The PS5 DualSense controller has been well received for its next-gen features such as haptic feedback, but it turns out this technology has more uses than just making gaming more immersive.
Discovered by The Verge (and originally outlined in a Reddit thread), with just a few simple steps you can enable your DualSense to vibrate along to your music. Enabling this feature allows your controller to hum along to tunes, and act as a sort of mini subwoofer.
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The controller does this through the built-in haptic motors, which essentially simulate the music through a series of vibrations. In order to see this weird hidden feature in action, you’re going to need to plug the controller into a PC and have the Spotify app for Windows installed.
Before we get into the setup process, it’s should be noted that this isn’t a feature you’re likely to use every day. The haptics aren’t built for music simulation so the results can be spotty. Plus to actually listen to the music while the controller vibrates you’ll need to plug a headset into the 3.5mm jack on the DualSense, which creates a very strange audio setup.
Nevertheless, it’s still a very nifty little feature that you’ll want to play around with for at least a couple of tracks. The setup is such a breeze, so there’s no reason not to try this at least once.
How to set your PS5 DualSense to vibrate along to music
The process is pretty straightforward but you’ll need three things: A DualSense controller (duh!), a USB-C cable, and a Windows PC with the Spotify desktop app installed.
- Plug your DualSense into your PC. Once you’ve connected your controller to your PC via a USB-C cable, Windows will automatically install the required driver.
- Set playback device. Once the driver is installed, click the speaker icon on the bottom right corner of your PC toolbar and set “Speakers (Wireless Controller) as your audio output.
- Open Control Panel and select “Sound.” From this submenu, select current audio output (which should be the controller) and click “Properties."
- Enable "Speaker Fill" from the “Enhancements” menu. Navigate to the “Enhancements” submenu from the pop-up window, and check the box next to “Speaker Fill” then hit “Apply."
- Open Spotify and pick a song. Boot up Spotify and select a track, you’ll now be able to feel your music playing through the DualSense’s haptics.
- Plug a set of headphones into the DualSense. If you want to also listen to your music while picking up the vibrations, then just plug a headset into your controller and the audio will come through.
That's all there is to it. Now you can feel your music instead of just hearing it. This trick obviously doesn't require a PS5 console, just the DualSense controller. But if you're after the complete set make sure to check out our PS5 restock hub for the latest stock information for the tricky to track down console.
