Connect wireless Xbox 360 controller to iMac?

I want to have an Xbox 360 controller to be connected wireless to an iMac.

I suppose it can be done via Bluetooth, or having a reciever plugged into an USB port, but I'm not sure which controller type should I buy. I have an Xbox 360 wireless controller (2013), but it seems not discoverable at all.

Best Answer

The absolute best way to use any sort of Xbox controller on Mac is to install the 360Controller unofficial open source driver:

https://github.com/360Controller/360Controller#about

It works with the official Microsoft 360 wireless receiver. Probably also the knockoffs. It works with tons of unofficial 360 controllers. Tons of Xbox One controllers. Even tons of original Xbox controllers, if you can figure out how to plug them in.

BUT! There is an issue with Xbox 360 wireless controller support on newer versions of OS X:

As of macOS 10.11, Wireless Xbox 360 controller support causes kernel panics. This issue cannot be resolved with minor changes to the driver, and requires that the driver be re-written from scratch to resolve the issue. Due to an excess of caution, we have disabled Wireless Xbox 360 controller support as of 0.16.6. If you want to use a wireless controller, download 0.16.15 or earlier and disable the driver before the computer enters a "sleep" state in order to prevent kernel panics. Alternatively, you can revert to a macOS version before 10.11 to avoid this issue.

Depending on how old your version of macOS is, this might work for you.

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Quick Answer about "Connect wireless Xbox 360 controller to iMac?"

Press the Xbox button to turn on your controller.

Press and hold the Connect button for a few seconds to put your controller into pairing mode.

Follow the steps to pair a controller to your iOS or iPadOS device, Apple TV, or Mac.

Do 360 controllers work on Mac?

In short, the best way to use a game controller with your Mac is just to use one of the better controllers out there: the wired version of Microsoft's Xbox 360 controller (or, if you wish, any compatible third-party version). The port on it is just a standard USB, so it should plug right into your Mac.

Can I connect my Xbox 360 to my Mac?

In the event you lack access to a router, you can connect your Xbox 360 to your Mac so you can play games using your Mac's wireless Internet connection. You can establish a connection between your Xbox 360 and Mac by modifying system preferences on both your computer and the Xbox 360.

Can Xbox 360 controller be Bluetooth?

The Xbox 360 controller uses a proprietary wireless protocol, and NOT Bluetooth. So the standard wireless devices in your computer can't work with the Xbox 360 wireless controller.

How To Connect Xbox 360 Controller To Mac - NO DEVICES FOUND FIX

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