Alex Ruben
How To Remap XBOX to PS4 Buttons on PC in 2025: Step-by-Step Tutorial
Ever notice how your Xbox controller stubbornly shows Xbox button prompts when you’re probably craving those sleek PS4 ones? Yeah, it kinda ruins the immersion, especially if you’re used to Sony’s button layout. The good news? There are ways to trick your PC into displaying PS4 prompts instead. Not sure why it works, but messing around with Steam settings and some remapping tools can do the trick. Just keep in mind, on some setups, it’s a bit finicky, and you might have to replug your controller or restart Steam a couple times. Anyway, here’s a semi-rough method that’s worked on a few machines without too much headache.
Step 1: Exit Your Game
First off, make sure your game is totally closed. Nobody wants to be fiddling with controller configs while the game’s running. It’s just asking for conflicts or weird bugs.
Step 2: Open Your Steam Library
Launch Steam, head over to Library, then find the game you wanna remap the controller prompts for. Unless Steam’s running, nothing will happen, so pause here if it’s not open yet.
Step 3: Access Game Properties
Right-click on that game, choose Properties. Under General or Controller tab (depending on updates), you’ll find some control options. This is where the magic begins but don’t jump the gun yet.
Step 4: Navigate to Controller Settings
In the Properties window, look for Controller. Sometimes it’s under General or the Steam Input section. You want to find the Override for Steam Input drop-down. On one setup it’s labeled just that, on another, it might say something like “Use Default Settings.”
Step 5: Disable Steam Input
Select Disable Steam Input. Yeah, Steam’s default handling for controllers can cause it to always show Xbox prompts. Turning that off lets your system handle the controller outside Steam’s confines, which allows other software or remapping tools to work their magic. Here’s a quick command if you wanna double-check in a more advanced way:
Steam > Settings > Controller > General Controller Settings > Uncheck relevant boxes (like Xbox, PlayStation). But usually, just disabling Steam Input for the game is enough.Oh, and if you don’t see this option, try to also check under Big Picture Mode > Settings > Controller Settings and uncheck Xbox configuration. Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.
Step 6: Close & Re-apply Settings
Close the properties window. Sometimes you need to restart Steam to really lock in the changes. It’s annoying, but hey, that’s how it goes.
Step 7: Disconnect & Reconnect Controller
Unplug your Xbox controller from your PC, wait like 2 seconds, then plug it back in. If you’re on Bluetooth, turn it off, wait, then turn it back on. This refreshes the device connection and makes sure whatever funky remapping or prompts you want actually kick in.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Some extra things that might help:
- Make sure your controller drivers are up to date. You can do this via Device Manager. Just find your controller under Universal Serial Bus controllers or Human Interface Devices, right-click, then Update driver.
- If your PS4 prompts still won’t show, check if other controllers are connected. Sometimes, Windows gets confused if multiple controllers are plugged in at once.
- Use a small tool like Winhance or DS4Windows (even for Xbox controllers if you want to map prompts) to force specific button prompts across games. It’s kind of weird, but it can help if Steam’s default isn’t enough.
Extra step: Optional software for advanced remapping
If you really wanna get fancy, tools like DS4Windows or Rewasd can pretend your Xbox controller is a different device with the prompts you want. Not 100% necessary, but sometimes the easier way out. Just be aware it might be overkill for some setups.
Another common thing is to try running the game right after replugging your controller, or restart Steam entirely. Sometimes it only updates the prompts after a fresh Steam startup or PC reboot, which is kinda obnoxious but hey, that’s Windows for ya.
And honestly, even with all these steps, results can vary depending on your hardware and software combo. Not all setups are the same—sometimes one little tweak makes everything click, other times, not so much. Patience and a bit of trial and error are key here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remap my Xbox controller for games outside of Steam?
Yeah, plenty of games have their own controller remap options, but if you want PS4 prompts to show outside Steam, tools like Winhance or DS4Windows can help out. Just gotta set it up separately.
Why do prompts still show Xbox buttons?
Because Steam Input might still be overriding settings, or your controller isn’t fully detected as a PS4 device. Double-check device drivers and ensure Steam’s controller configuration is turned off for that game.
Are there any risks of messing up my controller mappings?
Not really, but if you’re messing with driver or remapping tools, always save your configs and be ready to reset to defaults if something glitches. Or just uninstall and reinstall those tools if needed.