How to connect a gamepad to a laptop: features of connecting a joystick

Many people like to play computer games and for convenience they acquire joysticks. But in most cases, when you connect this device to a laptop, they have problems. You will learn how to connect a wired and wireless gamepad to a laptop, configure it and what problems you may encounter, in our article.

Connect joystick to laptop

In order to connect the joystick to a laptop, you must perform the following steps:

1. Install the joystick driver on the laptop. When buying a gamepad, a driver disk must be included in the kit, which must be inserted into the drive and run the installation files. If there is no such disk, then you can use the Internet and download the program you need through a search engine.
2. Connect a gaming accessory to your laptop. Each joystick has a USB cable, which must be inserted into the laptop connector. Then the connection will be detected and the connection is made.
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3. Check the performance of the gamepad during the game. You should check whether your game supports working with the new device. First you need to download it, find the list of devices in the control settings, find your joystick and click OK. If after connecting the joystick did not appear among the list of devices or did not work, then the cause of the problem may be hiding in the malfunction of the gamepad itself or in its development.

Attention! If you did not find your game accessory in the list of control settings for this game, then try downloading another game and find it there.

The performance of the gamepad can also be checked through the "Control Panel". To do this, you need to open it and select "Game devices". If a green checkmark with the inscription OK is next to the connected device, then the gamepad works, if not, then the joystick is malfunctioning.

In addition to connecting the Xbox 360 to the laptop via a USB connector, there is another way to connect - through the Game-port. But when checking the connection after using this connection option, pairing may not occur. This can be a signal about a defect in the joystick itself or about problems with the software on this laptop.

How to set up a gamepad

After the drivers are installed and the gamepad is connected to the laptop, you need to configure it. To do this, go to the “Control Panel” and select “Hardware and Sound”. Then, in the “Devices and Printers” item, right-click on the “Controller” item and select “Game Device Settings”, and then select “Properties”.

Also in the “Test” tab, you can evaluate the current calibration. If you want to manually calibrate your gamepad, then go to "Settings" and select "Calibrate." Then follow the suggested tips that will be displayed in the dialog box by the calibration wizard.

Features of connecting a wireless joystick

To connect a wireless joystick to your laptop, do the following:

1. Install joystick drivers on a laptop (from a disk or download them from the Internet).
2. On the laptop, activate the Bluethooth function by clicking its icon on the toolbar or through the “Toolbar”, selecting “Network”, and then activating “Bluethooth”. If your electronic device does not have this function, then you need to purchase an adapter.
3. When the wireless connection is completed, you must activate the joystick. On it, press and hold the center button for several seconds.
4. Then go into the Bluethooth module and select the "Add device" item. The system will begin the search.
5. If a gamepad is detected, click OK.
6. Next, download the game, configure the control settings and check the operation of the gamepad.

Possible problems

After connecting the gamepad to the laptop, some problems may arise: the new device is not displayed when connected to a laptop, the gamepad does not connect, the computer game does not support this joystick, or it does not sees.

The solution to the first problem is very easy: before you connect the cable of the game accessory to the laptop and wait for the connection, you must first install the driver.

The causes of the second problem can be: a malfunction of the device itself or an outdated version of the game that does not support connecting a joystick. In this case, in order to understand whether the gamepad is working or not, you need to run several different games and check the settings for their support for similar devices. If in games that support the connection of joysticks this device is not displayed, it is better to return it back to the store.

There are several ways to solve the third problem:

1. If you use Steam, then you need to switch to Big Picture mode and use the option in the upper right corner to turn on “Settings”, and then select “Gamepad Settings”.
2. If you use an unlicensed version of the game, which may simply not support this device, you should find a high-quality emulating program.
3. Most games do not support this device at all or only a certain type. In this case, you need to download an emulation program, for example, x360ce, configure this device in it and copy the settings data to the game folder.
4. Xpadder can help, which when you press the keyboard keys, copies the functions of the joystick buttons. Thanks to her, the device will work in all games, and for free. This program should be downloaded via the Internet, downloaded and run. Then connect the joystick and in the window that opens, select the image of the gamepad, assign the corresponding keys on the keyboard to the buttons of this device and you can start the game.

The above recommendations will help to connect the gamepad to the laptop.