How To Fix ‘DS4 Windows Not Detecting Controller’ Error

DS4 Windows emulates the Dual Shock 4 Controller as an Xbox controller. This allows you to play PC games using Windows.

A lot of users have found a problem with DS4 Windows because their controllers won’t connect properly with their PC.

The usual error message will say ‘No Controllers Connected (Max 4)’ and stays on the screen even if you reconnect the DS4 controller.

Why Does this Error Happen?

There are several possible reasons behind this error:

  • Malfunctioning Device Drivers: If the device drivers are malfunctioning, you might need to reinstall the drivers completely.
  • Windows 10 Update: New Windows 10 updates can cause issues with DS4 controllers.
  • DS4 Windows Disabling the Controller: Sometimes Windows accidentally disables the controller in windows 10.

Ways To Fix ‘DS4 Windows Not Detecting Controller’ Error

Here are some solutions you can try if you’re experiencing this issue:

Fix #1: Uninstall then Reconnect the DS4 Controller

  1. Close DS4 Windows then disconnect the controller.
  2. Press “Win + R” keys together to open the Run dialog box.
  3. Type ‘Control Panel’ and press Enter.
  4. Click the “Hardware and Sound” settings then click “Devices and Printers“.
  5. Reconnect the DS4 controller to the computer (it pops up as an icon that you can now right-click).
  6. Click on “Properties” and click “Hardware” then double-click on ‘HID-compliant game controller’.
  7. Go to the “Driver” tab then click ‘Uninstall Device’ to uninstall the controller (ensure it’s disconnected from the computer).

Now you can open DS4 Windows on the computer and reconnect the controller – it should now appear in the Controllers section.

Fix #2: Re-enable the DS4 Controller

Sometimes the controller can get automatically disabled even during gameplay, which could be a software bug.

You can solve it by re-enabling the controller device:

  1. Press “Win + R” to open the Run dialog.
  2. Type this then press Enter: “devmgmt.msc“
  3. Click the arrow with ‘Human Interface Devices’ then double-click ‘HID-compliant game controller’.
  4. Enable it so it can be detected by DS4 Windows.

Fix #3: Uninstall Windows Updates

Sometimes Windows Updates can mess with how devices connect to the computer. If the above solutions haven’t worked, you should uninstall the last Windows update:

  1. Press “Win + I” to open Settings.
  2. Click “Update and Security“.
  3. Now go to “Windows Update” then click ‘View installed update history’.
  4. Click ‘Uninstall updates’ then wait for the list to populate.
  5. Organize the list so the newest update is on top.
  6. Choose the newest one then click on “Uninstall“.
  7. Afterwards, restart the PC and see if the issue persists.

Fix #4: Uninstall Driver then Set Up DS4 Windows

The controller might still not work even after trying the 3 fixes above. In this step we will configure some things to see if that makes the controller work again:

  1. Go here to download ‘Remote Play App’ and see if the controller works.
  2. If not, press “Win + R” to open the Run dialog.
  3. Type this in then press Enter: devmgmt.msc
  4. Find a “Lib32 Wireless Driver” then right-click it and choose “Uninstall“.
  5. Connect the controller to the computer via USB so Windows can install the right drivers.

See if Remote Play App will work now. It should work but perhaps have limited functionality.

  1. Now disconnect the controller and download DS4 for Windows.
  2. Follow the setup instructions then connect the controller.
  3. Check ‘Hide DS4’ and uncheck ‘swipe touchpad to change profile’.

Fix #5: Scan for Hardware Changes

Have you uninstalled a driver or app recently? If so, scan for hardware changes. Sometimes this can make the controller work again:

  1. Press “Win + R” to open the Run dialog.
  2. Type this then press Enter: devmgmt.msc
  3. Click “Scan for Hardware Changes” and see whether the problem persists.
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