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How to Install an XBox 360 Controller for Free on a PC

While a number of gamers either don't mind or prefer the feel of a mouse and keyboard when gaming on their PC, others simply can't stand it and instead rely on a gamepad controller to play their games. If you own an Xbox 360 wired controller, you don't need to go out and buy anything special to use it on your PC. Connecting it to play your games on a Windows computer is quick, easy, and---best of all---completely free.

Things You'll Need

Xbox 360 wired controller
Internet
Windows computer

Instructions

- 1
  Download the gaming software, provided free by Microsoft, needed to use the Xbox 360 wired controller on your Windows computer. On the download site, you need to select "Controller" in the first section, "Xbox 360 Controller for Windows" in the second and your computer's operating system and language in the last two columns. If you don't know your computer's operating system, click the "Start" button on the taskbar, right-click the "Computer" or "My Computer" icon and click "Properties."
- 2
  Install the gaming software by double-clicking the file when it finishes downloading. Windows walks you through the installation step-by-step, and it doesn't take more than one or two minutes.
- 3
  Plug the USB cable on the controller directly into any of your computer's USB inputs (it doesn't matter which port as long as it's functioning). The light on your controller will light up as Windows identifies it. You're now set up to play games using your Xbox 360 controller.

Xbox 360