connect a controller to a Mac
• Controller not recognized on a Mac
• Controller connected but not detected
• Other controllers
• How to connect an Xbox controller to a Mac