Connect Bluetooth Devices and Game Controllers

Parallels Desktop lets you connect Bluetooth devices directly to Windows.

Before connecting a Bluetooth device, Bluetooth must be enabled.

To enable Bluetooth:

1. If Bluetooth is turned off in macOS, turn it on. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences and click Bluetooth. Then select On.
2. In Parallels Desktop, start Windows if it isn't already started.
3. Do one of the following:
   • Click the Parallels Desktop icon in the menu bar and choose Configure.
   • If the Parallels Desktop menu bar is visible at the top of the screen, choose Actions > Configure.
4. Click Hardware and click USB & Bluetooth in the sidebar.
5. Select Bluetooth devices.

Once you've enabled Bluetooth, you can pair Bluetooth devices with your computer and they'll work with both Windows and macOS. For instructions on pairing a Bluetooth device with your computer, see the documentation that came with the device.

In Windows 7 or newer, you can send a file to a paired Bluetooth device that's capable of receiving files by right-clicking the file and choosing Send to > Bluetooth.

Besides Windows, you can connect Bluetooth devices to any guest operating systems (Linux or macOS) that support USB Bluetooth adapters.

Connecting Bluetooth Game Controllers

Beginning with Parallels Desktop for Mac 18, you can enjoy a more seamless integration of popular Bluetooth game controllers. Instead of connecting them to a virtual machine, you now need to connect them directly to your Mac, and Parallels Desktop will automatically share them with Windows. Please note that regardless of the actual make and model, your game controller will appear in Windows as a "Virtual Xbox controller".

Requirements:

1. A Mac computer running macOS 11 Big Sur or newer;
2. A Windows 10 or newer on your virtual machine;
3. Any game controller that is supported in the macOS Game Controller framework. The following controllers have been tested and proven to work:
   • Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller (the last two generations);
   • Sony PlayStation DualShock and DualSense*;
   • Nintendo Joy-Cons.

*DualSense's touchpad and motion sensors are not yet supported.

Setting Up the Controller

1. Ensure the batteries inside are well-charged;
2. Connect the controller to your Mac. It should appear under the list of devices as Connected in System Settings > Bluetooth;
3. To make sure your device is connected to your Windows virtual machine, start Windows, and in the Windows search bar, type in Control Panel > Devices & Printers > the device should show up as Virtual Xbox Controller.