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Yes—an original Sony DUALSHOCK 3 or SIXAXIS controller can still be used on a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC. It is not normally plug-and-play, though. For the most reliable current setup, use DsHidMini; add BthPS3 if you want Bluetooth. If you only play Steam games over USB, try Steam Input first.
The short version is: use a Mini-USB data cable, install the current drivers from the official Nefarius sources, and pair Bluetooth by USB—not through Windows’ ordinary Bluetooth device-discovery window.
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Choose the right method
| Your situation | Recommended method | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Steam games with a wired connection | Steam Input, with DsHidMini if Windows needs a driver | Simple inside Steam, but not a complete solution for non-Steam games |
| General Windows gaming | DsHidMini | Requires one-time driver setup |
| Wireless gaming | DsHidMini plus BthPS3 | More setup and Bluetooth troubleshooting |
| Games that expect an Xbox controller | DsHidMini configured for XInput-style output | Games may show Xbox button prompts |
| PCSX2, RPCS3, RetroArch, Dolphin, or DuckStation | DsHidMini with the emulator’s appropriate input mode | You may need to map controls manually |
| Maximum plug-and-play reliability | A current XInput controller | Costs more and does not reproduce the original DS3 experience |
What you need
- An original Sony DUALSHOCK 3 or SIXAXIS controller.
- Windows 10 or Windows 11, 64-bit x64 or ARM64.
- A Mini-USB cable that supports data transfer. A charge-only cable can power the controller but cannot install or use it correctly.
- A free USB port, preferably directly on the PC rather than through an unpowered hub.
- A compatible Bluetooth adapter if you want wireless play. Built-in Bluetooth may work, but adapter and driver compatibility can vary.
Inspect the rear label and Sony branding before you begin. Third-party “PS3-compatible” controllers, clones, and counterfeit DualShock 3 units may identify differently and are not guaranteed to work with DsHidMini. If Windows reports an unknown USB device rather than a Sony controller, replacing the controller may be less frustrating than forcing compatibility.
Method 1: Set up the controller over USB
1. Remove conflicting PS3 controller software
If this PC has previously used ScpToolkit, SCP drivers, older Sixaxis software, or another utility that installed a controller filter driver, it may prevent DsHidMini from taking control of the device.
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Remove known PS3-controller software or follow the cleanup instructions in the DsHidMini installation documentation. Do not blindly uninstall every controller-related driver: remove software that was specifically installed for this PS3 controller, and restart Windows afterward if requested.
2. Download DsHidMini from the official source
Download the current release from the DsHidMini GitHub releases page and use the accompanying Nefarius documentation. Do not use random driver-download websites.
Do not rely on a fixed version number from an old guide. DsHidMini’s documentation distinguishes between installation generations, and the older version 1 procedure is deprecated. Follow the instructions for the current release rather than mixing version 1, version 2, and version 3 steps.
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3. Install the driver
Run the current .msi installer and approve the administrator prompt. The installation documentation notes that Windows UAC should be enabled for setup to work correctly.
If you only need a wired controller, DsHidMini alone is enough. If you want Bluetooth, select the BthPS3 wireless component when the installer offers it, or install BthPS3 separately from its official release page.
4. Connect the controller
Connect the controller directly to the PC with the Mini-USB data cable. Give Windows a moment to install and enumerate the device.
The expected result is that DsHidMini takes control and the controller appears through the DsHidMini control application or under a Nefarius-related HID device category. If it appears only as an unknown device or a different legacy controller entry, a bad cable or conflicting driver is a more likely explanation than a game setting.
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Test the sticks, triggers, face buttons, D-pad, Start, Select, PS, L3, and R3 in the DsHidMini control application, Windows’ game-controller test interface, or your target game.
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Windows detecting the controller and a game accepting it are separate steps. Establish that the driver sees button presses before troubleshooting Steam or an emulator.
Choose an input mode
DsHidMini can expose the controller in different ways. The best choice depends on what the game or application expects.
XInput-style output
Use XInput-style output when a modern PC game expects an Xbox controller or ignores traditional DirectInput devices. This generally offers the broadest compatibility with current Windows games and non-Steam launchers.
The trade-off is presentation: the game may show Xbox button prompts instead of PlayStation symbols. Some DualShock 3 features may also be represented differently through XInput.
DirectInput or PlayStation-oriented output
Use a DirectInput or native-style mode when an emulator expects a traditional controller device or when you want to preserve the original button layout. PCSX2, RPCS3, RetroArch, Dolphin, and DuckStation may require different mappings, so select the input backend the application supports and map the buttons manually if necessary.
The standard buttons and analog sticks are the reliable baseline. Pressure-sensitive face buttons and motion sensing are not universal PC features: support depends on the driver mode, emulator, game, and application. Valve has documented limitations involving the DualShock 3’s gyro and analog face buttons, so do not assume that every game can use them.
Use the controller with Steam
Valve lists PlayStation 3 controllers among the devices supported by Steam Input.
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- Connect the controller over USB.
- Open Steam and go to its controller settings.
- Confirm that Steam detects the controller.
- Enable or configure Steam Input for the specific game.
- Test the layout before launching the game.
Steam Input may be enough if you play Steam games only, are happy with a wired connection, and Steam detects the controller correctly. It does not automatically solve Bluetooth pairing, non-Steam games, emulator configuration, or Windows driver conflicts.
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Use DsHidMini as the broader solution when you need the controller outside Steam, want Bluetooth, need a particular emulator mode, or encounter a game that expects XInput rather than Steam’s translated input.
Set up Bluetooth correctly
PS3 controllers do not pair like a DualShock 4 or DualSense. In particular, do not search for “PLAYSTATION(R)3 Controller” in Windows’ normal Add Bluetooth device dialog and do not enter a generic Bluetooth PIN.
BthPS3’s official instructions use a USB-first pairing process:
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- Restart Windows if the installer requests it.
- Connect the DualShock 3 to the PC with a USB data cable.
- Allow BthPS3 to pair the controller with the PC’s Bluetooth address.
- Disconnect the USB cable.
- Press the controller’s PS button.
- Wait for the controller to connect wirelessly.
BthPS3 supports original PS3 peripherals on supported Windows 10 and Windows 11 x64 or ARM64 systems, but no particular Bluetooth adapter should be treated as universally guaranteed. If your PC has no Bluetooth, or its internal adapter behaves poorly, a Windows-compatible USB Bluetooth adapter with a good return policy is a sensible test.
Re-pair a controller that stopped connecting
- Press the small reset button on the controller’s rear with a pin or paperclip.
- Reconnect the controller to the PC over USB.
- Allow BthPS3 to pair it again.
- Disconnect the cable and press PS.
This reset-and-repair process is also recommended when the pairing check succeeds but the controller still refuses to connect wirelessly.
Troubleshooting
The controller powers on, but Windows shows no input
Start with the physical connection:
- Try a known data-capable Mini-USB cable.
- Try another USB port directly on the PC.
- Avoid an unpowered USB hub.
- Remove known ScpToolkit, SCP, or other PS3 filter drivers.
- Check Device Manager for a Nefarius HID device entry.
- Check the DsHidMini control application.
- Test with Steam closed so it cannot obscure the underlying driver state.
A charge-only cable is a particularly common cause: it can charge the controller while carrying no data. If the controller still fails, test it on another PC if possible. A counterfeit controller or damaged USB socket may be the cause.
It works by USB but not over Bluetooth
Confirm that BthPS3 is installed and that you used the USB pairing process rather than Windows’ ordinary Bluetooth discovery window. Then reset the controller, reconnect it over USB, allow it to pair, disconnect the cable, and press PS.
If the problem remains, the stored Bluetooth address may be stale, the controller may still be associated with a PS3, or the Bluetooth adapter and its Windows driver may not cooperate with BthPS3. Testing another adapter or PC can separate a software issue from an adapter problem.
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Steam detects it, but the game does not
- Close competing remapping programs.
- Confirm Steam still sees the controller.
- Enable Steam Input for that specific game.
- Check the game’s controller and layout settings.
- Restart the game after changing the controller mode.
- If necessary, configure DsHidMini for XInput-style output.
Steam’s official device support does not guarantee identical behavior in every game. Some titles accept only XInput; others have their own controller configuration or may be affected by an overlay or remapping utility.
The buttons are wrong or the game shows Xbox prompts
This is usually an input-mode or mapping issue, not a defective controller. XInput improves compatibility with many modern games, but commonly produces Xbox prompts. PlayStation icons depend on the game and its configuration; Steam Input can remap controls but cannot force every game to display PlayStation symbols.
The controller repeatedly disconnects
Test it wired first. A failing battery, damaged Mini-USB socket, poor-quality cable, USB power behavior, Bluetooth interference, or failing hardware can all cause repeated disconnections.
- Try another cable.
- Avoid an unpowered hub.
- Test the controller in the DsHidMini control application.
- Reset and re-pair Bluetooth.
- Try another adapter.
If it disconnects during wired testing as well, software settings are less likely to be the main problem.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why you should avoid old ScpToolkit guides
ScpToolkit appears frequently in older PS3-on-PC tutorials, but it should not be the starting point for a fresh 2026 setup. It can conflict with current drivers, and old guides often point readers toward abandoned downloads or unofficial mirrors.
That does not mean every existing ScpToolkit installation is automatically unsafe. It means readers should remove known legacy PS3 filter drivers before installing DsHidMini and should download DsHidMini and BthPS3 only from the official Nefarius GitHub repositories and documentation.
Should you replace the controller?
Keep the DualShock 3 if it is an original controller that works, you value its shape, or you mainly play Steam games and emulators. DsHidMini makes reuse practical, especially over USB.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11A current Xbox-compatible XInput controller is a better choice if you want broad plug-and-play support, modern USB-C or wireless connectivity, and fewer driver issues. A newer PlayStation controller may suit you better if you want a familiar PlayStation layout and current PC support. Sony’s current PC documentation focuses on DualSense, DualSense Edge, and DualShock 4 rather than presenting the DualShock 3 as a current officially supported PC product.
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For a failing or counterfeit PS3 controller, replacement is usually more sensible than buying several cables and adapters in an attempt to force compatibility.
Platform scope
This procedure is for Windows 10 and Windows 11. DsHidMini and BthPS3 are not a universal solution for macOS, Linux, SteamOS, Windows 7, or older systems. Those platforms use different drivers and input stacks and require separate, platform-specific instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a PS3 controller on Windows 11?
Yes. An original Sony SIXAXIS or DUALSHOCK 3 can be used on Windows 11 with DsHidMini, and BthPS3 adds Bluetooth support when the required hardware and drivers cooperate.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesCan I use the controller without Steam?
Yes. DsHidMini is the better choice for non-Steam games, emulators, and system-wide controller support.
Do I need a Bluetooth adapter?
Only for wireless use if your PC does not have suitable built-in Bluetooth. Adapter compatibility can vary, so avoid treating any model as guaranteed.
Will a counterfeit PS3 controller work?
It may not. DsHidMini is designed for official Sony hardware, and clones can identify differently or expose incomplete functionality.
Will it work with PCSX2 or RPCS3?
DsHidMini documents compatibility with PCSX2, RPCS3, RetroArch, Dolphin, and DuckStation, but you may need to select the appropriate input backend and map controls manually.
Can I use the controller on Mac or Linux with these steps?
No. These instructions cover Windows 10 and Windows 11; macOS, Linux, and SteamOS require different solutions.
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