PS5 DualSense Controller → macOS Productivity Remote

Turn a $70 gaming controller into a professional-grade productivity tool.

This guide documents a complete solution for using a PlayStation 5 DualSense controller as a productivity remote on macOS. It includes a "kill switch" to toggle between gaming and productivity modes, D-pad navigation, voice dictation, and unlimited customization.

Use cases: Video editing, music production, coding, presentations, accessibility, couch computing, standing desk workflows, or anything where you want fewer keyboard shortcuts to memorize.

Time to complete: ~30 minutes (vs. the 5 hours of trial-and-error this guide saves you)

The Problem

Standard game controllers are seen by macOS as "Game Controllers," not productivity tools. Trying to map them directly fails because:

Issue	Why It Breaks
Click Conflict	macOS hardwires `Control+Click` to Right Click, breaking Hyper Key combos
D-Pad Non-Standard	PS5 D-pad sends HID Usage IDs (144-147), not standard button presses
Secure Input	AppleScript/event injection fails in password managers or secure terminals
No Toggle	You can't switch between "gaming" and "productivity" without restarting apps

The Solution Architecture

We bypass these limits with a three-layer stack:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    PS5 DualSense Controller                  │
│                  (Vendor: 1356, Product: 3302)               │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│              LAYER 1: Karabiner-Elements                     │
│  • Intercepts raw HID signals                                │
│  • Transforms buttons → "Hyper Keys" (⌘+⌃+⌥+⇧ + key)        │
│  • "Kill Switch" variable: devjoyable_active                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│              LAYER 2: BetterTouchTool                        │
│  • Listens for Hyper Key combos                              │
│  • Executes actions: launch apps, OCR, dictation             │
│  • Handles "Left Click Without Modifiers" fix                │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│              LAYER 3: Shell Scripts                          │
│  • whisper_dictation.sh: Local voice-to-text                 │
│  • Developer text replacements (and and → &&)                │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

What is a "Hyper Key"?

A Hyper Key is pressing all four modifier keys simultaneously: ⌘ Command + ⌃ Control + ⌥ Option + ⇧ Shift. This combination is virtually never used by any application, making it a "private namespace" for custom shortcuts.

When you press a controller button, Karabiner converts it to Hyper + [key]. BetterTouchTool then intercepts this combo and runs your custom action.

Example: Pressing L1 on your controller sends Hyper + 1, which BTT could map to "Show/Hide Terminal."

Prerequisites

Required Software

Software	Purpose	Install
Karabiner-Elements	Low-level input remapping	`brew install --cask karabiner-elements`
BetterTouchTool	Action execution & gestures	Download from website (paid, ~$10)
sox	Audio recording	`brew install sox`
whisper-cpp	Local voice transcription	`brew install whisper-cpp`

Required Permissions

Grant these in System Settings → Privacy & Security:

Accessibility: Karabiner-Elements, BetterTouchTool
Input Monitoring: Karabiner-Elements, Karabiner-EventViewer
Microphone: Terminal, BetterTouchTool (for voice dictation)

Part 1: Karabiner-Elements Setup

Step 1.1: Enable Your Controller

Open Karabiner-Elements → Devices tab
Find your DualSense controller: DualSense Wireless Controller (Vendor ID: 1356)
Check "Modify events"

Step 1.2: Install the Configuration

Copy this JSON file to your Karabiner complex modifications folder:

cp dualsense_devjoyable.json ~/.config/karabiner/assets/complex_modifications/

📄 Click to expand: dualsense_devjoyable.json

{
  "title": "DualSense DevJoyable (Final Stabilized)",
  "rules": [
    {
      "description": "DualSense Integrated - Toggle and Remap",
      "manipulators": [
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "Toggle mode (Options button10)",
          "from": { "pointing_button": "button10" },
          "to": [
            { "set_variable": { "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 } }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            {
              "type": "variable_unless",
              "name": "devjoyable_active",
              "value": 1
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "Untoggle mode (Options button10)",
          "from": { "pointing_button": "button10" },
          "to": [
            { "set_variable": { "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 0 } }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "L1 -> Hyper+1",
          "from": { "pointing_button": "button5" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "1",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "R1 -> Hyper+2",
          "from": { "pointing_button": "button6" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "2",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "Square -> Hyper+3",
          "from": { "pointing_button": "button1" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "3",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "Cross -> Hyper+4",
          "from": { "pointing_button": "button2" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "4",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "Circle -> Hyper+5",
          "from": { "pointing_button": "button3" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "5",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "Triangle -> Hyper+6",
          "from": { "pointing_button": "button4" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "6",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "L2 -> Hyper+7",
          "from": { "pointing_button": "button7" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "7",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "R2 -> Hyper+8",
          "from": { "pointing_button": "button8" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "8",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "Share -> Hyper+9",
          "from": { "pointing_button": "button9" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "9",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "Touchpad -> Hyper+0",
          "from": { "pointing_button": "button14" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "0",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "L3 -> Hyper+L",
          "from": { "pointing_button": "button11" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "l",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "R3 -> Hyper+R",
          "from": { "pointing_button": "button12" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "r",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "D-Pad Up -> Hyper+Up",
          "from": { "generic_desktop": "dpad_up" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "up_arrow",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "D-Pad Down -> Hyper+Down",
          "from": { "generic_desktop": "dpad_down" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "down_arrow",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "D-Pad Right -> Hyper+Right",
          "from": { "generic_desktop": "dpad_right" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "right_arrow",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        },
        {
          "type": "basic",
          "description": "D-Pad Left -> Hyper+Left",
          "from": { "generic_desktop": "dpad_left" },
          "to": [
            {
              "key_code": "left_arrow",
              "modifiers": ["command", "control", "option", "shift"]
            }
          ],
          "conditions": [
            {
              "type": "device_if",
              "identifiers": [{ "vendor_id": 1356, "product_id": 3302 }]
            },
            { "type": "variable_if", "name": "devjoyable_active", "value": 1 }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Step 1.3: Enable the Rule

Open Karabiner-Elements → Complex Modifications
Click "Add rule"
Enable "DualSense Integrated - Toggle and Remap"

Step 1.4: Verify It Works

Open Karabiner-EventViewer (comes with Karabiner-Elements)
Press Options button on your controller
Press any face button (e.g., Triangle)
You should see key_code: 6 with all four modifiers

Part 2: BetterTouchTool Setup

Understanding the "Kill Switch"

Your controller now has two modes:

Mode	Options LED	Behavior
Gaming Mode	Off	Controller works normally for games
Dev Mode	On	Buttons trigger Hyper Key macros

Press Options to toggle between modes.

Step 2.1: Create Hyper Key Triggers

In BetterTouchTool:

Go to Keyboard Shortcuts section
Click + to add a new trigger
Record the shortcut: ⌘⌃⌥⇧ + [key]
Assign an action

Example Mappings

Button	Hyper Key	Suggested Action
L1	`Hyper+1`	Show/Hide Terminal
R1	`Hyper+2`	Show/Hide Browser
Square	`Hyper+3`	⌘F (Find)
Cross	`Hyper+4`	Enter
Circle	`Hyper+5`	⌘W (Close Tab)
Triangle	`Hyper+6`	⌘T (New Tab)
L2	`Hyper+7`	Mission Control
R2	`Hyper+8`	⌘L (Address Bar)
Share	`Hyper+9`	Screenshot to Clipboard
Touchpad	`Hyper+0`	Whisper Dictation (see Part 3)
L3	`Hyper+L`	Left Click (Without Modifiers)
R3	`Hyper+R`	Right Click
D-Pad	`Hyper+Arrows`	Arrow key navigation

Step 2.2: The Left Click Fix

Problem: Because Hyper Key includes Control, macOS interprets Left Click as Right Click.

Solution: In BTT, use the action "Left Click - Without Modifier Keys" to strip modifiers before clicking.

Add trigger: Hyper+L
Action: Left Click - Without Modifier Keys

Part 3: Whisper Voice Dictation

Why Whisper Instead of Apple Dictation?

Apple's dictation often produces developer-hostile results:

"Firebase" → "fire base"
"GitHub" → "get hub"
"npm install" → "in PM install"

Whisper.cpp runs locally with higher accuracy and allows custom text replacements.

Step 3.1: Download the Whisper Model

mkdir -p ~/.whisper-models
cd ~/.whisper-models
curl -L "https://huggingface.co/ggerganov/whisper.cpp/resolve/main/ggml-base.bin" -o ggml-base.bin

Step 3.2: Install the Dictation Script

Save this script as whisper_dictation.sh:

📄 Click to expand: whisper_dictation.sh

#!/bin/zsh

# Voice Dictation with Whisper (Hold-to-Record Version)
# Usage: Run this script from BetterTouchTool

# Configuration
TEMP_DIR="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/whisper_dictation"
AUDIO_FILE="$TEMP_DIR/recording.wav"
TRANSCRIPTION_FILE="${AUDIO_FILE}.txt"
PID_FILE="$TEMP_DIR/sox.pid"

# Paths
SOX_PATH="/opt/homebrew/bin/sox"
WHISPER_PATH="/opt/homebrew/bin/whisper-cli"
WHISPER_MODEL="$HOME/.whisper-models/ggml-base.bin"

# Create temp directory
mkdir -p "$TEMP_DIR"

# Cleanup function
cleanup() {
    rm -f "$AUDIO_FILE" "$TRANSCRIPTION_FILE" "$PID_FILE"
}

# Check if we're stopping a recording
if [ -f "$PID_FILE" ]; then
    echo "Stopping recording..."
    SOX_PID=$(cat "$PID_FILE")
    kill -INT $SOX_PID 2>/dev/null
    sleep 1
    rm -f "$PID_FILE"

    if [ ! -f "$AUDIO_FILE" ] || [ ! -s "$AUDIO_FILE" ]; then
        echo "Error: Recording failed"
        cleanup
        exit 1
    fi

    echo "Transcribing..."
    $WHISPER_PATH -m "$WHISPER_MODEL" -otxt "$AUDIO_FILE" 2>/dev/null

    if [ ! -f "$TRANSCRIPTION_FILE" ]; then
        echo "Error: Transcription failed"
        cleanup
        exit 1
    fi

    TRANSCRIPTION=$(cat "$TRANSCRIPTION_FILE" | tr -d '\n' | sed 's/^[[:space:]]*//;s/[[:space:]]*$//')

    # Developer text replacements
    TRANSCRIPTION=$(echo "$TRANSCRIPTION" | sed -E '
        s/\bfire base\b/firebase/gi
        s/\bgit hub\b/github/gi
        s/\btype script\b/typescript/gi
        s/\band and\b/\&\&/g
        s/\bor or\b/||/g
        s/\bdash dash\b/--/g
        s/\bequals equals\b/==/g
    ')

    # Notification
    osascript -e "display notification \"Typing transcription...\" with title \"Whisper\""

    # Type into frontmost app
    osascript -e "tell application \"System Events\" to keystroke \"$TRANSCRIPTION\"" 2>/dev/null

    cleanup
    echo "Done!"
else
    echo "Starting recording..."
    $SOX_PATH -d -r 16000 -c 1 -b 16 "$AUDIO_FILE" >/dev/null 2>&1 &
    echo $! > "$PID_FILE"
    echo "Recording... (Run again to stop)"
fi

Make it executable:

chmod +x whisper_dictation.sh

Step 3.3: Configure BTT for Hold-to-Record

Create trigger: Hyper+0 (Touchpad button)
Action: Execute Shell Script
Launch Path: /bin/zsh
Parameters: -c
Script: /path/to/whisper_dictation.sh

Usage:

Press Touchpad → Starts recording
Press Again → Stops, transcribes, types result

The Complete Button Map

Button	Gaming Mode	Dev Mode (Hyper Key)	Suggested Action
Options	Pause	Toggle Dev Mode	Kill Switch
L1	L1	`Hyper+1`	Show Terminal
R1	R1	`Hyper+2`	Show Browser
Square	Square	`Hyper+3`	Find (⌘F)
Cross	Cross	`Hyper+4`	Enter
Circle	Circle	`Hyper+5`	Close Tab
Triangle	Triangle	`Hyper+6`	New Tab
L2	L2	`Hyper+7`	Mission Control
R2	R2	`Hyper+8`	Address Bar
Share	Share	`Hyper+9`	Screenshot
Touchpad	Click	`Hyper+0`	Whisper Dictation
L3	L3	`Hyper+L`	Left Click
R3	R3	`Hyper+R`	Right Click
D-Pad Up	Up	`Hyper+↑`	Arrow Up
D-Pad Down	Down	`Hyper+↓`	Arrow Down
D-Pad Left	Left	`Hyper+←`	Arrow Left
D-Pad Right	Right	`Hyper+→`	Arrow Right

Troubleshooting

Nothing happens when I press buttons

Check Kill Switch: Press Options first to enable Dev Mode
Check Karabiner: Verify rule is enabled and controller is in Devices
Check EventViewer: Confirm buttons are sending Hyper combos

D-Pad doesn't work

The DualSense D-pad uses generic_desktop events, not hat_switch. Use:

"from": { "generic_desktop": "dpad_up" }

Not:

"from": { "hat_switch": 0 }

Left Click triggers Right Click menu

This happens because Control+Click = Right Click on macOS. In BTT, use:

Action: "Left Click - Without Modifier Keys"

Whisper transcription fails

Verify model exists: ls ~/.whisper-models/ggml-base.bin
Check it's not corrupted: Should be ~141MB
Re-download if needed (see Part 3)

AppleScript typing doesn't work

Grant Accessibility permissions to BetterTouchTool:

System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility
Toggle BetterTouchTool OFF then ON

Future Enhancements

DualSense Haptic Feedback

The DualSense supports haptics over Bluetooth. Ideas:

Heavy pulse when Kill Switch activates
Light tap when Whisper transcription completes
Rumble pattern for errors

Adaptive Triggers

Use L2/R2 resistance for:

Text selection intensity
Scroll speed control
Volume adjustment

Credits

Karabiner-Elements by pqrs.org
BetterTouchTool by folivora.ai
Whisper.cpp by ggerganov
sox by the SoX team

License

MIT License - Use freely, attribution appreciated.

Questions? Open an issue or find us on the BetterTouchTool Forum.

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 4 Commits
.gitignore		.gitignore
LICENSE		LICENSE
README.md		README.md
download_whisper_model.sh		download_whisper_model.sh
dualsense_devjoyable.json		dualsense_devjoyable.json
whisper_dictation.sh		whisper_dictation.sh

License

MichaelWeed/ps5-controller-control-macbook

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PS5 DualSense Controller → macOS Productivity Remote

Table of Contents

The Problem

The Solution Architecture

What is a "Hyper Key"?

Prerequisites

Required Software

Required Permissions

Part 1: Karabiner-Elements Setup

Step 1.1: Enable Your Controller

Step 1.2: Install the Configuration

Step 1.3: Enable the Rule

Step 1.4: Verify It Works

Part 2: BetterTouchTool Setup

Understanding the "Kill Switch"

Step 2.1: Create Hyper Key Triggers

Example Mappings

Step 2.2: The Left Click Fix

Part 3: Whisper Voice Dictation

Why Whisper Instead of Apple Dictation?

Step 3.1: Download the Whisper Model

Step 3.2: Install the Dictation Script

Step 3.3: Configure BTT for Hold-to-Record

The Complete Button Map

Troubleshooting

Nothing happens when I press buttons

D-Pad doesn't work

Left Click triggers Right Click menu

Whisper transcription fails

AppleScript typing doesn't work

Future Enhancements

DualSense Haptic Feedback

Adaptive Triggers

Credits

License

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