PS4 Controller Bluetooth Connectivity Problems

I had the exact same issue you had, and I took the following steps to fix it:

1) Turn off Bluetooth

2) Terminate every single process in Activity Manager that you can terminate

3) Open the terminal and type sudo rm -R /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.E5A09B51-7B2E-53AC-ADF0-*********.plis t (I censored part of the name since I am not sure whether these characters have any importance)
or sudo rm -R /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist

4) Trash the file manually if you can't get this to work ^

5) Restart your macbook

6) Open the newly formed Bluetooth.plist with Sublime Text, delete everything inside and re-save the file (I know, this feels like black magic, and I don't think it had any input... but I am just telling you the steps I took!)

...and now it works flawlessly. Tried with two controllers, and they still work even after I pair them with other devices.

I know this didn't work for OP, but for the sake of who it may help:

0. Make sure controller isn't paired to another device.

1. sudo rm -R /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist

2. Restart

3a. With BT PrefPane open, try pairing with PS Button and Share. May or may not work. If it does, you're done!

3b. If 3a doesn't work, try connecting by pressing PS button and looking to see if light stays lit.

4. If still not working, start at step 2, and possibly try only 3b.

Eventually, this is how I get it to work.

This was the best response I found. If you're not too familiar with Unix...just open your Terminal Application and copy and paste

sudo rm -R /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist

This will delete the profile 🙂

Simply delete /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist and reboot 🙂

(The file's name may be a tiny bit weirder, having some characters after "Bluetooth", but that's still your file)

I suggest doing it via the Terminal.

There is a hidden Reset button on Dualshock 4 controller near L2 button on a back side. Press it with paperclip or something and then pair it by pressing PS and Share buttons and Bluetooth settings in System Preferences.

We tried several different things but what just worked for us and we did it several times was to unpair the controller from the ps4 and then it would pair to our macbook airs instantly.

Can you check the com.apple.bluetooth.plist delete it and restart. Though you will loose all prior paired devices and would need to pair them again.

I do remember i had issues with my PS4 controller on MBP 2015 as well. Ill check what tut i found. I believe it was holding reset and ON button as the same time and connect using cable.

I'll go and see if i can find that tut again

just a moment....

i have found a much more effective solution:

none of the above worked but this did:

first download hardware IO Tools from https://developer.apple.com/downloads/ (use latest stable ver for xcode, you don't need to install Xcode to use these tools just stick them in your Utilities folder in applications)

then open Bluetooth Explorer, then in tools open device cache explorer, Modify Software & Device Configuration

just press the delete all on the Device cache:

and select all these options as show in this image here, for the Software & Device Config

be sure to use a wired mouse for all of this as this will remove every device you have paired, if your on iMac Or Mac pro. once done re-pair your mouse and keyboard and reboot then try repairing PS4 controller or any other devices you had issues with. this fixed all my bluetooth issues...

Hey Goose,

I followed the instructions on this site and it worked for me: http://macs.about.com/od/Troubleshooting/fl/How-to-Fix-OS-X-Bluetooth-Wireless-P roblems.htm

Good Luck.

Well i let it charge and now it stays connected again 🙂

So i say follow that post with the bluetooth explorer app and do those steps. This worked now for me, hope this helps

Bluetooth explorer??? You mean Bluetooth Preferences i think. Check what name it says in the list, if its not official name its probably a fake. I had same issue, with older OSX you needed a lot of tricks to get it working. But these days should connect.

You still need a different software for keymapping the controller, I personally use joystick mapper. Very good app.

I had this problem and a another similar one.

My controller was able to connect, but would disconnect almost immediately after connecting

My solution was to just connect it to my ps4 again using the cable.

I turned my ps4 on and when I was prompted to press the PS button to use controller, I tried to connect without the cable at first, but it didn't work. So I just used the cable to connect my controller to the ps4 and pressed the PS button.

Then I just turned off the ps4 and unplugged it. When I connect the controller to my mac it works.

Will all interested please forget trying to pair a Playstation 4 DualShock to an iMac using Bluetooth or mini USB.

In conjunction with an Apple Guru we have proved IT WILL NOT PAIR.

Does it show a name some where in bluetooth menu? I had sort of that issue with a fake controller, you need to do some hustle to get those connected.

Let me know

Someone else told me to do this on another site and I've done this about 20 times now, and it has change nothing for me. I have even deleted the /Library/Preferences/com.bluetooth file exchange.plist along with the bluetooth.plist and it has changed nothing. I still have the same problem as stated above and i truly believe its a connection issue with the macbook pro because when i take my controller to my brothers house with a Windows 8 desktop, it connects, every time, with no issues. Please fix this. I would love to be able to game wirelessly on my mac with my ps4 controller.

P.s

This being said. When i get the controller to connect, and If I don't plug it into a ps4 or remove the device from the preference list, It stays connected and connects when disconnected right away. Its the initial connection that is shotty and i pretty much have to leave one controller designated to my macbook.