Lots of gamers prefer the PS4 game controller instead of Xbox on Windows PC. DualShock4 or DS4 Windows is a portable program that connects the PlayStation game controller to Windows 10. But recently, a few users reported that the DS4 Windows failed to detect the PS4 controller in some cases. Following this, they received an error message that says DS4 not detecting controller or DS4 driver not installing.

Fixes for the DS4 Windows Not Working / Driver Install Failed

Similar errors can occur for a number of reasons, including incorrect version code, outdated drivers, bugs, malware, and many more. If you are getting the same error, then don’t worry; you are not alone. Anyway, by following this article, you will learn how to solve this issue quickly. So, without any further ado, let’s get started.

Fix 1: Update DS4 Windows

If you are experiencing a “DS4 Windows not working” error, then firstly, you need to update your DS4 Windows. So, you can run the DS4Updater tool on the DS4 Windows installation folder. If there you find any updates, you have to follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the update. However, if it’s up to date, you probably have the old version of DS4 Windows. In this case, uninstall the old version and reinstall the latest version from its official site.

Fix 2: Reinstall DS4 Windows

If you are looking for the latest version of DS4 Windows, you have to visit the DS4 Windows New Releases page and download the app that is compatible with your Operating System. For doing so, follow these steps:

  • Firstly, you need to uninstall the old version of DS4 Windows from your system.
  • Then download the latest version of DS4 Windows, and extract the zip file from the just downloaded app.
  • Now launch the DS4Windows.exe file from the extracted folder.
  • It will prompt the installation of the .NET 5.0 Runtime. (If you didn’t install it earlier).
  • Then select Download X64 under the ‘Run desktop apps’ section.
  • After doing this, you will be prompted to choose the location to save the file. There, choose Appdata to get full access.
  • Next, you have to follow the steps mentioned in the Welcome to DS4Windows screen to finish the driver installation.

You can also install optional drives to get some handy features.

  • After completing the installation, click on the ‘Finished‘ button.
  • Then, go to the ‘Settings‘ option and enable Hide DS4 Controller. When you do, your system may not recognize the two controllers, and you may never get the same error again.

Fix 3: Re-enable Game Controller

If your controller is accidentally disabled, your DS4 Windows will sometimes fail to detect your PS4, and as a result, you will get “DS4 Windows not working” error. Here you need to check the controller is disabled or not; for doing so, follow these steps,

  • Firstly, right-click the Start menu and locate and open Device Manager.
  • Inside the Device Manager window, select Human Interface Devices from the list and then right-click HID-compliant game controller.
  • Then, select the Enable device option; if it is enabled earlier, disable it and enable it again.
  • Next, you have to disconnect your controller and restart your computer.
  • Make sure you close Steam. Then, open DS4 Windows and go to the Settings tab.
  • Then tick the Hide DS4 controller option. If it is checked earlier, you need to untick it and tick again.
  • Connect the controller now. Your device will show the Controller tab.

If this process is not working, you can uninstall the HID-compliant game controller from Device Manager. Then, you can close DS4 Windows and disconnect your game controller. Connect it again and open DS4 Windows. You will see the controller there.

Fix 4: Uninstall Your Game Controller Driver

If you still can’t resolve the ‘DS4 Windows Not Working’ issue, you might have to uninstall your game controller driver. For doing so, you can follow these steps:

  • Firstly, press Windows + R altogether, then type Control and press OK.
  • Then inside the Control Panel window, locate and click on the Devices and Printers option.
  • Here, you can find the PS4 controller, right-click on it and select Properties.
  • Now select the Hardware tab and double click on the HID-compliant game controller.
  • Then inside the Properties window, go to the Driver tab and select the Uninstall Device option.
  • Once the driver is uninstalled, disconnect the controller and restart your computer. Then reconnect the controller with DS4 Windows and check you can see the controller.

Fix 5: Uninstall the Latest Windows Update

If you encountered the ‘DS4 Windows Not Working’ issue shortly after a Windows update, then it can happen because of the recent update. Here the best possible solution is uninstalling the recent Windows update. For doing so, follow these steps,

  • Press Windows + R to open a Run dialog box, type appwiz.cpl, and press OK.
  • In the newly opened window, select View installed updates from the left panel
  • Locate the problematic update and right-click on it, and click on the Uninstall button
  • Then, you have to follow the on-screen instructions to finish the uninstallation process.
  • Once done, check the said error gets resolved for you.

These were the tried and tested methods to fix the DS4 Windows Not Working/Driver Install Failed issue. This problem is common among gamers as they often report it, and it happens when DS4 Windows fails to detect the PS4 controller.

However, we hope you can fix this problem by implementing one of these methods. If you have any queries or feedback, please write down a comment in the below comment box.