Questions
How to check a controller's battery on a Mac
Connect the controller, then look in the Bluetooth menu in the menu bar or in Control Center: macOS shows a battery level there for some accessories, depending on the device and the macOS version. If your controller shows nothing there, an app that reads game controllers can show the level the controller passes to macOS. InputConfig, which is free, shows it beside the controller at the top of its sidebar.
In InputConfig
Open InputConfig with the controller connected. The controller appears at the top of the sidebar with its name and battery level. Click its chip for the details: the level as a percentage and the charging state, which reads Charging, Full or Discharging. With the window closed, click the InputConfig icon in the menu bar and open the Controller menu: every connected pad is listed with its percentage, which is handy with two controllers on one Mac or in the middle of a game. It needs no preset running and no setup.
InputConfig is free on the Mac App Store. macOS 14 or later, no account, no tracking, open source.
PS5 and PS4 controllers
The DualSense, DualSense Edge and DualShock 4 show their level in InputConfig whenever macOS passes it on. Sony's own indicator helps while charging: with the DualSense switched off and plugged in, the light bar slowly pulses orange, and it goes dark when the controller is full.
Xbox, Switch Pro and other controllers
The same rule applies to every pad: if the controller reports its charge to macOS, InputConfig shows it. If the chip shows no battery at all, macOS is not receiving a level from that controller, and no Mac app can show one. Generic USB pads, arcade sticks and 8BitDo pads in the modes the Mac reads as plain USB devices usually fall into this group, and so does anything wired that has no battery.
When a low battery looks like something else
A controller running low tends to disconnect every few minutes, lag, or reconnect as a new device, and all three look like a Mac problem. Charge it and test again before changing anything else. If it still drops out when full, see PS5 controller keeps disconnecting from a Mac or controller input lag on a Mac, and test the controller button by button.
Questions
How do I check my PS5 controller's battery on a MacBook?
The same way as on any Mac. Look in the Bluetooth menu first; if the DualSense shows no level there, InputConfig shows it at the top of its sidebar and in its menu bar icon's Controller menu.
Can I see the controller battery while I play?
Yes. InputConfig's menu bar icon opens a small panel whose Controller menu lists each connected pad with its percentage, so you do not need to leave the game's window.
Why does my controller show no battery level?
The controller is not reporting one to macOS. Many generic and wired pads never do.
Does checking the battery cost anything?
No. InputConfig is free and open source, with an optional tip jar that unlocks nothing. It has no account and makes no network connections.
Related
Free. macOS 14 or later. No account, nothing leaves your Mac. Open source on GitHub.