You can now update DualSense controllers with a PC

Time Stamp: April 20, 2022 4:24 AM

Sony has released a new utility app to let PC users update the firmware of their DualSense controllers without booting up a PlayStation 5.

The firmware updater – snappily called ‘Firmware updater for DualSense wireless controller’ – is compatible with Windows 11 and the 64-bit version of Windows 10, with instructions that are about as simple as you could want.

Head to the Sony site for the download link.

Here’s the rundown from Sony:

  1. Download ‘Firmware updater for DualSense wireless controller’ and save it to your desktop or other location.
  2. Run the installation file, and then follow the on-screen instructions to install the app.
    During the installation, you might see a request to download additional software that’s needed to use ‘Firmware updater for DualSense wireless controller’. To download this software, follow the on-screen instructions.
  3. Launch ‘Firmware updater for DualSense wireless controller’.
  4. Use a USB cable to connect your controller to your Windows PC, and then follow the on-screen instructions to start the update. Don’t turn off your Windows PC or disconnect the USB cable during the update.
  5. When the update is complete, a message appears. Select [OK] to finish the process.

DualSense firmware updates are a semi-regular part of life for PlayStation 5 users, with tweaks to the controller’s onboard programming having the potential to improve reliability, stability of connection, battery life, and even introduce new features.

The DualSense controller features revolutionary new features for PS5, including adaptive triggers and haptic feedback.

Up until now, DualSense firmware updates have been bundled in with system software updates, with the console prompting users to update the controllers with subsequent console launches. However, the one fly in the ointment is that these updates cannot be done wirelessly and force you to connect the controller to the console. That’s a relatively minor inconvenience for PS5 users – you can always dismiss the update pop up – but the DualSense is also compatible with non-PlayStation systems, and is usable with PCs for gaming on a computer, or via Bluetooth connections to Android and iOS.

If Sony is aiming to make a bigger push for game streaming over the coming years, the DualSense is going to be the de facto controller for these experiences, and so they need the capability to update controllers without a console to hand. In the here and now, the most likely use is as a controller for PlayStation games being ported to PC, which has already seen Horizon Zero Dawn, Days Gone, God of War brought to Windows, with the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves bundle expected to release in the coming months.

Source: Sony

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