How to get dualshock 3 controller working on Steam?

[2L84U]

I could have sworn my dualshock 3 controllers used to work fine on Steam but tried for the first time this year and couldn't get any input to register.

My computer shows the controller is connected correctly but he lights on the controller just flash. I go to big picture mode and see that playstation controllers are enabled. I go to set my inputs and it recognizes that I have a ps3 controller plugged in and says to press the x button but I do and nothing happens. I try to press all the buttons but no dice and I notice the lights had stopped flashing.

Does anybody know what to do to work around this?

[crunchyfrog]

Sony controlelrs (especially DS3s) are notirously wonky as they run on proprietary Sony stuff. One day they can work fine, the next not at all. We;ve had that many a time on these forums.

There are a few utilities that serve to get it working but again it's still spotty - DS4Windows used to be one.

I haven't kept up with what's current but you may want to Google around. A better idea would be to find another controller frankly. Having many consoles, I tend to use a lot of different controllers, and I would utterly recommend avoiding the DS3 for Windows, and maybe even other Sony controllers too. Although DS4 and 5 can work better.

[2L84U]

Originally posted by crunchyfrog:

Sony controlelrs (especially DS3s) are notirously wonky as they run on proprietary Sony stuff. One day they can work fine, the next not at all. We;ve had that many a time on these forums.

There are a few utilities that serve to get it working but again it's still spotty - DS4Windows used to be one.

I haven't kept up with what's current but you may want to Google around. A better idea would be to find another controller frankly. Having many consoles, I tend to use a lot of different controllers, and I would utterly recommend avoiding the DS3 for Windows, and maybe even other Sony controllers too. Although DS4 and 5 can work better.

That's too bad. PS3 is the newest console I own besides Switch. I did sometimes use my Switch pro controller on PC but the left analog stick deadzones when I try to press up with it so I guess my options are either send that to Nintendo for repairs or try a bunch of ds3 fixes.

Thanks for the help!

[Mailer]

I wouldn't recommend using Steam Input on a Dualshock 3 controller because it usually just ends up conflicting with more reliable third party driver software; thus for certain games you'll just have to turn it off.

On that note, SCPToolkit works pretty well for getting PS3 controllers to be recognized. Just be prepared that you're gonna see Xbox prompts afterwards and there isn't a way around that unless you tweak a game to show PS3 prompts instead.

YouTube™ Video: How to Connect a PS3 Controller to a PC step by step guide 

Views: 6,557

This video shows how to connect a ps3 controller to a PC. Link for driver ScpToolkit : https://github.com/nefarius/ScpToolkit/releases/tag/v1.6.238.16010 Topablock take no liability, you use the...

Even so, I've not found a single issue with it as of yet, and every game that supports a (360) controller also picks up on it, thanks to the toolkit. Well recommended if you have a Dualshock 3 controller.

[crunchyfrog]

Originally posted by 2L84U:

Originally posted by crunchyfrog:

Sony controlelrs (especially DS3s) are notirously wonky as they run on proprietary Sony stuff. One day they can work fine, the next not at all. We;ve had that many a time on these forums.

There are a few utilities that serve to get it working but again it's still spotty - DS4Windows used to be one.

I haven't kept up with what's current but you may want to Google around. A better idea would be to find another controller frankly. Having many consoles, I tend to use a lot of different controllers, and I would utterly recommend avoiding the DS3 for Windows, and maybe even other Sony controllers too. Although DS4 and 5 can work better.

That's too bad. PS3 is the newest console I own besides Switch. I did sometimes use my Switch pro controller on PC but the left analog stick deadzones when I try to press up with it so I guess my options are either send that to Nintendo for repairs or try a bunch of ds3 fixes.

Thanks for the help!

If you have deadzone issues, I can help there.

I'd recommend you google "fixing stick drift on Nintendo Switch controllers" and look up which one you have, as people like iFixit have some decent step by step guides.

But I regularly clean out controllers of mine and other people's.

You simply open the controller up and get down to the board and remove the plastic caps on the joysticks. You should see bare potentiometers with matchstick sized sticks. Get an aircan or blow heavily in them to get any dust out (as carbon dust is what causes issues here the most).

Once you've done that buy some switch cleaner. It's a bit expensive, but it lasts forever and is a bloody good thing to have around for all household electronics. I recommend Servisol Switch cleaner as it's cheaper than the Deoxit stuff but does the same job.

Squirt that in those joysticks behind the little sticks and liberally rotate them around for a couple of minutes, working the stuff in. Repeat the process, and then put it all together again.

If you've done it well that should set you right for at least another 18 months or more depending on use.

The last one I di was a PS4 controller some 18 months ago and it's still going strong with heavy use.

[tintingaroo]

Maybe you already tried since you mention pressing all the buttons, but if you're on the same setup/have same stuff installed as when things previously worked, it may be you just need to press the PS button.

It rather sounds, though, that your case is: an official Sony DS3 needing the Sony driver to work directly with Steam
https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/6670425060424581327/

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/11/6670425060425439756/#c6670425060426327228


If it's a third party DS3 incompatible with the Sony driver (can also do this for the official controller), then other software like SCPToolkit as previously mentioned but I'd suggest DsHidMini - has more options but can have more setup/things to be aware of, its not hard though.


With DsHidMini you can set different modes:
- A DS3 that uses the Sony driver and so can work direct with Steam
- A system wide virtual DS4 controller w/ motion control (combo DsHidMini with DS4Windows, can get PS prompts in supported games)
- A system wide virtual Xbox 360 controller (another combo of DsHidMini & DS4Windows, think x360ce would also be fine)
- A system wide virtual Xinput device (does things a bit different from Xbox controller emulation - some games it'll be fine in, some would require the assist from DS4W or Steam etc, depends how the game does its Xinput/Xbox controller support)

SCPToolkit gets you a system wide virtual Xbox 360 controller, nothing else required, simple plug & play.

[Sleth]

Originally posted by 2L84U:

Originally posted by crunchyfrog:

Sony controlelrs (especially DS3s) are notirously wonky as they run on proprietary Sony stuff. One day they can work fine, the next not at all. We;ve had that many a time on these forums.

There are a few utilities that serve to get it working but again it's still spotty - DS4Windows used to be one.

I haven't kept up with what's current but you may want to Google around. A better idea would be to find another controller frankly. Having many consoles, I tend to use a lot of different controllers, and I would utterly recommend avoiding the DS3 for Windows, and maybe even other Sony controllers too. Although DS4 and 5 can work better.

That's too bad. PS3 is the newest console I own besides Switch. I did sometimes use my Switch pro controller on PC but the left analog stick deadzones when I try to press up with it so I guess my options are either send that to Nintendo for repairs or try a bunch of ds3 fixes.

Thanks for the help!

funny, 2024 and i also only got ps3 and switch controllers