Buzz
In this article, Mytour will guide you through the process of connecting a PS3 controller to a Windows computer using the SCP program.
Steps
Power on the controller. Press the "PS" button located at the center of the controller. If the PS3 controller is connected to a PS3 console, ensure the console is unplugged from the power source first.
Connect the controller to your computer. Insert the narrow end of the USB charging cable into the controller and the larger end into a USB port on your computer. The location of the USB port varies depending on your computer model. If you can't find the USB port, check the sides or back of the CPU (for desktops) or the rear casing (for laptops). If connecting via a wireless dongle, install the dongle drivers first. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the driver installation after plugging in the dongle.
Visit the SCP Toolkit website. The SCP Toolkit provides a user-friendly interface for connecting a PS3 controller to your computer, enabling you to use the controller with gaming services like Steam.
Click on the "ScpToolkit_Setup.exe" link. This is the first link under the "Downloads" section on the page. This will download the toolkit to your computer's default download folder (e.g., the desktop).
- Ensure you download the latest version of the software. If you access an older version's page, you won't see the "Latest Release" label on the left side of the screen.
Double-click the toolkit setup file. The file features an icon resembling a black PS3 controller.
Follow the on-screen instructions. In most cases, you only need to click Install after reviewing the terms of use. Since the toolkit installs multiple components, you may need to click Install several times.
- If the toolkit mentions missing "prerequisites" to run the program, click Next until the prerequisite installation begins. If no such message appears, simply click Finish on the first window.
- You might need to click Yes on a pop-up window asking if your computer should trust the setup file.
Click on the "ScpToolkit Driver Installer" program. This program is included in the SCP Toolkit installation files.
Uncheck the "Install DualShock 4 Controller" box. This option is located on the left side of the driver installation window. Since you're installing a PS3 controller (e.g., DualShock 3), you don't need the PS4 driver.
- Also, uncheck the "Bluetooth" box if you're using a wired controller (e.g., no dongle).
- A good rule of thumb here is to uncheck any boxes for features you won't use.
- If you're using Windows Vista, check the "Force Driver Installation" box in the middle-left section of the window.
Click the box under "Choose DualShock 3 Controllers to Install." This option is on the right side of the window. You'll select your controller in this step.
Click the "Wireless Controller" option. You'll see a list of devices connected to your computer (e.g., keyboard, mouse, webcam, etc.). The PS3 controller will be labeled as "Wireless Controller (Interface [number])" where the number corresponds to the USB port it's connected to.
- If using a wireless controller, select the USB device enabling the connection under the "Bluetooth" section above the "DualShock 3 Controllers" dropdown.
Click the Install button. This button is on the right side of the driver installation window. It instructs the SCP Toolkit to install the controller drivers, a process that takes about 5 minutes.
- You'll hear a confirmation sound once the installation is complete.
- At this point, the controller drivers are installed, and you can now use the controller to play games on your computer.
Tips
- You can follow similar steps to connect a PS4 controller, though you'll need to disconnect it from the PS4 via the device's Settings menu. Additionally, you must install the DualShock 4 drivers and select the DualShock 4 controller instead of the DualShock 3.
- If errors occur, try uninstalling and reinstalling the SCP toolkit. During reinstallation, ensure you install the prerequisites first (regardless of necessity) and check the "Force Driver Installation" box when installing the drivers, no matter your operating system.
- When opening the "Devices" manager on your computer (accessed by typing "joy.cpl" in the "Run" app), the PS3 controller will appear as an Xbox 360 controller. This is because Windows natively supports Xbox 360 controllers but not PS3 controllers.
