Ps3 with mac os

How to Connect a Playstation 3 Controller to a Mac in MacOS Mojave, High Sierra, OS X El Capitan & Mavericks

If you want to use a Playstation 3 controller to play games on a Mac, you’ll find that connecting the PS3 controller and syncing it for use with Mac OS X games is actually quite simple, regardless of what version of Mac OS the Mac is running. We’ll walk through how to quickly connect and configure a wireless Playstation 3 controller with a Mac, and how to troubleshoot some basic issues that you may encounter along the way. You’ll be up and gaming with the gamepad in no time!

To get started, you’ll need a Mac with any modern version of Mac OS X, Bluetooth support, a standard Sony Playstation 3 wireless controller that has a charge, and the Mini-USB cable that connects the Playstation 3 controller to a console or USB port to charge it. Note the USB cable is only needed to set up the PS3 controller initially, and for charging it when necessary, the setup will be for the wireless usage of the Playstation controller through Bluetooth. You’ll also need a game or app that supports controllers, most of which do. Assuming you meet those requirements, let’s get the controller connected to the Mac and start using it with Mac OS X.

Connect a Playstation 3 Controller to a Mac in MacOS Mojave, Catalina, Sierra, OS X El Capitan, Yosemite, & Mavericks

The process of connecting and using a PS3 controller with a Mac is the same with basically every version of OS X beyond Lion, including MacOS Catalina 10.15, MacOS Mojave 10.14, High Sierra 10.13, MacOS Sierra 10.12, OS X 10.11 El Capitan, 10.8 Mountain Lion, 10.9 Mavericks, 10.10 Yosemite, etc.

1. Optional but recommended, disconnect any nearby Playstation 3 power supplies so that you don’t inadvertently power on the PS3 during the gamepad setup with the Mac
2. On the Mac, go to the  Apple menu and choose “System Preferences” then go to “Bluetooth”
3. Turn Bluetooth ON in OS X (either through the Bluetooth preference panel or the menu bar item) if it’s not enabled yet
4. Connect the Playstation 3 wireless controller to the Mac using the mini-USB cable
5. Press the circular “PS” button on the middle of the Playstation controller to turn it on, the lights on the controller will blink as it pairs with the Mac – the Bluetooth preference panel will likely show a device available but not yet connected as it pairs the Mac with the PS3 gamepad

Wait a moment to see “PLAYSTATION (r) 3 Controller” appear in the Bluetooth Devices list with “Connected” appearing underneath the text, once it displays “Connected” you can now disconnect the USB cable and use the Playstation 3 controller wirelessly with the Mac

Now that the Playstation 3 controller is connected to the Mac wirelessly, you can use it with any game or gaming app that supports controllers. It will work the same as any other USB or Bluetooth gamepad at this point, so configuring it for usage with individual games can vary slightly. Typically you’re looking for “Controls”, “Controller”, or “Gamepad” settings available within in-game Options, Settings, or Preferences, or sometimes an Input menu, and you may want to customize the individual buttons on the PS3 gamepad for each game or app.

Many Mac games support gaming with the Playstation 3 controller, and many games play better with a controller too, particularly if they were designed for a console originally. For example, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic:

Common emulators support controllers too, so if you’re a retro gaming fan you’ll find the excellent emulator app OpenEMU works well with the Playstation 3 controller in OS X.

If the Playstation 3 controller is not found by Mac OS X when plugging it in and turning it on, you may want to turn Bluetooth off and back on again on the Mac, this can help with the discovery process.

Sometimes you may go to use the controller in a game and you’ll find the PS3 gamepad lights blinking constantly and going nuts, this usually means you need to re-sync the controller or that it wasn’t set up properly to begin with. Just disconnect and re-sync it and should be good to go with the Mac again. Also, be sure the Playstation controller batteries are charged, and that the controller is within a reasonable distance to the Mac so that the signal is sufficient (you can always check the device Bluetooth signal strength if you want to, or if you’re working with a more complex setup you can actively monitor the Bluetooth signal from Mac OS X while you configure the gaming setup).

Disconnect a Wireless Playstation 3 Controller from Mac OS X

If you want to disconnect the PS3 controller so that you can use it again with another device, the playstation, another Mac, or to re-sync it to Mac OS X to troubleshoot the blinking lights issue, or the device constantly disconnecting and reconnecting, just do the following:

1. Return to the Bluetooth preference panel in System Preferences
2. Hover the cursor over the “Playstation 3 Controller” shown in the Bluetooth Devices list (if only a hexadecimal randomized name shows up, hover the cursor over that)
3. Click the (X) and then choose “Remove” to confirm the disconnection of the PS3 controller from the Mac

If you’re doing this for troubleshooting purposes, just follow the above instructions to re-sync the Playstation controller to Mac OS X and typically it will work fine.

Remember that Bluetooth devices that constantly cycle between being connected or disconnected often have low battery or some exterior signal interference. You can also check the PS3 controllers battery remaining from the Bluetooth menu bar item if you suspect a low battery to be causing issues.

Otherwise, enjoy using a Playstation 3 controller with your Mac, it’s a pretty great combination!

Источник

statico / gist:3172711

How to use a PS3 controller on Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion)

Open Apple menu -> System Preferences -> Bluetooth and disable Bluetooth on Mac as well as any other nearby Macs or devices which will try to pair with and confuse the controller.

Reset PS3 controller by inserting paperclip into pinhole near L2 button.

Connect PS3 controller to Mac with USB cable.

Press «PS» button for 1-2 seconds until the red lights flash.

Unplug USB cable.

Click the «+» icon in the preferences to open the Bluetooth Setup Assistant.

A window will appear asking you to enter an access code. Enter «0000» (without the quotes) and click «Accept.»

Close the Setup Assistant.

Click the «PLAYSTATION3 Controller» item in the Bluetooth list in the preferences. Then select «Add To Favorites» and then «Update Services» from the little gear icon menu.

Disable Bluetooth. Wait a second.

Enable Bluetooth. Wait another second.

The controller will now appear connected in the list and can be used in applications.

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bartek commented Dec 21, 2012

These instructions worked great! I didn’t have to go through the setup wizard, the pairing dialog just showed up and it worked from there 🙂

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epiceeno123 commented Mar 8, 2013

mine just keeps flashing and not connecting

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chrispemberton commented Mar 26, 2013

I assume you’ll have to redo this each time after using it on the PS3?

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dragonfax commented Apr 5, 2013

All I had to do was plug it in to give it some power. Unplug it. Turn on bluetooth, and it connected by itself.

What may have helped was that I did at some point reset it.

I had it working through usb already. When I started up steam, and hit the PS button, steam would switch into full screen mode.

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hlung commented Jan 12, 2014

Thanks! It really helped.

I figured more simplified steps on how to do this. Check it out here -> https://gist.github.com/hlung/8385683

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cubanb12 commented Dec 23, 2014

I have two wireless NES30 game controllers. I am able to link both of them via bluetooth, and they worked correctly with OpenEmu. Now when I try and edit the controllers in OpenEmu they malfunction during my edit and erase all of the functions. Any trouble shooting for this?

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fccoelho7 commented Sep 19, 2015

I have the same problem related above. When I try to edit the controllers, the left side control on SNES controller doesn’t work and I can’t configure correctly.

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bradydowling commented Dec 26, 2015

I only had to go through step 6 and then I was good 👍

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bxs89 commented Apr 27, 2017

I’ve tried everything that I’ve seen listed on multiple threads, but I can’t seem to get my PS3 controller to work properly with OpenEmu.
I have 2 controllers. They both work fine with Steam. When I try to connect them to OpenEmu, it will recognize them and allow me to select either the wired connection or the bluetooth. However, the only button that works is the home button for the config setup. And this happens for both of my controllers. Any idea why this would happen or any ideas on how to fix it? It’s bizarre that it works fine on Steam but not OpenEmu.

Specs:
MacBook Pro (OS 10.12.3)
PS3 Dualshock 3 Controllers
OpenEmu 2.0.5

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dylan15537 commented Nov 10, 2017

where is the Click the «+» icon in the preferences to open the Bluetooth Setup Assistant on macbook air

Источник

hlung / How to connect a PS3 controller.md

How to connect PS3 controller on Mac OSX, PC, etc.

This is how you connect PS3 controller to Mac OSX, PC, etc. when previously connected to a PS3. You will need a Mini USB cable. Overcome your laziness, get up of your chair, and go get one!

A big misconception is that keep holding PS button will reset the controller’s pairing. It DOES NOT! From my testings, the controller keeps paring with the last machine it was CONNECTED VIA A USB CABLE.

Here are the steps:

1. Turn OFF your PS3 controller by either.

• (on PS3) hold PS button -> Turn off Controller, OR
• (on Mac) open Apple menu System Preferences -> Bluetooth -> Click X button on the device list, OR
• (on the controller itself) insert paperclip into pinhole near L2 button.

1. Use a USB cable, connect the controller to your new machine you want.
2. Wait just a second until the red light on the controller flashes, unplug the USB cable. Now the controller’s setting is reset.
3. On your computer, go to System Preferences (OS X) or Control Panel (PC)
4. Open Bluetooth settings page. Start Scanning.
5. Turn ON the controller by pressing the PS button. Wait a few seconds.
6. If it asks for Access Code, enter 0000.
7. Now connected! (yey)

• PS3 Console
• MacBook Pro (Early 2011) with OS X Mavericks (10.9)

• If you have Steam opened, hitting PS button will switch Steam into full screen mode. Pretty sleek.

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eddiePower commented Jul 12, 2014

Any one had any luck connecting a non Playstation branded PS3 controller via Bluetooth to a macbook Pro with Mavericks OS on it? More specifically a Spartan brand bluetooth PS3 controller, as many others have said on other sites i can get it to appear in the Bt list and asks for a passcode then it just disconnects. If any one has any info on any tutorials that are Not the standard Sony Brand PS3 controller with Mac tutorials. Many thanks in advance if anyone has any ideas or hints on this.

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hlung commented Jul 20, 2014

@eddiiePower Have you double checked you did exactly the same as the instruction I described? I believe it should just work the same with non Playstation branded controllers. Can’t think of why they would require different procedures imho :/

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rstudner commented Nov 4, 2014

I’ve actually tried this (and other procedures) with 2 different ps3 controllers and neither of them pair. One of them causes the popup (to enter 0000) the other does not.

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zombiezoom commented Nov 13, 2014

I found a way to connect it to a PC even with bluetooth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRFIqysSeD4

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bkbooth commented Dec 18, 2014

Does this still work for you on Yosemite (10.10)? My PS3 Controller worked fine as you’ve described above on Mavericks, but on Yosemite I can only get it to work when I keep the USB cable connected.

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hlung commented Apr 8, 2015

@bkbooth no idea, have you found a way to fix it yet?

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fxfactorial commented Apr 22, 2015

Unfortunately this doesn’t work for me on 10.10.3.

The controller does connect but the expected access dialog box never comes up.

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PositiveControl commented May 5, 2015

No joy for me either on 10.10.3. The controller shows in the Bluetooth menu bar dropdown, it’s bolded and has a child menu with one option: «Disconnect». That would lead one to think it’s paired, but it’s not. It’s not discoverable through the Bluetooth Settings panel. :/

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john-kurkowski commented May 9, 2015

On 10.10.3, I see the same thing as the last 2 comments, but the controller works perfectly. After step 3, I turn the controller on. No need to manually scan, as the device is already paired. There is no prompt to connect. No access code. The controller works right away in Steam.

Thanks for this gist!

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paulo2nd commented May 19, 2015

10.10.3 here. Its show as connected in menu bar, but controller red lights never stop to flash and the controller doesn’t work.

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hlung commented May 20, 2015

Seems like it fails to work since OS X 10.10.3 somehow. I didn’t have time to look into it yet (sorry).
If anyone has a solution please share and I’ll edit my post!

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johnmap commented May 20, 2015

I have the same experience as john-kurkowski — after following these exact instructions the controller is paired automatically with no codes. Doesn’t even appear in the Bluetooth list but works in games. (OS X Yosemite 10.10.3)

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oliverbenns commented Jun 11, 2015

No luck with me on 10.10.3 either. It never gets detected.

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neurogenesis commented Jun 13, 2015

Confirmed that the PS3 controller works both wirelessly via BT (bluetooth) and wired. As reported above for 10.10.3:

• you will not see the PS3 controller listed in the bluetooth preferences (and so can’t pair)
• pairing with the USB cable & reset method will pair the controller (without pair code 0000)
• the controller will show as connected from BT menu drop-down as PLAYSTATION(R)3 Controller
• the lights will continue to blink quickly for as long as the controller is ON and connected via BT
• it’s possible to be connected via bluetooth and wired, resulting in odd behavior (disconnect via BT menu dropdown)
• to connect the PS3 controller to BT (while not plugged in), just hold power button until it starts blinking quickly (and confirm connectivity via BT menu drop-down).

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diegobassan commented Jun 30, 2015

Follow all the steps, the control is paired in Yosemite. When connected by cable, appears on OpenEmu but no buttons respond. When using Bluetooth, even if connected to the drop-down menu it does not even appear in OpenEmu. Someone went through it and managed to solve?

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hangtwenty commented Mar 15, 2016

I can’t get this to work with multiple controllers. Has anyone succeeded with that?

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ajfisher commented May 30, 2016

Just trying this now on 10.10.5 — the controller won’t pick up in the BT control panel — however it will be detected as a BT LE device and so will appear in your BT menu in the OSX menu bar.

Unplug from USB, hit the PS button and it will flash rapidly. At this point make sure you see «PLAYSTATION CONTROLLER» in your BT menu which you’ll need to hit «disconnect» if you want to turn it off.

Enjoy using your controller.

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josheverett commented Sep 20, 2016

These instructions work well for me on 10.11.3.

For folks wondering about how to get the red lights to stop blinking/flashing once the controller is connected, I stumbled upon a quick workaround:

I’m using the controller to play games via OpenEmu. When that app closes, for some reason it stops the lights from blinking. So now whenever I pair the controller, I just open and then close OpenEmu and the blinking lights go away. 🙂

For this to work, the controller must be powered on and connected (via bluetooth to your Mac) before you open OpenEmu, and the controller must have been previously configured to be used in OpenEmu’s control options.

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frankandrobot commented Nov 3, 2016 •

Gents there seems to be a workaround: OpenEmu/OpenEmu#1041
I’m currently waiting for Xcode to download on my El Capitan 10.11.6 and generic ps3 controller.
Will report back if this technique works or not.

Update: Happy to report that that post got it working for me!

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