How to use a PS4 controller as a mouse on a Mac
InputConfig is completely free on the Mac App Store. You don't have to make an account, there are no subscriptions, and nothing is locked. Optimized for Apple silicon.
A DualShock 4 makes a good Mac mouse, and it has three ways to move the pointer: the left stick, the touchpad, and the gyroscope. macOS will not use any of them for the pointer by itself. System Settings can only swap controller buttons for other controller buttons. InputConfig is free and does it in about a minute. I built it because my hands do not work well.
On this page
Steps
- Connect the DualShock 4 by Bluetooth (hold PS and Share) or a micro-USB data cable.
- Open InputConfig and allow Accessibility access.
- Activate the Desktop Navigation preset, or Touchpad Mouse for the touchpad.
- Adjust deadzone and speed in the stick rows' Options if needed.
Set it up
- Connect the DualShock 4: hold PS and Share until the light bar flashes, then pick it in System Settings, Bluetooth, or plug in a micro-USB data cable. The connect page has the details.
- Open InputConfig and allow Accessibility access when it asks. That permission is what lets it move the pointer and click.
- Activate the built-in Desktop Navigation preset.
- You: Push the left stick, then press a few buttons while watching the Live Visualizer.
- InputConfig: Moves the pointer from the left stick and scrolls from the right. R2 left-clicks and L2 right-clicks, the D-pad sends the arrow keys, L1 and R1 switch apps, Share opens Spotlight, and Options is Return.
- Check: If the pointer creeps with the stick at rest, raise the deadzone on the four left-stick rows.
Use the touchpad as a trackpad
The DualShock 4's touchpad reads two fingers separately, and Mac apps ignore it. The Touchpad Mouse preset makes it a trackpad:
- One finger. Moves the pointer.
- A second finger. Scrolls.
- A tap, or pressing the pad. Clicks.
- A two-finger tap. Right-clicks.
The touchpad needs no calibration, because macOS reports the whole pad, so a swipe moves the same distance anywhere on it. It works over Bluetooth and over the cable. More on the touchpad page.
Point by tilting it
The DualShock 4 has a gyroscope, and Motion Cursor turns it into a laser pointer: tilt the pad and the pointer follows, level it and the pointer comes back. R1 re-centers it, and holding L1 lets you move the controller without moving the pointer. For someone who can hold a controller but cannot work a stick, this is a real alternative to a mouse. The gyro page covers speed and smoothing.
Make it comfortable
Open the preset in the editor and use Options on the stick rows:
- Speed. Lower it for fine work.
- Curve. Pick one so small pushes are slow and full pushes are fast.
- Light bar. Set a color so you can tell at a glance which preset is running.
The Accessibility Pointer preset is tuned for precision: a slow left stick for small targets and a fast right stick for crossing the screen. A worn DualShock 4 often drifts. The stick drift page sets the deadzone properly.
Add keys, typing and games
- Keys. Every row in a preset can send a key or a shortcut instead of a click, so the same pad can also be a keyboard: see mapping a controller to the keyboard.
- Typing. Pair it with the macOS Accessibility Keyboard. Typing with a controller shows how.
- Games. For a game that ignores controllers, the Smart Preset Maker has a ready layout for 450+ games and apps.
If a preset ever takes over, the emergency stop turns everything off at once.
The short version
- Stick. Desktop Navigation: left stick points, right stick scrolls, R2 and L2 click.
- Touchpad. Use Touchpad Mouse, which needs no calibration.
- Tilt. Use Motion Cursor, with R1 to re-center.
Three ways to point, one free app, no driver.
Questions
Can you use a PS4 controller as a mouse on a Mac?
Yes. Connect the DualShock 4, open InputConfig, and activate the Desktop Navigation preset. The left stick moves the pointer, the right stick scrolls, and R2 and L2 click.
Does the PS4 controller touchpad work as a mouse on a Mac?
Not on its own. With the Touchpad Mouse preset in InputConfig, one finger moves the pointer, a second finger scrolls, and a tap or press clicks.
Do I need a driver or DS4Windows?
No. macOS supports the DualShock 4 natively, and DS4Windows is Windows only. InputConfig needs only the Accessibility permission.
Can I map the PS4 controller to keyboard keys on a Mac?
Yes. Any button, stick direction, trigger or touchpad gesture can send a key or a shortcut, and a preset can mix keys and mouse.
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