Files
MoHadiShibli--Control4Free/README.md
T
MoHadiShibli 1cc59c12dc README: shorter credits, and the AI models by name
Credits are down to SplashDown, whose code the virtual-device layer is
ported from; everything else Control4Free uses, with its license, stays
listed in THIRD_PARTY.md. The AI models named are the ones actually used:
Claude Opus 5.5 and Astra GPT-6.
2026-10-05 16:30:44 +03:00

6.7 KiB

Control4Free

Control4Free

Latest release Build License: GPL v3 Support on Ko-fi

Use your phone or PC as a PS4 controller everywhere: on the home screen, at sign-in, and in every game.

Control4Free adds up to four extra DualShock 4 controllers to a jailbroken PS4. Open its page in a browser on your network, pick a controller, and choose who's playing on the PS4's own "Who's using this controller?" screen. Play with touch, a keyboard, or the gamepad you already have: Xbox, DualSense, Switch Pro and most others work through the phone or PC. There's nothing to install on the phone or computer.

The controller on a phone

Why it's different

Controller plugins live inside games, so they can't reach the home screen or the sign-in screen. Control4Free is a GoldHEN payload that goes through Sony's own virtual-device system, the one Remote Play uses. The PS4 sees a real controller, so it works wherever a DualShock does:

  • on the home screen and in every menu, PS button included;
  • at sign-in, through the PS4's own user picker, for real users and guests alike;
  • in every game, with no per-game setup.

Features

  • Up to four controllers, from as many phones, tablets or computers as you like.
  • A full DualShock 4 on the screen: analog sticks, a two-finger touchpad, L3/R3, PS, Share and Options. Move, resize or hide any button with the layout editor; each device keeps its own layout.
  • The gamepads you already have. Connect one to the phone or PC and give it a controller. One computer can run all four.
  • A keyboard, with keys you can change.
  • Fast. Input reaches the console the moment it arrives, at a DualShock 4's own rate while you play.
  • An app on the PS4 that shows the address and a QR code, how many controllers are connected, and starts or stops Control4Free.
  • Starts by itself. One button in the app sets up GoldHEN's AutoRun, so Control4Free is ready after every restart.
  • On your phone's home screen, like an app.
  • Stays awake: your phone's screen doesn't turn off while you play.
  • Gets through rest mode. After the PS4 wakes up, open the page and pick your controller again.

Quick start

  1. Download Control4Free-1.0.0.pkg from the latest release.
  2. Install it with GoldHEN's Package Installer: Settings → Debug Settings → Game → Package Installer, from a USB drive or /data/pkg/.
  3. Open Control4Free from Library → Applications and press Cross. It sets up auto-start and starts Control4Free.
  4. On your phone or PC, scan the QR code or open the address shown, for example http://192.168.1.20:4264. Pick a controller, then choose your user on the TV with the D-pad and Cross.

New to GoldHEN packages? The installation guide walks through every step.

Screenshots

Home screen on a phone On a PC The app on the PS4
Home screen on a phone The page in a PC's browser The Control4Free app on the PS4

Documentation

  • Installation: requirements, installing, auto-start, updating, uninstalling.
  • Playing: signing in, touch, keyboard and gamepads, the layout editor, settings.
  • Troubleshooting: the messages you might see and what to do about each.
  • How it works: the virtual-device API, sign-in, and what runs where.
  • Protocol: the WebSocket protocol between the page and the console.
  • Security: what being open on your home network does and doesn't mean.
  • Contributing: building, testing and code style.
  • Changelog.

Requirements and compatibility

  • A PS4 with GoldHEN. Tested on firmware 10.01 with GoldHEN v2.4b18.10. Auto-start and starting Control4Free from GoldHEN's menu need v2.4b18.10 or later.
  • A phone, tablet or computer with a browser, on the same network as the PS4.
  • Turn off other GoldHEN controller plugins in games you play with Control4Free. A plugin that takes over a signed-in user's controller can stop games from reading the virtual ones.
  • A Remote Play session (chiaki-ng, for example) works alongside Control4Free.

Limitations

  • No rumble, light bar or motion yet. The PS4 does send rumble and light-bar changes to the virtual controllers; passing them to the phone is planned for 1.1.
  • One controller is added at a time. If two people pick at once, the second is asked to try again a moment later.
  • Rest mode signs everyone out, so controllers have to be picked again after the PS4 wakes up, just like real ones.
  • No pairing or password. Anyone on your network can take a free controller. Read SECURITY.md and keep port 4264 off the internet.

Support

Found a bug? Open an issue; I maintain this project and read every report. If Control4Free is useful to you, you can help keep it going on Ko-fi.

Credits

Control4Free's virtual-device code is ported from SplashDown by seregonwar. The other code, fonts and artwork it uses, and their licenses, are listed in THIRD_PARTY.md.

Built with AI help

Control4Free was built with the help of AI models, Claude Opus 5.5 by Anthropic and Astra GPT-6 by OpenAI, which worked on the code, tests and documentation with me. AI-written code can look right and still be wrong. Reviews are very welcome: if you spot AI slop (dead code, wrong assumptions, needless complexity), please open an issue or send a pull request.

License

Control4Free is free software under the GNU General Public License v3. Copyright © 2026 MoHadiShibli.