Great news: you can now update your PS5 DualSense controller with your PC! Here’s how you do this and why you should.
The PS5's controller, or the DualSense, is a fantastic controller. The DualSense's features combined with its new shape and feel make it the ideal controller for a good portion of gamers, including PC gamers.
Though the DualSense controller works with a PC, you needed a PS5 to update it. Well, not anymore. PlayStation has released an app that lets you update your DualSense through your PC. Let's explore how and why you should use it.
Due to its awesome feedback and improved ergonomics, the DualSense has been the choice of many PC gamers in this generation. Though it's easy to connect to a PC, there was a minor issue: you required a PS5 to update the DualSense's firmware.
Thankfully, this has now been taken care of. PlayStation announced that PC gamers can now update their PS5 controllers on Windows 11 and some Windows 10 devices.
If you're wondering why you should be updating your PS5 controller, one main reason is to keep the controller's haptic feedback and adaptive triggers compatible with the latest games. With every firmware update, the controller registers the latest video game releases and is able to react accordingly.
So then, even though your PS5 controller won't lose its basic functions if you don't update it, it won't be in its best shape either. Considering that haptic feedback and adaptive triggers are the two main upgrades of the PS5 controller, it's a shame to let these features go to waste.
You can update your PS5 with your PC using the firmware updater app that Sony has developed for this sole purpose. This app will detect and update your PS5 DualSense controller, and will also notify you when there's a new update available for it.
A wired connection and a Windows 10 or 11 PC are required for this task. The USB connector on the PlayStation 5 controller is USB-C, so you will need a USB-C cable to connect it to your PC. You should have received a USB-C cable in your PS5 package.
Though PlayStation announced that the DualSense firmware updater will work on select Windows 10 PCs, there have been no reports of the firmware not working on specific builds of Windows 10. If you've got a Windows 10 PC, so far there's no reason to worry.
Once you launch the DualSense firmware updater app, you'll be welcomed by a simplistic screen asking you to connect your PS5 controller. It's obvious what you should do now:
That's it! Your PS5 controller's firmware is now running on its latest version, and you can go and enjoy the PC games that support your controller's immersive features.
Going out of your way to update your PS5 controller might seem superfluous at first, but it's not just any simple gamepad. The DualSense is packed with various features and hardware, and a firmware update to coordinate all these features with the latest video games is recommended.
With the DualSense firmware updater app, you don't need to update your PS5 controller through a PS5 console anymore. So go forth and update your DualSense controller!
Amir is a pharmacy student with a passion for tech and gaming. He likes playing music, driving cars, and writing words.
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