Questions
How to connect a wired controller to a Mac
Most controllers work on a Mac over a USB cable with no driver: plug in a data cable, allow the accessory if the Mac asks, and the pad appears in System Settings, Game Controllers. The exceptions are the reason this page exists. Xbox controllers only work wired from macOS 15 Sequoia, Nintendo's pads are Bluetooth controllers, and generic USB gamepads, arcade sticks and joysticks connect fine but are invisible to most games. Here is which is which, and what to do about each.
Steps
- Plug the controller into the Mac with a data cable.
- Click Allow if the Mac asks to connect the accessory.
- Open System Settings, Game Controllers, and press a button.
- If it is only in System Information, USB, map it with InputConfig.
Which controllers work over a cable
| Controller | Over USB | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PS5 DualSense, DualSense Edge | Yes, USB-C | PS5 pairing and cable |
| PS4 DualShock 4 | Yes, micro-USB | Needs a micro-USB to USB-C cable on a MacBook |
| Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Elite Series 2 | macOS 15 Sequoia or later | The Mac asks whether to connect the Microsoft controller. On macOS 14, use Bluetooth |
| Switch Pro Controller, Joy-Cons | Pair over Bluetooth | Apple's steps for these are Bluetooth only; the cable charges them |
| 8BitDo | Depends on model and mode | Which mode to use |
| Logitech F310, F510 | Yes, switch on D | Seen as a plain HID device, not a game controller |
| Generic USB gamepads, arcade sticks, joysticks, wheels | Yes, as HID devices | Most games ignore them; see below |
| Wired Xbox 360 controller | No | macOS does not support its protocol |
Step by step
- Plug the controller into the Mac with a cable that carries data. Charge-only cables are common and do nothing here.
- If the Mac asks whether to allow the accessory, click Allow. Mac laptops with Apple silicon ask for new accessories, and macOS 15 and later ask again for Xbox controllers.
- Open System Settings and click Game Controllers in the sidebar. Press a button; if it lights up there, you are done.
- If it is not listed, hold Option, open the Apple menu and choose System Information, then click USB. If the controller is listed there, the Mac sees it but does not treat it as a game controller. The last section covers that case.
InputConfig is free on the Mac App Store. macOS 14 or later, no account, no tracking, open source.
Cables, adapters and hubs
- MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and MacBook Neo have only USB-C ports. A controller with a USB-A cable needs a small USB-C adapter, or swap the cable for a USB-C one of the right kind at the controller end.
- Data, not charge-only. If the controller charges but the Mac never shows it, try another cable before anything else.
- Hubs and docks sometimes drop controllers, especially unpowered ones. Plug into the Mac directly while you test.
- A cable or Bluetooth? A cable needs no pairing, charges the pad and holds a steadier connection when the Mac is far away or the room is full of wireless devices. More in controller input lag on a Mac.
Connected over USB, but not a game controller
Generic USB gamepads, arcade sticks, flight sticks, wheels, a Logitech F310 on D, and 8BitDo pads in some modes all reach the Mac as plain HID devices. macOS reads them without a driver, but games that use Apple's controller support look only for PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and MFi pads, so they see nothing. No driver download changes that. Emulators and flight sims often read HID devices themselves; check their controls screen first.
For everything else, InputConfig reads the device directly and turns its buttons and axes into keys, mouse movement, clicks and scrolling. If the app does not pick it up on its own, click Refresh Controllers, or tick it under InputConfig, Devices in the menu bar; the app opens it and remembers it next time. Then use Scan in the editor and press each control to bind it. It is free, with no account. The details are in connecting a controller to InputConfig and the controllers InputConfig reads.
Questions
Do I need a driver for a USB controller on a Mac?
No. PlayStation and Xbox controllers are supported by macOS, and generic USB gamepads and joysticks are read as HID devices without one. If a game ignores a generic pad, a driver will not help; a mapper such as InputConfig will.
Can I connect an Xbox controller to a Mac with a USB cable?
Yes, on macOS 15 Sequoia or later. Plug it in and click Allow when the Mac asks to connect the Microsoft controller. On macOS 14 Sonoma and earlier, connect it over Bluetooth instead.
Does a Switch Pro Controller work wired on a Mac?
Apple documents Bluetooth pairing for the Switch Pro Controller and Joy-Cons, so pair them over Bluetooth and use the cable to charge. They need macOS 13 Ventura or later.
Why does my wired controller charge but not work on my Mac?
Most often the cable is charge-only. Try a data cable plugged straight into the Mac, and look for an allow-accessory prompt. If it is listed in System Information, USB but not in Game Controllers, it is a plain HID device that games do not read.
How do I connect a wired controller to a MacBook Air?
Plug it into a USB-C port, with an adapter if the plug is USB-A, and click Allow if the Mac asks about the accessory. Then check System Settings, Game Controllers.
Related
Free. macOS 14 or later. No account, nothing leaves your Mac. Open source on GitHub.