What controllers work with 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.
Most current controllers work with a Mac with no driver: PlayStation, Xbox and Switch pads pair in System Settings, Bluetooth, and games that support controllers see them. A second group works with a mapper such as InputConfig, which reads devices macOS does not treat as game controllers, from no-name USB pads and USB SNES pads to wheels, arcade encoders and, experimentally, the Switch 2 Pro Controller, the GameCube controller for Switch 2 and the Joy-Con 2. A few old ones do not work at all.
On this page
Controllers macOS supports on its own
| Controller | How it connects | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PS5 DualSense and DualSense Edge | Bluetooth or USB-C | Pairing steps |
| PS4 DualShock 4 | Bluetooth or micro-USB | Pairing steps |
| PlayStation Access Controller | USB-C or Bluetooth | Guide |
| Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One model 1708 (2016 on. The Xbox button sits in the same plastic as the face), Elite Series 2 | Bluetooth, or USB on macOS 15 Sequoia or later | Which Xbox pads have Bluetooth |
| Xbox Adaptive Controller | Bluetooth | Guide |
| Switch Pro Controller | Bluetooth | macOS 13 or later. Pairing steps |
| Joy-Cons | Bluetooth, one at a time or as a pair | macOS 13 or later. Joy-Con details |
| 8BitDo Pro 2, SN30 Pro, Lite 2 and other models on 8BitDo's Apple list, in D mode or started with B and Start | Bluetooth or USB | Which mode |
| MFi controllers made for Apple devices | Bluetooth | Pair like any Bluetooth device |
InputConfig itself needs macOS 14 or later, which covers every row above.
These are also the controllers that work in Apple Arcade games with controller support. See Apple Arcade on a Mac with a controller.
Controllers that work with a mapper
These are not game controllers as far as macOS is concerned, so games that use Apple's controller support do not see them, but InputConfig reads them and turns them into keys, mouse and more:
- Generic and cheap USB gamepads. In their D-input or PC mode. InputConfig names many of them from the community SDL GameControllerDB, so A, B, X, Y and the sticks land where they do on any other controller. See cheap USB controllers on a Mac.
- USB SNES and NES style pads. Such as Tomee, Retrolink and iBuffalo. Emulators such as OpenEmu and RetroArch read them directly too. See USB SNES controllers on a Mac.
- 8BitDo pads in X mode over a USB cable. Including the Ultimate 2C Wired, which has no Apple mode. InputConfig reads the 8BitDo back buttons as back buttons.
- Joysticks, flight sticks, wheels and pedals. Those that present as ordinary HID devices, with every axis at full resolution and every hat switch. Logitech wheels from the G29 and G923 back to the Driving Force are read in full, a G923 for PlayStation is switched to its own mode, and Thrustmaster wheels share their axes, so one preset fits both. See joysticks on a Mac and racing wheels on a Mac.
- Arcade and fight sticks. In a PS3, PS4, DirectInput or Switch mode, not Xbox or XInput mode. On many PlayStation-licensed sticks the PC position is XInput, and GP2040-CE boards are read in their Generic, PS3, PS4 and Switch modes: arcade sticks on a Mac. Arcade encoders and two-player adapters give each player a controller of their own: arcade encoders on a Mac.
- The PS3 DualShock 3. Over a USB cable. macOS does not support it as a game controller, so games do not see it. InputConfig reads it on the cable. See a PS3 controller on a Mac.
- Switch 2 and GameCube pads. The Switch 2 Pro Controller, the GameCube controller for Switch 2 and the Joy-Con 2, over a USB-C cable (the Joy-Con 2 in their charging grip) or, since 1.8, over Bluetooth with a setting in InputConfig. All four ports of a GameCube controller adapter too. All experimental, and the Bluetooth part is not yet checked on a controller. See Switch 2 Pro Controller on a Mac.
- Steam and Stadia controllers. The Steam Controller, both the original and Valve's 2026 model (experimental), and the Stadia Controller once unlocked. See other controllers.
- Not controllers at all. MIDI keyboards and pads, a Stream Deck (experimental), a 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse or Contour ShuttlePRO, a pen tablet, and your Mac's own keyboard, mouse and trackpad.
Controllers that do not work
- The wired Xbox 360 controller. And cheap pads that only have an Xbox or X-input mode on a cable: they speak Microsoft's own USB protocol, which macOS does not support, so no Mac app can read them. InputConfig lists such a pad in its Devices menu, grayed out, with the reason, so you know it is the protocol and not the cable. See controller drivers on a Mac.
- First Xbox One pads and the Elite Series 1, before Sequoia. They have no Bluetooth and need a cable. macOS added wired Xbox support in macOS 15 Sequoia. On earlier versions they do not work at all.
If a pad has an Xbox mode and another mode, switch it out of Xbox mode before you give up on it.
Set the mode on PowerA, GameSir and no-name pads
PowerA, GameSir, Logitech and the unbranded pads sold for PCs work on a Mac when they present themselves as one of the controllers above. Many have a mode switch, or a button held while turning them on, that picks what they pretend to be:
- iOS, Apple, MFi or Switch mode, over Bluetooth. The pad becomes a real game controller that games see.
- D-input or PC mode. A plain HID device that games ignore and InputConfig reads.
- Xbox or X-input mode on a cable. Usually cannot be read at all.
The Logitech F310 is the usual case: set the switch on its back to D. GameSir's button pairs for each mode are on GameSir controllers on a Mac. The full walk-through is on cheap USB controllers on a Mac, and if one is connected and misbehaving, generic USB gamepad not working. Before you buy, see the best controller for a Mac.
If it connects and a game ignores it
Many Mac games have no controller support at all. That is not the controller's fault. A mapper sends the keyboard and mouse the game expects, and InputConfig has ready layouts for 450+ games. See play any Mac game with a controller.
The short version
- PlayStation, Xbox with Bluetooth, Switch Pro, Joy-Cons, MFi, 8BitDo in D. These work natively, with no driver.
- Generic USB pads, sticks, wheels, and the Switch 2 pads (experimental). These work with a mapper.
- Wired Xbox 360 and X-input-only pads. These do not work on any Mac.
If macOS shows the controller in System Settings, Game Controllers, most games can use it with nothing else installed.
Questions
Is a PS5, Xbox or Switch controller compatible with a Mac?
Yes. The PS5 DualSense, the PS4 DualShock 4, Bluetooth Xbox controllers and the Switch Pro Controller are all compatible with a Mac with no driver: each pairs in System Settings, Bluetooth. The DualSense and the Xbox Series X|S controller need macOS 11.3 or later, and the Switch Pro Controller needs macOS 13 or later.
Do I need a driver?
Not for current PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, 8BitDo and MFi controllers, and not for generic USB pads, which macOS reads as HID devices. The wired Xbox 360 pad is the usual exception, and no driver fixes it on current macOS.
Does a Mac support a wired Xbox controller?
From macOS 15 Sequoia, yes: plug it in and allow the connection when the Mac asks. On macOS 14 Sonoma and earlier, pair Xbox controllers over Bluetooth instead. The wired Xbox 360 controller is not supported by macOS.
Does the Switch 2 Pro Controller work with a Mac?
Not natively, as of October 2026. macOS supports the original Switch Pro Controller and Joy-Cons from macOS 13, but not the Switch 2 Pro Controller or Joy-Con 2, so games do not see them. InputConfig reads the Switch 2 Pro Controller over a USB-C cable and, since 1.8, over Bluetooth with a setting, as an experimental feature, for mapping to keys and mouse. It reads the Joy-Con 2 the same way. See Switch 2 Pro Controller on a Mac.
What controller works best with a MacBook?
A PS5 DualSense or an Xbox Series controller: both pair over Bluetooth with no driver, and every Mac game with controller support sees them. The DualSense also has a touchpad and motion sensors, which InputConfig can use as a trackpad and for aiming.
Do racing wheels work with a Mac?
The Mac sees most USB wheels with no driver. Since macOS 13, Mac games written for Apple's racing wheel support use wheels such as the Logitech G29 and G920. Most other games ignore a wheel, and a mapper such as InputConfig turns it into keys. Force feedback only works in games that support the wheel themselves.
Do adaptive controllers work with a Mac?
The PlayStation Access Controller and the Xbox Adaptive Controller both do, with no driver, and switches plugged into them arrive as buttons. A QuadStick and most USB switch interfaces also connect. The adaptive controllers guide says how each one shows up.
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