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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe original PC version of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag does not natively support Sony’s PS5 DualSense controller. The most reliable workaround is to translate the DualSense into an Xbox-style XInput controller: use Steam Input for the Steam version, or DS4Windows with Xbox 360 output for Ubisoft Connect and other installations.
Use only one controller-mapping layer at a time. Running Steam Input and DS4Windows together can expose both the physical DualSense and a virtual controller, causing double input, unpredictable prompts, or controls that appear stuck.
Why Black Flag does not recognize a DualSense
Ubisoft Support stated on December 4, 2022, that the original PC release of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag does not natively support the DualSense. The game does support ordinary controller input and is most compatible with Xbox/XInput controllers, so a compatibility layer is needed for a PS5 controller.
That limitation concerns the original game—not Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced, which is a separate project with separate controller-support information. See the distinct Black Flag Resynced listing if that is the version you are playing.
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- Enjoy precise, comfortable control over 10,000+ supported Steam games.
- Easily pair the controller directly to your Windows PC via Bluetooth or play as you charge with the included USB Type-C cable
- Stay paired with up to four different Bluetooth devices, making it easy to enjoy the controller across Windows PC, Mac, PS5 consoles and smartphones. Discover more connection tips and tricks at playstation.com/pair-dualsense
- Access the latest available controller firmware directly from your PC with the free-todownload PlayStation Accessories app
- Play games streamed from your PS5 or PS4 console to your PC via the PS Remote Play App
A mapper can provide usable sticks, buttons, triggers, vibration, and menu controls, but it cannot guarantee native DualSense features. Adaptive triggers, advanced haptics, the controller speaker, motion controls, and PlayStation button prompts require individual game support. Sony notes that DualSense features on PC vary by game, and haptic feedback may require a USB connection.
First, verify that Windows sees the controller
- Connect the DualSense with a USB-C data cable. Some cables provide charging only.
- Confirm that it appears under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices, or test its buttons and sticks with a reputable gamepad tester.
- If you own the Steam version, open Steam’s controller test or configuration screen and confirm that the inputs register.
- Disconnect other gamepads and close controller utilities while testing.
- Update the controller with Sony’s PlayStation Accessories application for Windows.
Sony supports DualSense USB and Bluetooth connections on Windows 10 64-bit and Windows 11. If Windows cannot detect the controller anywhere, fix the cable, USB port, Bluetooth pairing, or controller connection first; changing Black Flag settings will not solve a hardware-level detection problem.
Choose the fix for your PC edition
- Steam version: Try Steam Input first.
- Ubisoft Connect version: Use DS4Windows to emulate an Xbox 360 controller.
- Steam version with failed Steam Input: Disable Steam Input and use DS4Windows instead.
- Boxed or legacy installation: Use the same XInput approach, but verify that the launcher is starting the intended game executable.
Fix the Steam version with Steam Input
Steam Input is the simplest first option because it is built into Steam and can translate the DualSense into a controller format that older games understand.
- Connect the DualSense before starting the game.
- Open Steam and go to your Library.
- Right-click Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and choose Properties.
- Open the Controller section.
- Set the per-game option to use Steam Input. Depending on your Steam client version, the label may appear as Enable Steam Input, Use default settings, or similar wording.
- Start the game from Steam.
- If Steam offers a controller configuration or test view, select a standard gamepad layout and confirm that the controls respond.
Test the controller in the main menu, on foot, and during ship gameplay. A partial mapping can work in menus while failing on movement, camera control, combat, or ship controls.
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If Steam Input still does nothing
Close the game completely, then try the opposite per-game setting—Disable Steam Input—only when you are going to use another mapper such as DS4Windows. Do not switch back and forth while DS4Windows or another controller wrapper remains active.
Xbox button prompts are normal when Steam Input presents the game with an Xbox/XInput-style controller. They indicate the translation method, not a defective DualSense.
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Fix the Ubisoft Connect version with DS4Windows
For Ubisoft Connect users, DS4Windows is usually the more direct workaround because it can emulate an Xbox 360 controller at the Windows level. It can also be used by Steam owners whose Steam Input setup does not work.
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- Install the required runtime and virtual-controller components when prompted. Requirements can vary by build and may include the .NET Desktop Runtime, Visual C++ redistributables, and a virtual-controller driver.
- Connect the DualSense by USB first.
- Open DS4Windows and confirm that the physical controller appears.
- Create or select a profile whose output controller is Xbox 360.
- Start DS4Windows before launching Black Flag.
- Launch the game through Ubisoft Connect or Steam and test movement, camera control, combat, menus, and the ship controls.
The DS4Windows project documentation covers DualSense support, Windows compatibility, virtual-controller operation, and setup requirements.
Disable overlapping Steam remapping
If DS4Windows is providing the virtual Xbox controller, disable Steam Input for Black Flag when launching through Steam. Steam should not remap a controller that DS4Windows has already emulated.
Also close reWASD, DSX, InputMapper, JoyToKey, and similar tools while diagnosing the problem. Each additional input layer increases the chance of conflicts.
Stop double input
Double input usually means the game can see both the real DualSense and the virtual Xbox controller created by DS4Windows. Common symptoms include menus moving twice per press, two controllers appearing, unexpected simultaneous actions, or a character moving or turning incorrectly.
- Close Black Flag.
- Choose one mapper: Steam Input or DS4Windows.
- If using Steam Input, close DS4Windows and other controller wrappers.
- If using DS4Windows, disable Steam Input for the game.
- If the physical controller is still visible alongside the virtual controller, use DS4Windows’ controller-hiding function with HidHide where appropriate.
- Reconnect the controller, start only the chosen mapper, and relaunch the game.
Hiding the physical device is not required for every setup. Use it when the game continues to receive duplicate input after the extra mapping layers have been removed.
Bluetooth works but USB does not—or the reverse
Use USB-C for the initial diagnosis. It removes Bluetooth pairing and radio interference from the problem and is also the better connection for testing PC haptics.
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If USB is not detected
- Try a different USB-C cable known to carry data.
- Try another USB port, preferably directly on the PC rather than through an unpowered hub.
- Update the DualSense with PlayStation Accessories.
- Check Windows Device Manager for disabled or malfunctioning HID devices.
If Bluetooth is not detected
- Charge the controller.
- Remove the DualSense from Windows Bluetooth devices and pair it again.
- Temporarily disconnect competing Bluetooth controllers and devices.
- Restart Windows with the controller already paired, then test it before launching the game.
If Bluetooth works in Windows but Black Flag does not, the controller is not necessarily unsupported at the hardware level. Use Steam Input or XInput emulation to translate its input for the older game.
When the controller works but prompts or features are wrong
Under Steam Input or DS4Windows Xbox 360 emulation, the game will commonly display Xbox button icons. There may be no reliable way to make the original PC release show native PlayStation button prompts without a separate game-specific modification, and prompt replacement is different from making the controller function.
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Missing adaptive triggers, advanced haptics, speaker output, or motion controls also do not prove that basic input is broken. Those features require support from the game and the active input path. Sony’s PC controller support guidance documents these limitations.
If ordinary rumble is missing, check that rumble or output data is enabled in the mapper profile. Then test over USB. DS4Windows documentation notes that disabling output data can affect features such as rumble and the lightbar.
Check the in-game controls
Once the game accepts input, open its controls or options menu and confirm that controller use is enabled. Restore the default controller layout if bindings appear corrupted, then remap only the controls you need.
Test all of the following rather than stopping at the main menu:
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- Left-stick movement and right-stick camera control
- Attack, dodge, interaction, and weapon selection
- Pause and menu navigation
- On-foot movement and aiming
- Ship steering, camera movement, and ship actions
If nothing works: use this diagnostic path
Windows does not detect the DualSense
Try another data-capable USB-C cable and USB port, re-pair Bluetooth, install the latest controller software, and check Device Manager. If connection troubleshooting fails, reset the controller using its recessed reset button, as described in Sony’s DualSense pairing and troubleshooting guidance.
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Windows detects it, but Steam does not
Connect the controller before restarting Steam. Close other controller tools, remove and re-pair the Bluetooth device, and test with USB. Then check Steam’s controller configuration or test screen.
Steam detects it, but Black Flag does not
Enable per-game Steam Input and launch from Steam. If that fails, close Steam Input and use DS4Windows with Xbox 360 output. Do not run both methods simultaneously.
Ubisoft Connect detects it, but the game does not
Start DS4Windows first, confirm that its virtual Xbox controller appears, and then launch the game. Hide the physical DualSense if duplicate input occurs.
The game still ignores every mapper
Restart Steam and Ubisoft Connect, close all overlays and controller utilities, avoid connecting a second gamepad, and verify that the launcher is opening the original Black Flag installation. If necessary, repair or reinstall the mapper’s virtual-controller driver and test with a known Xbox/XInput controller. If an Xbox controller works immediately, the game is functioning and the remaining issue is the DualSense translation setup.
Temporarily disable Steam Overlay, Ubisoft Connect Overlay, Discord overlay, GeForce Experience overlay, and other unnecessary overlays during testing. Re-enable them one at a time after the controller works.
Recommended setup
| Game edition | Recommended setup | Expected result |
|---|---|---|
| Steam | Steam Input only | DualSense appears to the game as a compatible controller, usually with Xbox prompts |
| Ubisoft Connect | DS4Windows with Xbox 360 output only | The game receives a virtual XInput controller |
| Any edition with double input | Remove the second mapper and hide the physical device if necessary | One controller and one action per button press |
Start with USB, confirm Windows detection, identify the launcher, and activate exactly one translation layer. The goal is reliable controller input—not native DualSense support, which the original PC release does not provide.
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