Do you want to use Steam Link with a PS4 controller but don’t know how to pair the two devices? Luckily, this whole process is not as complicated as it seems.
To pair the PS4 controller to Steam Link, simultaneously press the “PS4” and “Share” buttons on the controller. Click the settings icon on the “Main Menu” of Steam Link on your PC and choose “Bluetooth”. Your wireless controller will appear among the detected devices. Press “A” on your PS4 controller to select “Connect”.
We took the time to write a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to pair a PS4 controller to Steam Link. We will also discuss why Steam is not detecting the PS4 controller.
Pairing a PS4 Controller
If you don’t know how to pair a PS4 controller to Steam Link, our following 2 step-by-step methods will help you do this task easily.
Method #1: Pairing a PS4 Controller via Bluetooth
If you don’t have a Steam link game controller and don’t want to use it, you can pair the PS4 controller to Steam Link with these steps.
- Press the “PS4” and “SHARE” buttons simultaneously on the PS4 controller until you see a flashing light.
- Click the settings icon on the “Main Menu” of Steam Link on your PC.
- Select “Bluetooth”.
- In the “Stream Link Bluetooth Setup” window, you can see the “Wireless Controller” among the detected devices.
- Press “A” on your controller to select “Connect”.
Now, you can use your PS4 controller to play games from the game library on Steam Link.
Suppose you have connected your PS4 controller with Steam Link using a USB cable; press “X” to remove your device. Next, plug out the USB cable from your PS4 controller and follow the abovementioned steps to pair it with Steam Link.
Method #2: Pairing a PS4 Controller via a Bluetooth Dongle
Follow these steps to pair your PS4 controller with Steam Link using a Bluetooth dongle.
Step #1: Pairing a PS4 Controller With Bluetooth on a PC
In the first step, connect your PS4 controller to the Bluetooth on your PC. To do this, turn on your PC and plug in a USB Bluetooth dongle. Press the “PS” and “Share” buttons together on your PS4 controller for 3 seconds or until you see the light flashing on your controller.
After your device is ready for pairing, right-click on the “Bluetooth” shortcut in the taskbar of your PC and click “Add a Bluetooth device” in the drop-down. Next, click on your “Wireless Controller” from the list of available devices and click “Pair”. Pairing and connecting your PS4 controller to your PC will take a few minutes.
Step #2: Entering the Big Picture Mode
After Bluetooth pairing, turn off your PS4 controller by pressing the “PS” button for 10 seconds. Now launch Steam on your PC. At the top right corner of the screen, click the controller icon and select “Big Picture Mode”.
Step #3: Pairing a PS4 Controller to Steam Link
Click the gear icon on Steam to open “Settings” and click “Controller Settings”. In the “Add a Steam Controller” box, select the “PS4 Configuration Support” option and click “OK” in the dialog box. Now, turn on your PS4 controller, which will appear under “Detected Controllers” on your PC.
In the “Controller Settings” tab, you can choose your “Preferences”, like the name, color, brightness, etc., of your PS4 controller. Your preferences are saved for your subsequent use.
Your PS4 controller is successfully paired to Steam Link on your PC.
Why Is Steam Not Detecting My PS4 Controller?
If Steam is not detecting your PS4 controller, it is maybe because your device is not working correctly. First, check the battery to troubleshoot this issue if your PS4 controller is paired wirelessly. Otherwise, if you have connected your controller with cables, change the USB cable to fix this issue.
Also, to ensure your PS4 controller is fully functional, test it on another PC.
If the problem is not with your controller, change the “Controller Options” on Steam by doing these steps.
- Launch Steam on your PC and enter the “Big Picture Mode”.
- Click “Library” and select the “Installed” option from the right side of the screen.
- Launch a game and click “Manage Shortcuts” on the right.
- Under the “Steam Input” category, click “Controller Options”.
- Click the drop-down menu below “Steam Input Per-Game Setting” and select “Forced Off”.
- Click “OK” and relaunch your game.
To recheck if your controller is paired, go to the “Settings” on Steam Link on your PC and click “Bluetooth”. Here, all the paired devices appear.
Summary
In this guide on how to pair a PS4 controller to Steam Link, we’ve discussed several methods to connect the streaming device and controller. We’ve also discussed why Steam is not detecting the PS4 controller.
Hopefully, your question is answered in the article, and now you can easily play games from the Library of Steam Link with your PS4 controller.
