Game Controller Settings Mac

Gaming on the Mac isn't as big as on PC, but there's still some great games out there for Apple computers. In some cases you'll be OK using a keyboard and mouse, but for a lot of people, kicking back and using a controller is the way to game.

If that sounds like you and you're looking for a good controller, look no further. Here's what to get.

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Xbox One controller

You can't just plug and play the Xbox One controller on the Mac, but getting it working really doesn't take much effort. And when it's up and running you'll have one of the best controller experiences on any platform right there for your Mac games.

The Xbox One controller isn't all that expensive and has an offset design for its thumbsticks which many find much more comfortable than Sony's side-by-side arrangement. It's a great size, not too heavy and has nice big bumpers and triggers.

The standard black controller is around $45, but there are a ton of special edition designs out there for various prices that might be more to your liking.

Sony DualShock 4

While the Xbox One controller is preferable for many, others swear by Sony's DualShock 4. It's a very different design but equally proficient in its own right for Mac gaming. Again, it's not exactly plug and play, but the process of making sure it's working properly is very simple.

The DualShock 4 is very comfortable in the hand with great triggers and bumpers, albeit both a little smaller than on something like an Xbox controller. The biggest difference is the side-by-side analog sticks.

It's lightweight so it's great for long gaming sessions, and Sony also has an official adapter to allow you to use it with your Mac wirelessly, though they can be hard to find. But for around $50, this is another great controller and it works perfectly with Steam.

Steam Controller

Steam is more commonly associated with PC gaming but there's still a decent supply of Mac compatible games in there. If this is where you get most of your games from, them the official Steam Controller might be the one for you, and it has full, official Mac support.

It's a bit unusual compared to many controllers, thanks in no small part to the touchpad which you find where you might expect one of the analog sticks. The Steam Controller has been designed so you can play keyboard and mouse games comfortably with a controller.

There's a bit of a learning curve, but when you get used to it it's just as easy to use as any other controller. It sells for $50 but Valve is frequently discounting it, so there's always a chance of a bargain if you can wait until the next sale.

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Gaming on a Mac is not what Apple is historically known for. However, with Apple delving into the fledgling virtual and augmented reality space, some traditional game interfaces and not so traditional interfaces (think HTC wands or Valve's knuckle controllers) now need to be supported on macOS to reap the VR/AR benefits to their fullest.

To ready you for some amazing VR pilot games such as Eve: Valkyrie that utilize a traditional game Xbox game controller, we're here to show you how to connect one to your Mac! In the past this method only applied to the Xbox 360 controller, but the latest version of the software you'll be using also now supports the Xbox One controller.

How to download and install the drivers

We're assuming that you already own a wired Xbox controller, but if you're needing to buy, a standard controller is about $50. You'll need to connect it to your Mac using a microUSB cable which, sadly, isn't included. Origin games compatible with mac. If you buy a third-party wired controller you won't have to worry about this.

Best Game Controllers For Mac

Next, follow these steps.

Best Gaming Controller For Mac

Launch Safari.
Navigate to https://github.com/360/Controller/360Controller/releases.
Download the latest release of the 360Controller driver. As of this writing, the latest release is 0.16.5.
Go to your Downloads folder in Finder.
Double-click the 360Controllerinstall_*.dmg file.
Double-click the Install360Controller.pkg that pops up in Finder.
Click Continue.
Again, click Continue.
Select to Agree the license agreement.
Click Install.
Agree to allow a restart of the computer by clicking Continue Installation.
Click Restart.
You can optionally have the downloaded file Moved to Trash.
The company recommends that all Catalina users install this update, as it brings fixes and improved reliability. Apple released a supplemental update for MacOS 10.15 Catalina measuring 985.4MB. Game center download mac.
Upon restarting the computer start System Preferences from the dock or the  menu.
Click on Xbox 360 Controllers.

How to connect your Xbox 360 controller

Once you've installed the drivers, you'll now logically see that there are No devices found, since we have yet to physically connect the game controller to the Mac.

Plug in your controller to your Mac. If you have a current model MacBook or MacBook Pro, you'll need a USB-C to USB-A adapter.
Click OK when the System Extension Blocked warning message pops up.
Go into System Preferences via the dock or  menu.
Click Security & Privacy.
Under the General tab click the Lock at the bottom left.
Enter your password and click Unlock.
Click Allow.

Your Xbox wired controller should now be connected!

Final thoughts