How to connect a PS4 controller to Samsung TV

Connecting your PS4 DualShock controller to your Samsung Smart TV opens up a world of possibilities, seamlessly blending gaming and entertainment in your living room. But that's not all it does! Here's how to connect a PS4 controller to a Samsung TV.

A nifty feature many users don't know about is that their controller can even be used as a remote control when connected to a Samsung Smart TV. Maybe you want this feature for convenience's sake, or maybe you just lost your TV's remote. Whatever the case, here's how to connect a PS4 controller to your Samsung Smart TV.

But before that, you may want to check out Samsung's 2024 TV lineup, or our guide on the best soundbar in 2024.

How to connect PS4 controller to Samsung Smart TV

There are two ways of connecting a PS4 DualShock controller to your Samsung Smart TV, via Bluetooth and via USB.

Here's how you do both:

Wireless connection via Bluetooth

To kick start the process of connecting your PS4 controller to your Samsung TV you’ll have to first put your PS4 controller in pairing mode. You can do this by simultaneously holding the share button and the PS button until the controller’s light bar starts to flash.

Now that your controller is in pairing mode, all that’s left to do is to navigate through your Samsung TV’s settings to connect both devices. How you navigate will vary depending on which Samsung TV model you’re using.

• 2015 Smart TVs (J models): Navigate to MENU, then to System, followed by Device Manager, and finally Bluetooth Gamepad Settings.

• 2018 - 2016 Smart TVs (N, M, and K models): Go to Settings, then System, proceed to Input Device Manager, and select Add Bluetooth Keyboard & Gamepad.
• 2021 - 2019 Smart TVs (A, T, and R models): Access Settings, then General, then External Device Manager, followed by Input Device Manager, and locate Bluetooth Device List.
• 2022 Smart TVs (B models): Find All Settings, then head to Connection, proceed to External Device Manager, then Input Device Manager, and locate Bluetooth Device List.
• 2023 Smart TVs: Start from the Menu, then navigate to Settings, then All Settings, followed by Connection, External Device Manager, Input Device Manager, and finally Bluetooth Device List.

After you've navigated to the relevant page, you'll find the PS4 controller listed among the available devices, granted it's still in pairing mode. Select your PS4 controller from this list to finish pairing. Once this is done, the light bar on your PS4 controller will display a solid colour, indicating a successful connection.

Wired connection via USB

Fortunately, this second method of connecting a PS4 controller to your Samsung Smart TV is relatively simple. All you need to do is connect a micro USB cable to the PS4 controller and plug the other end into your Samsung TV. Voila!

Connecting via a USB connection will save you a lot of time charging and recharging your controller. But if you're looking for that wireless remote control experience, you might prefer utilizing the controller's Bluetooth.

That's everything you need to know about connecting a PS4 controller to your Samsung Smart TV. For more tech guides, read up on how to connect your PS4 controller to an iOS device, as well as our review of the PS5's Dualsense Edge.