How to connect your PULSE Elite wireless headset to other devices

Find out how to connect your PULSE Elite™ wireless headset to a compatible PC, Mac®, or mobile device. 

How to connect your PULSE Elite wireless headset to a PC or Mac  

Connect your PULSE Elite wireless headset to a compatible PC (Windows) or Mac (macOS) that has USB audio output using the included PlayStation Link™ USB adapter. The included USB adapter is paired to your headset out of the box. 

  1. Make sure your PC or Mac is on. 
  2. Insert the USB adapter into a USB Type-A port on your PC/Mac. 
  3. Press the PlayStation Link™ button on your headset to turn it on.
    The status indicator on your headset blinks blue while searching for a connection. 
    When connected, the indicator on your headset turns solid white, and the indicator on your adapter turns solid white.
  • Your headset searches for a connection for 30 seconds. If it doesn’t find an available connection, your headset turns off. Press the PS Link button on your headset to search for a connection again.
  • If you use your headset with a Windows PC, you can install the PlayStation Link™ PC Driver on your PC from the PS Link icon that appears in the system tray.
PS Link Driver
  • You can control the volume of the PS Link audio from your headset. 
  • You may need to select “PlayStation Link Adapter” as the active audio device on your PC/Mac. 
  • For information about device compatibility and use, refer to the instructions included with your device. Not all devices work with your headset.

How to pair and connect your wireless headset to a new or previously owned PlayStation Link USB adapter 

You can connect your PULSE Elite wireless headset to a PlayStation Link™ USB adapter that wasn't included with it. You might do this because:

  • You purchased a standalone PS Link USB adapter to set up an additional PS Link connection to a USB audio device without having to unplug your first adapter. For example, you can have one adapter inserted to your PS5 console, and a second adapter inserted to your PC or Mac.
  • You already own a PS Link device with an included adapter, and you want to connect your new wireless headset to that adapter to free up USB ports on your console or PC/Mac. This way, you can have multiple pairings and connections supported by a single adapter.

An adapter that wasn't included with your headset (such as a standalone adapter, or one that belongs to a different PS Link device) isn't paired to it, so you need to do this first.

If you're pairing your wireless headset to an older PS Link USB adapter (CFI-ZWA2), make sure the adapter is updated to the latest system software.

  1. Make sure your PS5® console or PC/Mac is on, and you log in to your account.
  2. Insert the USB adapter (that you want to pair your headset to) into a USB port on your console or PC/Mac.
    You'll get the best PS Link connection by using one of the front ports to avoid blockage or interference.
  3. Press the PS Link button on your headset to turn it on.
  4.  Then, press and hold the PS Link button on your headset, and release it when the status indicator quickly blinks blue (approximately 8 seconds).

Your headset is in pairing mode.

  1. Press the PS Link button on the USB adapter.

The status indicator quickly blinks blue* while searching for a PS Link device. When connected, the indicator on the headset turns white, and the indicator on the adapter turns blue*.

*If you're using an older USB adapter (CFI-ZWA2), the status indicator only blinks and turns white. It's also located on the PS Link button.
  • After pairing to the USB adapter, your headset also searches for any paired Bluetooth devices that are ready to connect. The indicator on the headset slowly blinks from light to dark for a few seconds while searching. You can connect your mobile device to your headset at this time to listen to audio from both devices simultaneously. The latency of PS Link audio won’t be impacted by simultaneous connection with Bluetooth audio.
Pair with Bluetooth
  • If pairing is unsuccessful, your headset keeps searching for a connection for up to 30 seconds. If it doesn't find a new connection, your headset turns off. Turn your headset back on, and then press and hold the PS Link button for approximately 8 seconds to begin pairing mode again.
  • After pressing the PS Link button on your USB adapter, it searches for a new PS Link connection for up to 30 seconds. If it doesn’t find an available connection, the adapter stops searching. Press the PS Link button on the adapter to search for a new connection again.
  • Your headset can pair with up to eight PS Link USB adapters, but can be connected to and play audio from only one adapter at a time. One USB adapter can pair with up to eight PS Link devices.
  • If you use your headset with a Windows PC, you can install the PlayStation Link™ PC Driver on your PC from the PS Link icon that appears in the system tray.
PS Link Driver
  • If you have a USB adapter with a removable connector (CFI-ZWA3), you can change the connector to match the available port on your console or PC/Mac.
Swap connectors
  • While on your console, you can control the volume of the PS Link audio from your headset and your console. While on your PC/Mac, you can control the volume from only your headset.
  • You may need to select “PlayStation Link Adapter” as the active audio device on your PC/Mac.
  • For information about device compatibility and use, refer to the instructions included with your device. Not all devices work with your headset.

How to switch audio connections between your PlayStation Link USB adapters 

When you are using your PULSE Elite wireless headset with your PS5 console and you want to switch to audio from your PC/Mac (or vice versa), follow these steps to switch the PlayStation Link connections. 

Your headset must have been paired to the adapters inserted into your PS5® console and your PC/Mac.

  1. Make sure your PC/Mac is on and a PS Link USB adapter is inserted into its USB port. 
    You'll get the best PS Link connection by using one of the front ports to avoid blockage or interference.
  2. Press the PS Link button on your headset to turn it on.
    Your headset automatically connects to the last connected device. 
  3. Press and hold the PS Link button on your headset, and release it when the status indicator on your headset blinks white (approximately 2 seconds).
    The indicator slowly blinks from light to dark while searching for a previously paired connection. 
  4. Press the PS Link button on the USB adapter inserted into your PC/Mac.
    The status indicator of the adapter slowly blinks while searching for a PS Link device. When connected, the indicator on your headset turns solid white, and the indicator on the adapter turns solid.

As an example, see the visual below. The adapter inserted into your console is “adapter A”. The adapter inserted to your PC is “adapter B”.

  1. Make sure your PS5 console is on and a PS Link  adapter is inserted into one of its USB ports.
    You'll get the best PS Link connection by using one of the front ports to avoid blockage or interference.
  2. Press the PS Link button on your headset to turn it on.
    Your headset automatically connects to the last connected device. 
  3. Press and hold the PS Link button on your headset, and release it when the status indicator on your headset blinks white (approximately 2 seconds).
    If you have the PlayStation Link PC Driver installed on your Windows PC, you can select Disconnect from the quick menu instead of pressing the button on your headset.
    The indicator slowly blinks from light to dark while searching for a previously paired connection. 
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions when a PS Link Device Nearby notification appears on the screen connected to your console.
  • If your PS5 console or PC/Mac is turned off when you try to switch connections, your headset won’t connect to it. Your headset connects back to your last connected device.
  • You can connect and listen to only one PS Link connection at a time when your headset is paired to two or more PS Link USB adapters.
  • You can control the volume from your headset, console, or PC/Mac.  
  • The PS Link Device Nearby notification only appears if your paired adapter is inserted into your PS5 console. If the notification doesn’t appear on-screen, press the PS Link button on the USB adapter.
Change notification settings
  • You can also switch audio connections between your PS5 console and PlayStation Portal™ remote player. 
Switch audio connections

How to use the PlayStation Link button on your PULSE Elite wireless headset

Use the PS Link button on your PULSE Elite wireless headset for different functions that can be activated by short and long presses.

  • Turn on your headset to search and connect to your last connected device (PS Link or Bluetooth device).
  • Cancel a search for an existing connection or new pairing. Your headset connects back to the last connected device.

  • Displays Sound controls from the control centre. 

  • Deactivate current connection and initiate connection to a previously paired PS Link or Bluetooth device.

  • Turn off your headset.

  • Pair to a new PS Link or Bluetooth device. 

  • Wipe all paired connections from your headset. Be careful, as this deletes all PS Link and Bluetooth pairings and audio settings. 

  • Reset your headset (this doesn’t delete any pairings or settings).

How to pair and connect your PULSE Elite wireless headset to mobile devices with Bluetooth

Connect your PULSE Elite wireless headset to compatible mobile devices that support a Bluetooth connection.

You first need to pair your headset to your mobile device to set up a Bluetooth connection.

  1. Make sure Bluetooth is toggled “on” from the Bluetooth settings of your mobile device. 
  2. Press the PS Link button on your headset to turn it on.
    Your headset automatically connects to the last connected device.
  3. Press and hold the PS Link button on your headset, and release it when the status indicator on your headset quickly blinks blue (approximately 8 seconds).
    Your headset is in pairing mode when the indicator quickly blinks blue. 
  1. From the Bluetooth settings on your mobile device, select “PULSE Elite” from the list of Bluetooth devices.
    When paired and connected, the indicator on your headset turns solid white.
  • After pairing to the mobile device, your headset also searches for any paired PS Link devices that are ready to connect. The indicator slowly blinks from light to dark for a few seconds while searching. You can connect your PS5 console or PC/Mac to your headset at this time to listen to audio from both devices simultaneously. The latency of PS Link audio won’t be impacted by simultaneous connection with Bluetooth audio. 
Connect to PS5 consoles
Connect to PC or Mac
  • Your headset remains in pairing mode for up to 30 seconds. If it doesn’t find an available connection, the headset turns off. Press and hold the PS Link button on your headset for approximately 8 seconds to begin pairing mode again.
  • Your headset can pair with up to ten Bluetooth devices, but can be connected to and play audio from only one Bluetooth device at a time. 
  • The volume button controls only the PS Link audio from your console or PC/Mac. When your headset is connected to a Bluetooth device, you need to control the volume from your mobile device. When you listen to two audio sources at the same time from both PS Link and Bluetooth devices, the volume button controls only the PS Link audio. 
  • For information about device compatibility and use, refer to the instructions included with your device. Not all devices work with your headset.  

How to connect your PULSE Elite wireless headset with your PS Portal

You can pair and connect your headset to your PlayStation Portal™ remote player, and switch audio connections between your PS Portal and PS5 console through PlayStation Link connections. 

Connect with your PS Portal

How to connect your PULSE Elite wireless headset to other devices with an audio cable

You can connect your PULSE Elite wireless headset to the 3.5 mm audio jack of compatible devices using a 4-conductor or 3-conductor audio cable (not included). 

4-conductor audio cable
3-conductor audio cable

You must use a 4-conductor audio cable if you want to use the microphone on your headset to chat. You can use a 3-conductor audio cable if you want to only listen to audio. 

  1. Press the PS Link button on your headset to turn it on.
  2. Connect the audio cable to the audio input jack on your headset and the 3.5 mm audio jack of your compatible device.  
  • When wired, your headset won’t function with wireless connections to your PS Link or Bluetooth devices.
  • You need to control the volume of your wired connection from your device.
  • For information about device compatibility and use, refer to the instructions included with your device. Not all devices work with your headset. 

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