Profiles store button mappings, light bar, gyro, and other settings. You can create one profile per game and let DS4Windows switch automatically when you launch a game.
Creating and Editing Profiles
- In DS4Windows, open the Profiles tab. Click New to create a profile and name it (e.g. “FPS Games,” “Racing”).
- Use Edit to change mappings, dead zones, light bar, gyro, touchpad, and macros.
- Set a Default profile so it loads when no game-specific profile applies.
Auto Profile (Auto-Switch)
Auto Profile loads a specific profile when a given program is running. DS4Windows detects the running process and switches the active profile.
- In Settings → Auto Profiles, enable Auto Profiles.
- Add entries: Executable name (e.g.
game.exe) and the Profile to use. Use the exact process name (case-sensitive on some systems). - If detection fails, try the full path to the .exe.
- Running DS4Windows as Administrator can improve process detection.
Where Profiles Are Stored
Profiles and config files are usually in %appdata%\DS4Windows (e.g. C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\DS4Windows). You’ll find:
- Profiles folder – one XML per profile.
- Profiles.xml, AutoProfiles.xml, ControllerConfigs.xml, etc.
Backup and Restore
To backup: copy the entire %appdata%\DS4Windows folder (or at least the Profiles folder and XML files) to a safe location. To restore: close DS4Windows, replace the folder or files with your backup, then start DS4Windows again. See Backup, Restore, and Uninstall for full steps.