Dualsense Controller is connecting to Windows, however it thinks it is an audio device, and not an input device.

Question

When I go into system settings, I see the controller listed as an audio device. The same happens in device manager.

Answer 1

Hello again Harrison,

Sorry for the delayed response—I was looking into the DualSense situation and found some relevant info.

I'm afraid I'm limited to Microsoft-related software when suggesting a solution.

If joy.cpl is detecting your inputs, that means Windows recognizes it as a DirectInput gamepad. That’s pretty much all the official Windows driver supports. Microsoft’s modern PC games typically expect XInput (Xbox controllers), while the DualSense is a DirectInput device.

So Windows sees it, but many newer games (especially from the Microsoft Store or Game Pass) are primarily designed for XInput. Without third-party software to “translate” DirectInput → XInput, those apps may not detect it properly, even if joy.cpl does.

If the DualSense appears in joy.cpl, it means Windows does recognize it as a game controller. But if you open an Xbox/Windows Store game and it doesn’t respond, it’s likely because the game is only listening for XInput devices. Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn’t provide any official tool to remap or convert the DualSense to XInput—that’s where third-party tools would come in.

So, sticking purely with Microsoft drivers and built-in OS features, here’s what you can do to ensure it’s properly recognized as a DirectInput device. However, this is the limit of what can be done without using external tools—I can’t guarantee the safety of third-party software, so this is a "Microsoft-only" approach.

We want Windows to see the DualSense as a proper game controller and not just an audio device, and this is by removing or reinstalling the controller in Windows:

—Right-click the Start button → Device Manager

—Look for the DualSense in the following categories:

"Audio inputs and outputs" (may appear as a headset or microphone)

"Human Interface Devices" (HID) or Sound, video and game controllers

Possibly under "Universal Serial Bus" devices if connected via USB

Then, uninstall the audio portion

—Under "Audio inputs and outputs", find anything that looks like the DualSense (e.g., "Wireless Controller" or "Headset"). Right-click → Uninstall device

Confirm if prompted to remove the driver

—Uninstall the HID/game controller portion Check Human Interface Devices or Sound, video and game controllers for something like “Wireless Controller”. Right-click → Uninstall device again

—Unplug the controller and restart your PC. Reconnect the controller after Windows reboots. It should reappear in joy.cpl as a DirectInput controller

This reset forces it to reload the default HID driver. If It still shows as an Audio Device, again: Press Win + R, type mmsys.cpl, and press Enter.

Under the Playback tab, right-click the DualSense → Disable. Do the same under the Recording tab

This won’t fix game detection, but it prevents Windows from treating the DualSense as an audio device, which helps reduce confusion in the Sound control panel.

This uninstalling and reinstalling the device in Device Manager (both audio and controller entries), disable its audio interface in Sound Settings.

If games still don’t detect it, it’s because they require XInput, and there’s currently no native Microsoft solution to convert a DualSense into an Xbox controller. Unfortunately, in everything I've read, I haven't found a way that doesn't involve third-party software

Feel free to reach out if you have any follow-up questions.

Answer 2

Hi there, thank you for your response.

I am using a wired connection for the controller, when going into joy.cpl, I am able to use the buttons and calibrate it, however after applying it, Windows still sees it only as an audio device, and apps such as steam still do not recognise it.

Same goes for disabling the audio in mmsys.cpl, it still only sees it as an audio device in my system settings.

After doing both of these things, I tested to see if unplugging the wire and putting it back in would work, however it did not.

Here are some images to show what I am seeing when it is connected:

I would attempt to connect over Bluetooth, however I am currently unable to as my desktop doesn't have Bluetooth capabilities nor do I have an adapter.

Here's proof I did in fact disable the sound properties:

And here is proof that inputs are being recognised:

Answer 3

Hello Harrison, let’s see if I can help you.

Quick question: are you connecting the device via USB or Bluetooth?

I believe this controller includes a headphone jack and a built-in microphone, isn't it?. When Windows detects these audio components, it registers the controller as a sound card. So, on the list of audio devices in Windows, it might appear as something like “Wireless Controller” or “Headset,” and in Device Manager, it may show up as a sound device.

You can check this in the Control Panel:

— Press Win + R, type joy.cpl, and hit Enter.

— Look for the controller listed as “Wireless Controller” or something similar. There, you can test and calibrate axes and buttons under Properties → Test → Calibrate.

At this point, Windows (without any additional software) may recognize the controller both as a DirectInput device and as an audio device (due to the built-in mic and jack).

If you’d prefer not to use the audio features, you can try disabling them in Windows. While there’s no official Microsoft driver that hides the audio part automatically, we can disable it manually:

— Press Win + R, type mmsys.cpl, and press Enter (or go to Control Panel → Hardware and Sound → Sound).

— In the Playback tab, look for the DualSense controller (possibly listed as “Wireless Controller”).

— Right-click it → Disable.

— Repeat the same steps in the Recording tab if the controller’s microphone is listed there.

That way, Windows should stop recognizing it as an audio device. This shouldn't affect the functionality of the buttons or sticks—they should continue to work as a gamepad.

Let me know how things look afterward, I’ll try get back to you as soon as possible. I think we might be in different time zones, so apologies in advance if my response takes a bit.