How to map a PS4 controller to keyboard keys 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 free mapper does it. A PS4 DualShock 4 works on a Mac with no driver, and native Mac games see it straight away, but for everything else the controller has to look like a keyboard and mouse. InputConfig does that: every button, both sticks, the analog triggers, the touchpad and the gyroscope can send the keys and mouse events you choose, in any app.
Every free controller mapper for Mac is compared on one page, side by side.
Map the buttons
- Pair 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 cable. Connecting a PS4 controller has the fixes if it will not pair.
- Open InputConfig and allow Accessibility access.
- Start from Desktop Navigation to run the Mac, search the Smart Preset Maker for your game, or create an empty preset.
- You: Click Scan on a row, press the control, then choose Keyboard Key and the key.
- InputConfig: Fills the row with the control you pressed. Cross, Circle, Square, Triangle, the D-pad, L1 to R3, Share, Options and the touchpad click are all mappable.
- Check: Activate, open a text editor, and press the button. The key appears.
Deactivate from the menu bar, or use the emergency stop, when you want the controller back to normal.
Use what the DualShock 4 adds
- Touchpad. Use it as a trackpad, with one finger moving the pointer, two fingers scrolling and a tap or press to click. See touchpad as a mouse.
- Gyroscope. Tilt to aim or move the pointer. See gyro aim on a Mac.
- Light bar. Each preset can set its own color, so the controller shows which layout is live. See light bar.
- Triggers. L2 and R2 are analog, so they can click, press a key past a set point, or scroll.
Start from a common layout
| Goal | Start from |
|---|---|
| Run the whole Mac: pointer, scroll, clicks, shortcuts | Desktop Navigation |
| Touchpad as a trackpad | Touchpad Mouse |
| Minecraft Java | Minecraft |
| Any game with default keys | The preset library, 450+ games and apps |
The short version
- No driver. Pair the DualShock 4 and it is ready.
- One row per control. Scan, press, pick a key.
- The extras. You also get the touchpad as a trackpad, gyro aim, and a light bar color per preset.
Start from a ready layout and change only the rows you need.
Questions
Can you map a PS4 controller to keyboard keys on a Mac?
Yes, with a mapper. System Settings can only swap one controller button for another. InputConfig makes any button, stick or trigger send a key or mouse action in any app.
Does the DualShock 4 touchpad work on a Mac?
Games mostly ignore it, but InputConfig reads it and can use it as a trackpad with tap and two-finger scroll.
Is it free?
Yes. InputConfig is free and open source on the Mac App Store, with no account or subscription. It needs macOS 14 or later.
Related
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