Mac’s trackpad and keyboards are not the best controllers in the world, so if you want to play some games, better get yourself an Xbox One Controller. It is simply the best gamepad you can play with. Comparing with Windows 10, where Xbox One Controller is natively supported, macOS works a bit strange with Microsoft’s gamepads. Luckily enough, connecting Xbox One Controller to Mac is very simple. Sometimes it works natively and wirelessly, but sometimes it requires wired connection and third-party app (driver). This article has all you need to know about connecting Xbox One Controller to Mac.
With an Xbox Wireless Controller, press the Xbox button to turn on the controller. Then press and hold the Connect button for a few seconds. Connect a PS Controller. With a DUALSHOCK4 Wireless Controller, press and hold the PS and Share buttons at the same time until the light bar begins to flash. Under the list of Devices, the name of your.
Tip. Xbox One Controller works better with Windows 10, so our advice is to use Windows 10 (Bootcamp is fine). In addition to better gamepad compatibility, you will get better performance in your games.
How to Connect Xbox One Controller to Mac Wirelessly?
First, make sure you have an updated controller which supports Bluetooth connection. Only updated Xbox One Controller (2016) supports Bluetooth. You can find out which model you have using the picture below:
- Make sure Bluetooth on your Mac is enabled. You can simply ask Siri to turn it on, use menu bar or open System Preferences > Bluetooth and press Turn Bluetooth On.
- Now it is time to take your Xbox One Controller and press big Xbox One button at the center of the gamepad. It will start blinking slowly. At the back of the gamepad, there is a small button in between LB and RB. Press and hold it until the Xbox logo on the gamepad starts blinking swiftly.
- Now you should see the Xbox Wireless Controller. Press Connect. Xbox One logo on your gamepad should stop blinking. This means the connection is set and you can start playing games.
Pretty straightforward, isn’t it? The thing is some games do not “see” Xbox One Controller connected to the Mac using this method. It all depends on the developer. If you can open game and gamepad works perfectly, you can stop reading this. If the gamepad is connected but seems to be not working, proceed to the next section of this article.
How to Connect Xbox One Controller to Mac via Micro USB Cable?
If the wireless connection does not work with your games, find a micro USB cable and connect your gamepad to the Mac. The gamepad will vibrate, but Xbox logo won’t light up. That is fine, don’t worry. MacOS has no built-in driver for the wired connection, so we are going to help this system learn how to work with your gamepad.
Tip. Although we are talking about Xbox One Controller, this method allows you to connect Xbox 360 to Mac as well.
- Open this link and download file 360ControllerInstall_0.16.10.dmg. Open it and follow the on-screen instructions. Important: this procedure requires administrator-level access, therefore make sure you know administrator password.
- Restart the Mac after the procedure is done and open System Preferences.
- At the bottom of the screen, you will see new Xbox 360 Controllers entry. Click it.
- Go to Advanced tab and make sure Enable Driver is enabled. Gamepad won’t work if this option is turned off. Again, you will need to enter the Administrator password in order to enable the driver.
- You will see Xbox One Wired Controller (Wired) in the drop-down menu at the top of the window.
- Switch to Controller Test and make sure all input elements work fine.
- Your controller is ready to rock.
As you see, there are plenty of options allowing you to disable vibration, spoof controller as an Xbox 360 Gamepad, map buttons, invert sticks, etc. Spend some time messing around with app’s elements and you will be able to use your Xbox One Gamepad with Mac like a boss.
Here's a list of the most popular free games on that iOS store that have MFi controller support.
#11: Bike Baron Free (4.3 stars)
Genre: Sports simulator
Similar to games like: Mini motor racing
'What happens when you put the developers of Minigore, Death Rally and Aqua Globs together with the composer of Angry Birds and Trine? PURE MAGIC. Bike Baron is a ride you will never forget!'
#10: Afterpulse - Elite Army (4.6 stars)
Genre: 3rd person shooter
Similar to games like: PUBG, Fortnite
'Enjoyed by over 14 million players, Afterpulse has received tremendous acclaim as one of the best and most realistic TPS (third person shooters) for mobile devices on the market.'
#9: Lineage 2: Revolution (4.5 stars)
Genre: MMORPG
Similar to games like: Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy XIV
'Lineage 2: Revolution is a groundbreaking, new online role-playing game that brings top-quality visuals, a massive open-world, and large-scale PvP battles to life on mobile devices. Players can finally experience what it truly means to have a gorgeous, fully-featured, persistent world MMORPG that can be enjoyed alongside millions around the world, all within the palm of your hands!'
#8: Gangstar Vegas (4.6 stars)
Genre: Third person action-adventure
Similar to games like: Grand Theft Auto
'Roll up on a dangerous trip through the City of Sin in the latest grand episode of the acclaimed open-world shooting action series!'
#7: Life is Strange (4.0 stars)
Genre: Choice-based story
Similar to games like: The Wolf Among Us, The Walking Dead
'Life Is Strange is a five part episodic game that sets out to revolutionize story-based choice and consequence games by allowing the player to rewind time and affect the past, present, and future.'
#6: Flipping Legend (4.8 stars)
Genre: Third-person actionSimilar to games like: Flappy Bird
'Unleash the power of your fists, spells and weapons in this pattern-based adventure.'
#5: Xenowerk (4.4 stars)
Genre: Top-down shooter
Similar to games like: Hotline Miami
'Play the first part for free. Get access to the full game with an in-app purchase. Be the last hope against the mutant infestation. Enter the aftermath of a scientific experiment gone horribly wrong.'
#4: Jetpack Joyride (4.5 stars)
Genre: Side-scrolling runner
Similar to games like: Sonic the Hedgehog
'It's time to join Barry Steakfries and equip the coolest jetpacks, suit up in stylish costumes and ride crazy vehicles in his endless running quest to beat the scientists to the end of the lab.'
#3: It's Full of Sparks (4.6 stars)
Genre: Platformer
Similar to games like: Mario
'It's Full of Sparks is a beautiful platforming experience about the life of a firecracker. Embark on a journey to find The Old One, a mythical firecracker whose fuse has never been lit. But what is life without sparks?'
#2: Asphalt 8: Airborne (4.7 stars)
Genre: Racing
Similar to games like: Forza, Gran Turismo
'INTENSE ARCADE GAMEPLAY: Feel the thrill of gravity-defying racing across 50+ high-speed tracks!'
#1: Fortnite (4.6 stars)
How To Use Xbox Controller On Mac Games To Play
Update: Unfortunately due to recent disputes between Apple, Android, and Epic Games, Fortnite is no longer available on either the App Store (Apple/iOS) or Google Play (Android) store. Read our article on how to possibly continue playing Fortnite on mobile.
Genre: 3rd person shooter
Similar to games like: PUBG, Apex Legends, Realm Royale
'On mobile, Fortnite is the same game you know from PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, Switch. Same map, same gameplay, same weekly updates. Build your fort as you battle to be the last one standing. Jump in and squad up with friends around the world or in the same room!'
Are you suprised to see Fortnite as the #1 free game for controllers on iOS?
Not sure which controller to use? The Nimbus+ wireless controller has official Apple-licensed connectivity, and comes with a handy iPhone mount, which would be ideal for any of these games.
Hopefully you found a new game to check out from this list. Good luck!
Read more
How To Use Xbox Controller On Mac Games Download
How do you like Fortnite mobile? Join the official SteelSeries Discord server!
How To Use Xbox Controller On Mac Games Offline
We use cookies for analytics, advertising and to personalise your experience per our privacy policy. By continuing you agree to the use of cookies.