Xbox Controller Archives

How to update your Xbox Controller Firmware from Windows

I have a ton of PlayStation controllers, but some Windows apps prefer a native Xbox controller so a month ago I bit the bullet and bought one. Huge mistake. The thing worked when connected via USB, but I had no luck connecting it to basically ANYTHING wireless. Two Windows PCs, two iOS devices, a Steam … Read more

How to use an Xbox 360 Wireless McBazel receiver on Windows 10/11

My original Microsoft wireless Xbox 360 receiver for Windows packed up, after over 15 years of loyal service. Perhaps I shouldn’t have let him be plugged in 24/7 on a powered hub, or perhaps his number was up. These dongles are no longer in production, but several third party devices are available. I’ve decided to … Read more

How to fix the MS-Gaming Overlay popup message in Windows 10

We’ve recently installed DS4 Windows on Julia’s PC so that she could play Fortnite with her PS4 controller. The moment we did this Windows started complaining that ms-gaming overlay link needs to have some app installed, with a link to the Windows Store that never completed installing an app we didn’t want in the first … Read more

How to connect your Xbox 360 Controller to Dolphin for Mac

DolphinI’ve been experimenting with the marvellous Dolphin Emulator recently. It’s an open source project that allows us to play Nintendo Gamecube and Wii games on modern hardware. Dolphin is available for Windows, OS X and Linux.

I have a wireless Xbox 360 controller for Windows at my disposal, but the only Windows hardware I have is the first generation Surface Pro. While the controller connects without issues, the Surface sadly just isn’t fast enough to run Dolphin.

My more powerful hardware is Mac based, and Dolphin runs great on my Mac Mini. But I had no idea how to connect my Xbox controller to it.

Turns out it’s actually a breeze to setup: let me show you how it worked for me on OS X El Capitan.

Read more