diff --git a/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/ControllerTestView.swift b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/ControllerTestView.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0da3277
--- /dev/null
+++ b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/ControllerTestView.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,387 @@
+// DEBUG-only controller test panel, reached from Settings → Controllers → "Test Controller…".
+// It shows the live input of the active controller and lets you fire the host→client feedback
+// channels — rumble, DualSense adaptive triggers, lightbar, player LEDs — straight at the
+// physical pad (no host needed), so the rendering paths a session uses can be confirmed
+// on-device. Driven by PunktfunkKit's `ControllerTester`, which reuses the real renderers.
+//
+// tvOS is excluded for now (it has no segmented picker / the panel wants a pointer-style
+// layout); macOS + iOS/iPadOS cover the validation need.
+
+#if DEBUG && !os(tvOS)
+import GameController
+import PunktfunkKit
+import SwiftUI
+
+@MainActor
+struct ControllerTestView: View {
+    @Environment(\.dismiss) private var dismiss
+    @ObservedObject private var gamepads = GamepadManager.shared
+    @StateObject private var tester = ControllerTester()
+
+    @State private var heavyOn = false
+    @State private var lightOn = false
+    @State private var intensity = 0.75
+    @State private var triggerTarget = TriggerTarget.both
+    @State private var playerLED = -1
+
+    private enum TriggerTarget: String, CaseIterable, Identifiable {
+        case left = "L2", right = "R2", both = "Both"
+        var id: String { rawValue }
+    }
+
+    private struct TriggerDemo: Identifiable {
+        let label: String
+        let effect: DualSenseTriggerEffect
+        var id: String { label }
+    }
+
+    private static let triggerDemos: [TriggerDemo] = [
+        .init(label: "Off", effect: .off),
+        .init(label: "Resistance", effect: .feedback(start: 0.3, strength: 0.7)),
+        .init(label: "Weapon", effect: .weapon(start: 0.4, end: 0.7, strength: 0.9)),
+        .init(label: "Vibration", effect: .vibration(start: 0.1, amplitude: 0.8, frequency: 0.5)),
+        .init(label: "Bow", effect: .slope(start: 0.2, end: 0.9, startStrength: 0.2, endStrength: 0.9)),
+    ]
+
+    // (display name, hardware colour, swatch colour)
+    private static let lightSwatches: [(String, GCColor, Color)] = [
+        ("Red", GCColor(red: 1, green: 0, blue: 0), .red),
+        ("Green", GCColor(red: 0, green: 1, blue: 0), .green),
+        ("Blue", GCColor(red: 0, green: 0.2, blue: 1), .blue),
+        ("White", GCColor(red: 1, green: 1, blue: 1), .white),
+    ]
+
+    var body: some View {
+        VStack(spacing: 0) {
+            HStack {
+                Text("Test Controller").font(.headline)
+                Spacer()
+                Button("Done") { dismiss() }.keyboardShortcut(.cancelAction)
+            }
+            .padding()
+            Divider()
+            ScrollView {
+                VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 16) {
+                    if let active = gamepads.active {
+                        header(active)
+                        inputCard
+                        rumbleCard()
+                        triggerCard(active)
+                        extrasCard(active)
+                    } else {
+                        ContentUnavailableView(
+                            "No controller",
+                            systemImage: "gamecontroller",
+                            description: Text("Connect a controller and pick it under "
+                                + "Settings → Controllers → Use controller."))
+                            .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, minHeight: 220)
+                    }
+                }
+                .padding()
+            }
+        }
+        .frame(minWidth: 420, minHeight: 540)
+        .onAppear { tester.target(gamepads.active?.controller) }
+        .onDisappear { tester.stop() }
+        .onChange(of: gamepads.active?.id) { _, _ in
+            heavyOn = false
+            lightOn = false
+            playerLED = -1
+            tester.target(gamepads.active?.controller)
+        }
+    }
+
+    // MARK: Header
+
+    private func header(_ c: GamepadManager.DiscoveredController) -> some View {
+        HStack(spacing: 10) {
+            Image(systemName: c.isDualSense ? "playstation.logo" : "gamecontroller.fill")
+                .font(.title2)
+                .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+            VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 2) {
+                Text(c.name).font(.headline)
+                Text(c.productCategory).font(.caption).foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+            }
+            Spacer()
+        }
+    }
+
+    // MARK: Input
+
+    private var inputCard: some View {
+        card("Input") {
+            // Poll the live controller at 30 Hz — no handlers installed, so nothing else's
+            // capture is disturbed.
+            TimelineView(.periodic(from: .now, by: 1.0 / 30.0)) { _ in
+                if let gp = gamepads.active?.controller.extendedGamepad {
+                    inputReadout(gp, controller: gamepads.active?.controller)
+                } else {
+                    Text("Not an extended gamepad").foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    @ViewBuilder
+    private func inputReadout(_ g: GCExtendedGamepad, controller: GCController?) -> some View {
+        VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 14) {
+            HStack(alignment: .top, spacing: 20) {
+                stick("L", x: g.leftThumbstick.xAxis.value, y: g.leftThumbstick.yAxis.value,
+                      pressed: g.leftThumbstickButton?.isPressed ?? false)
+                stick("R", x: g.rightThumbstick.xAxis.value, y: g.rightThumbstick.yAxis.value,
+                      pressed: g.rightThumbstickButton?.isPressed ?? false)
+                VStack(spacing: 8) {
+                    triggerBar("L2", value: g.leftTrigger.value)
+                    triggerBar("R2", value: g.rightTrigger.value)
+                }
+            }
+            buttonGrid(g)
+            if let tp = Self.touchpad(g) {
+                touchpadView(tp)
+            }
+            if let m = controller?.motion {
+                motionReadout(m)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private func stick(_ label: String, x: Float, y: Float, pressed: Bool) -> some View {
+        VStack(spacing: 4) {
+            ZStack {
+                Circle().stroke(Color.secondary.opacity(0.3))
+                Circle()
+                    .fill(pressed ? Color.accentColor : Color.secondary)
+                    .frame(width: 12, height: 12)
+                    .offset(x: CGFloat(x) * 22, y: CGFloat(-y) * 22) // GC y is +up
+            }
+            .frame(width: 56, height: 56)
+            Text("\(label) \(sgn(x)),\(sgn(y))").font(.caption2.monospaced()).foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+        }
+    }
+
+    private func triggerBar(_ label: String, value: Float) -> some View {
+        HStack(spacing: 6) {
+            Text(label).font(.caption2.monospaced()).frame(width: 22, alignment: .leading)
+            GeometryReader { geo in
+                ZStack(alignment: .leading) {
+                    Capsule().fill(Color.secondary.opacity(0.15))
+                    Capsule().fill(Color.accentColor).frame(width: geo.size.width * CGFloat(value))
+                }
+            }
+            .frame(height: 10)
+            Text(mag(value)).font(.caption2.monospaced()).frame(width: 34, alignment: .trailing)
+                .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+        }
+        .frame(width: 150)
+    }
+
+    private func buttonGrid(_ g: GCExtendedGamepad) -> some View {
+        var items: [(String, Bool)] = [
+            ("A", g.buttonA.isPressed), ("B", g.buttonB.isPressed),
+            ("X", g.buttonX.isPressed), ("Y", g.buttonY.isPressed),
+            ("LB", g.leftShoulder.isPressed), ("RB", g.rightShoulder.isPressed),
+            ("L3", g.leftThumbstickButton?.isPressed ?? false),
+            ("R3", g.rightThumbstickButton?.isPressed ?? false),
+            ("Menu", g.buttonMenu.isPressed),
+            ("Opts", g.buttonOptions?.isPressed ?? false),
+            ("↑", g.dpad.up.isPressed), ("↓", g.dpad.down.isPressed),
+            ("←", g.dpad.left.isPressed), ("→", g.dpad.right.isPressed),
+        ]
+        if let tp = Self.touchpad(g) { items.append(("Pad", tp.button.isPressed)) }
+        return LazyVGrid(
+            columns: Array(repeating: GridItem(.flexible(), spacing: 6), count: 5), spacing: 6
+        ) {
+            ForEach(items.indices, id: \.self) { i in
+                Text(items[i].0)
+                    .font(.caption.monospaced())
+                    .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, minHeight: 24)
+                    .background(
+                        RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 6)
+                            .fill(items[i].1 ? Color.accentColor : Color.secondary.opacity(0.15)))
+                    .foregroundStyle(items[i].1 ? Color.white : Color.secondary)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private func touchpadView(
+        _ tp: (primary: GCControllerDirectionPad, secondary: GCControllerDirectionPad,
+               button: GCControllerButtonInput)
+    ) -> some View {
+        VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 4) {
+            Text("Touchpad\(tp.button.isPressed ? " — click" : "")")
+                .font(.caption2).foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+            ZStack {
+                RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 8).stroke(Color.secondary.opacity(0.3))
+                fingerDot(tp.primary, color: .accentColor)
+                fingerDot(tp.secondary, color: .orange)
+            }
+            .frame(width: 150, height: 74)
+        }
+    }
+
+    private func fingerDot(_ pad: GCControllerDirectionPad, color: Color) -> some View {
+        let x = pad.xAxis.value, y = pad.yAxis.value
+        let active = !(x == 0 && y == 0) // GC snaps a lifted finger to exactly (0, 0)
+        return Circle().fill(color).frame(width: 10, height: 10)
+            .offset(x: CGFloat(x) * 71, y: CGFloat(-y) * 33)
+            .opacity(active ? 1 : 0)
+    }
+
+    private func motionReadout(_ m: GCMotion) -> some View {
+        let a = Self.totalAccel(m)
+        return VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 2) {
+            Text("Motion").font(.caption2).foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+            Text(String(format: "gyro  %+.2f %+.2f %+.2f",
+                        m.rotationRate.x, m.rotationRate.y, m.rotationRate.z))
+                .font(.caption2.monospaced())
+            Text(String(format: "accel %+.2f %+.2f %+.2f", a.0, a.1, a.2))
+                .font(.caption2.monospaced())
+        }
+    }
+
+    // MARK: Rumble
+
+    private func rumbleCard() -> some View {
+        card("Rumble") {
+            VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 12) {
+                Picker("Strength", selection: $intensity) {
+                    Text("25%").tag(0.25)
+                    Text("50%").tag(0.5)
+                    Text("75%").tag(0.75)
+                    Text("100%").tag(1.0)
+                }
+                .pickerStyle(.segmented)
+                Toggle("Heavy motor (left)", isOn: $heavyOn)
+                Toggle("Light motor (right)", isOn: $lightOn)
+                Label("Backend: \(tester.rumbleBackend)", systemImage: "waveform")
+                    .font(.caption).foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+                Text("Toggle a motor to feel it. The host maps a game's low/high-frequency "
+                    + "rumble onto these two. A DualSense is driven over raw HID (CoreHaptics "
+                    + "can't reach its motors on macOS).")
+                    .font(.caption).foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+            }
+            .onChange(of: heavyOn) { _, _ in applyRumble() }
+            .onChange(of: lightOn) { _, _ in applyRumble() }
+            .onChange(of: intensity) { _, _ in applyRumble() }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private func applyRumble() {
+        tester.rumble(low: heavyOn ? Float(intensity) : 0, high: lightOn ? Float(intensity) : 0)
+    }
+
+    // MARK: Adaptive triggers
+
+    private func triggerCard(_ c: GamepadManager.DiscoveredController) -> some View {
+        card("Adaptive triggers") {
+            if c.hasAdaptiveTriggers {
+                VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 12) {
+                    Picker("Apply to", selection: $triggerTarget) {
+                        ForEach(TriggerTarget.allCases) { Text($0.rawValue).tag($0) }
+                    }
+                    .pickerStyle(.segmented)
+                    LazyVGrid(
+                        columns: [GridItem(.adaptive(minimum: 96), spacing: 8)], spacing: 8
+                    ) {
+                        ForEach(Self.triggerDemos) { demo in
+                            Button(demo.label) { applyTrigger(demo.effect) }
+                                .buttonStyle(.bordered)
+                        }
+                    }
+                    Text("Pick an effect, then pull L2/R2 to feel the resistance.")
+                        .font(.caption).foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+                }
+            } else {
+                Text("Adaptive triggers need a DualSense.")
+                    .font(.caption).foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private func applyTrigger(_ e: DualSenseTriggerEffect) {
+        switch triggerTarget {
+        case .left: tester.applyTrigger(e, right: false)
+        case .right: tester.applyTrigger(e, right: true)
+        case .both:
+            tester.applyTrigger(e, right: false)
+            tester.applyTrigger(e, right: true)
+        }
+    }
+
+    // MARK: Lightbar + player LED
+
+    @ViewBuilder
+    private func extrasCard(_ c: GamepadManager.DiscoveredController) -> some View {
+        if c.hasLight {
+            card("Lightbar & player LED") {
+                VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 12) {
+                    HStack(spacing: 12) {
+                        ForEach(Self.lightSwatches.indices, id: \.self) { i in
+                            Button { tester.setLight(Self.lightSwatches[i].1) } label: {
+                                Circle().fill(Self.lightSwatches[i].2)
+                                    .frame(width: 26, height: 26)
+                                    .overlay(Circle().stroke(Color.secondary.opacity(0.4)))
+                            }
+                            .buttonStyle(.plain)
+                        }
+                        Button("Off") { tester.setLight(nil) }.buttonStyle(.bordered)
+                    }
+                    Picker("Player LED", selection: $playerLED) {
+                        Text("Off").tag(-1)
+                        Text("1").tag(0)
+                        Text("2").tag(1)
+                        Text("3").tag(2)
+                        Text("4").tag(3)
+                    }
+                    .pickerStyle(.segmented)
+                    .onChange(of: playerLED) { _, v in
+                        tester.setPlayerIndex(GCControllerPlayerIndex(rawValue: v) ?? .indexUnset)
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    // MARK: Helpers
+
+    private func card<Content: View>(
+        _ title: String, @ViewBuilder _ content: () -> Content
+    ) -> some View {
+        VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 10) {
+            Text(title).font(.subheadline.weight(.semibold))
+            content()
+        }
+        .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading)
+        .padding(14)
+        .background(RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 12).fill(Color.secondary.opacity(0.08)))
+    }
+
+    private func sgn(_ v: Float) -> String { String(format: "%+.2f", v) }
+    private func mag(_ v: Float) -> String { String(format: "%.2f", v) }
+
+    /// The touchpad surface of a PlayStation pad — `GCDualSenseGamepad` and `GCDualShockGamepad`
+    /// don't share a touchpad type, so downcast either. `nil` for any other controller.
+    private static func touchpad(
+        _ g: GCExtendedGamepad
+    ) -> (primary: GCControllerDirectionPad, secondary: GCControllerDirectionPad,
+          button: GCControllerButtonInput)? {
+        if let ds = g as? GCDualSenseGamepad {
+            return (ds.touchpadPrimary, ds.touchpadSecondary, ds.touchpadButton)
+        }
+        if let ds4 = g as? GCDualShockGamepad {
+            return (ds4.touchpadPrimary, ds4.touchpadSecondary, ds4.touchpadButton)
+        }
+        return nil
+    }
+
+    /// Total acceleration in g: gravity + user when the pad splits them, else the raw vector.
+    private static func totalAccel(_ m: GCMotion) -> (Double, Double, Double) {
+        if m.hasGravityAndUserAcceleration {
+            return (m.gravity.x + m.userAcceleration.x,
+                    m.gravity.y + m.userAcceleration.y,
+                    m.gravity.z + m.userAcceleration.z)
+        }
+        return (m.acceleration.x, m.acceleration.y, m.acceleration.z)
+    }
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/SettingsView.swift b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/SettingsView.swift
index a1a1e70..1197323 100644
--- a/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/SettingsView.swift
+++ b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/SettingsView.swift
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ struct SettingsView: View {
     @AppStorage(DefaultsKey.hudEnabled) private var hudEnabled = true
     @AppStorage(DefaultsKey.hudPlacement) private var hudPlacement = HUDPlacement.topTrailing.rawValue
     @ObservedObject private var gamepads = GamepadManager.shared
+    #if DEBUG && !os(tvOS)
+    @State private var showControllerTest = false
+    #endif
     #if os(macOS)
     @AppStorage(DefaultsKey.speakerUID) private var speakerUID = ""
     @AppStorage(DefaultsKey.micUID) private var micUID = ""
@@ -411,6 +414,11 @@ struct SettingsView: View {
                     Text(option.label).tag(option.tag)
                 }
             }
+            #if DEBUG && !os(tvOS)
+            Button("Test Controller…") { showControllerTest = true }
+                .disabled(gamepads.active == nil)
+                .sheet(isPresented: $showControllerTest) { ControllerTestView() }
+            #endif
         } header: {
             Text("Controllers")
         } footer: {
diff --git a/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkKit/DualSenseHID.swift b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkKit/DualSenseHID.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7850c25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkKit/DualSenseHID.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+// Raw-HID DualSense rumble for macOS.
+//
+// Apple's GameController/CHHapticEngine path does NOT drive the DualSense's rumble motors on
+// macOS — a documented platform gap: adaptive triggers, lightbar and player LEDs all work
+// (different APIs), but `CHHapticEngine` output never reaches the motors. So we write the motor
+// amplitudes straight into the DualSense HID output report, exactly the way SDL and the Linux
+// `hid-playstation` driver do (the same report that already rumbles this pad on a Linux host).
+//
+// USB (report 0x02, 48 bytes, no CRC) and Bluetooth (report 0x31, 78 bytes, trailing CRC32) are
+// both handled. The App Sandbox permits the raw-HID access via the app's `device.usb` +
+// `device.bluetooth` entitlements, and this coexists with GameController holding the same device
+// (non-seized open). Output-only, so no run-loop scheduling is needed.
+//
+// macOS-only: IOKit HID device access isn't available to apps on iOS/tvOS.
+
+#if os(macOS)
+import Foundation
+import IOKit
+import IOKit.hid
+import os
+
+private let log = Logger(subsystem: "io.unom.punktfunk", category: "gamepad")
+
+/// Opens the first connected Sony DualSense and forwards motor rumble to it over raw HID.
+/// Single-pad model (we forward exactly one controller), so the first match is the right one.
+final class DualSenseHID {
+    private let manager: IOHIDManager
+    private var device: IOHIDDevice?
+    private var bluetooth = false
+    private var closed = false
+
+    private static let vendorSony = 0x054C
+    // DualSense (0x0CE6) and DualSense Edge (0x0DF2). The DualShock 4 uses a different report
+    // layout and is intentionally not handled here.
+    private static let productIDs = [0x0CE6, 0x0DF2]
+
+    /// "USB" or "Bluetooth" — for logs / the debug panel. Valid after a successful `open()`.
+    var transport: String { bluetooth ? "Bluetooth" : "USB" }
+
+    init() {
+        manager = IOHIDManagerCreate(kCFAllocatorDefault, IOOptionBits(kIOHIDOptionsTypeNone))
+    }
+
+    deinit { close() }
+
+    /// Find and open the first connected DualSense. Returns false if none is present or it can't
+    /// be opened (caller then falls back to CoreHaptics).
+    func open() -> Bool {
+        let matches = Self.productIDs.map { pid in
+            [kIOHIDVendorIDKey: Self.vendorSony, kIOHIDProductIDKey: pid] as CFDictionary
+        }
+        IOHIDManagerSetDeviceMatchingMultiple(manager, matches as CFArray)
+        guard IOHIDManagerOpen(manager, IOOptionBits(kIOHIDOptionsTypeNone)) == kIOReturnSuccess else {
+            log.info("rumble: DualSense HID manager open failed — falling back to CoreHaptics")
+            return false
+        }
+        guard let devices = IOHIDManagerCopyDevices(manager) as? Set<IOHIDDevice>,
+              let dev = devices.first
+        else {
+            log.info("rumble: no DualSense HID device found — falling back to CoreHaptics")
+            IOHIDManagerClose(manager, IOOptionBits(kIOHIDOptionsTypeNone))
+            return false
+        }
+        device = dev
+        let transport = IOHIDDeviceGetProperty(dev, kIOHIDTransportKey as CFString) as? String
+        bluetooth = transport?.lowercased().contains("bluetooth") ?? false
+        log.info("rumble: DualSense raw-HID rumble active (transport=\(self.transport, privacy: .public))")
+        return true
+    }
+
+    /// Drive the motors. `low` = left/heavy (low-frequency), `high` = right/light (high-frequency),
+    /// each 0...255. (0, 0) stops.
+    func rumble(low: UInt8, high: UInt8) {
+        guard let dev = device else { return }
+        let report = bluetooth
+            ? Self.bluetoothReport(low: low, high: high)
+            : Self.usbReport(low: low, high: high)
+        let rc = report.withUnsafeBufferPointer { buf in
+            IOHIDDeviceSetReport(
+                dev, kIOHIDReportTypeOutput, CFIndex(report[0]), buf.baseAddress!, buf.count)
+        }
+        if rc != kIOReturnSuccess {
+            log.error("rumble: IOHIDDeviceSetReport failed (0x\(String(format: "%08x", rc), privacy: .public))")
+        }
+    }
+
+    func close() {
+        guard !closed else { return }
+        closed = true
+        if device != nil { rumble(low: 0, high: 0) } // silence the motors before releasing
+        device = nil
+        IOHIDManagerClose(manager, IOOptionBits(kIOHIDOptionsTypeNone))
+    }
+
+    // MARK: - Report builders
+
+    // DualSense effects payload (DS5EffectsState_t / hid-playstation `common`) — offsets relative
+    // to the payload start:
+    //   0  flag0 (enable bits)   2  motor_right (high-freq)   3  motor_left (low-freq)
+    //   1  flag1                 38 flag2 (enhanced enable)
+    // We mirror the Linux driver: flag0 = COMPATIBLE_VIBRATION | HAPTICS_SELECT, flag2 =
+    // COMPATIBLE_VIBRATION2 (the enhanced-firmware path), motors sent directly. valid_flag1 stays
+    // 0 so this rumble-only report leaves the lightbar / triggers / player LEDs (driven by
+    // GameController) untouched.
+    private static func fillEffects(_ data: inout [UInt8], at base: Int, low: UInt8, high: UInt8) {
+        data[base + 0] = 0x03 // COMPATIBLE_VIBRATION (0x01) | HAPTICS_SELECT (0x02)
+        data[base + 2] = high // motor_right
+        data[base + 3] = low // motor_left
+        data[base + 38] = 0x04 // COMPATIBLE_VIBRATION2 (enhanced rumble, firmware ≥ 0x0224)
+    }
+
+    // `usbReport` / `bluetoothReport` / `crc32` are internal (not private) so the unit tests can
+    // pin the exact wire layout against the SDL / hid-playstation spec without a physical pad.
+    static func usbReport(low: UInt8, high: UInt8) -> [UInt8] {
+        var d = [UInt8](repeating: 0, count: 48)
+        d[0] = 0x02 // report id
+        fillEffects(&d, at: 1, low: low, high: high)
+        return d
+    }
+
+    static func bluetoothReport(low: UInt8, high: UInt8) -> [UInt8] {
+        var d = [UInt8](repeating: 0, count: 78)
+        d[0] = 0x31 // report id
+        d[1] = 0x00 // seq/tag (static, as SDL)
+        d[2] = 0x10 // magic
+        fillEffects(&d, at: 3, low: low, high: high)
+        // Trailing CRC32 over a 0xA2 seed byte + the report minus its 4 CRC bytes, little-endian.
+        let crc = Self.crc32(seed: 0xA2, d[0..<(d.count - 4)])
+        d[74] = UInt8(crc & 0xFF)
+        d[75] = UInt8((crc >> 8) & 0xFF)
+        d[76] = UInt8((crc >> 16) & 0xFF)
+        d[77] = UInt8((crc >> 24) & 0xFF)
+        return d
+    }
+
+    /// Standard reflected CRC32 (zlib poly 0xEDB88320, init 0xFFFFFFFF, final XOR) over `seed`
+    /// followed by `bytes` — the DualSense Bluetooth output-report checksum (seed 0xA2). Matches
+    /// SDL's `SDL_crc32`/the kernel's `crc32_le` framing.
+    static func crc32<S: Sequence>(seed: UInt8, _ bytes: S) -> UInt32
+    where S.Element == UInt8 {
+        var crc: UInt32 = 0xFFFF_FFFF
+        func step(_ b: UInt8) {
+            crc ^= UInt32(b)
+            for _ in 0..<8 {
+                crc = (crc & 1) != 0 ? (crc >> 1) ^ 0xEDB8_8320 : crc >> 1
+            }
+        }
+        step(seed)
+        for b in bytes { step(b) }
+        return ~crc
+    }
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkKit/GamepadFeedback.swift b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkKit/GamepadFeedback.swift
index 6cbdb0a..94a3cda 100644
--- a/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkKit/GamepadFeedback.swift
+++ b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkKit/GamepadFeedback.swift
@@ -50,10 +50,12 @@ private final class FeedbackStopFlag: @unchecked Sendable {
 private final class RumbleRenderer: @unchecked Sendable {
     private let queue = DispatchQueue(label: "io.unom.punktfunk.haptics", qos: .userInteractive)
 
+    /// One actuator's started engine plus the player currently driving it (nil = idle). The
+    /// player is rebuilt per level change — `drive` bakes the target intensity into a fresh
+    /// continuous event rather than scaling a long-lived one with a dynamic parameter.
     private struct Motor {
         let engine: CHHapticEngine
-        let player: CHHapticAdvancedPatternPlayer
-        var playing = false
+        var player: CHHapticAdvancedPatternPlayer?
     }
 
     private var controller: GCController?
@@ -67,11 +69,30 @@ private final class RumbleRenderer: @unchecked Sendable {
     /// Last logged active/silent state — for a one-line transition log, not per-event spam.
     private var wasActive = false
 
-    func retarget(_ c: GCController?) {
+    /// CHHapticEvent sharpness = actuator frequency. A DualSense's voice-coil motors need a
+    /// defined frequency to move at all — an intensity-only event (no sharpness) left them
+    /// silent, while a classic Xbox rotor (which ignores sharpness) rumbled fine. 0.5 is the mid
+    /// value the known-working macOS DualSense rumble implementations use. (Used only on the
+    /// CoreHaptics path — a DualSense on macOS is driven over raw HID instead, see below.)
+    private static let sharpness: Float = 0.5
+
+    #if os(macOS)
+    /// Set when the active pad is a DualSense: its motors are driven over raw HID (CoreHaptics
+    /// does not reach them on macOS — adaptive triggers/lightbar work, rumble is silent). nil for
+    /// every other controller, which keeps the CoreHaptics path.
+    private var dualSenseHID: DualSenseHID?
+    #endif
+
+    /// `onBackend`, if given, is invoked (on the internal queue) with a human-readable name of the
+    /// rumble backend now in use — for the debug controller-test panel.
+    func retarget(_ c: GCController?, onBackend: ((String) -> Void)? = nil) {
         queue.async {
             self.teardown()
+            self.closeHID()
             self.controller = c
             self.broken = false
+            _ = self.openHIDIfDualSense(c)
+            onBackend?(self.backendNote(for: c))
         }
     }
 
@@ -83,22 +104,36 @@ private final class RumbleRenderer: @unchecked Sendable {
                 log.debug(
                     "rumble: \(active ? "active" : "stop", privacy: .public) low=\(lowAmp, privacy: .public) high=\(highAmp, privacy: .public)")
             }
+            // A DualSense on macOS is driven over raw HID; CoreHaptics is the path for every
+            // other pad (and for a DualSense whose HID device could not be opened).
+            if self.hidRumble(low: lowAmp, high: highAmp) { return }
             guard !self.broken else { return }
             if active, self.low == nil, self.high == nil {
                 self.setup()
             }
+            let ok: Bool
             if self.high != nil {
-                self.drive(&self.low, Float(lowAmp) / 65535)
-                self.drive(&self.high, Float(highAmp) / 65535)
+                // Per-handle: low = left/heavy motor, high = right/light — the XInput convention
+                // the wire carries.
+                let okLow = self.drive(&self.low, Float(lowAmp) / 65535)
+                let okHigh = self.drive(&self.high, Float(highAmp) / 65535)
+                ok = okLow && okHigh
             } else {
                 // Combined engine: whichever motor is stronger wins.
-                self.drive(&self.low, Float(max(lowAmp, highAmp)) / 65535)
+                ok = self.drive(&self.low, Float(max(lowAmp, highAmp)) / 65535)
             }
+            // Rebuild on the next nonzero amplitude if an engine errored — and tear down OUTSIDE
+            // the `inout` accesses above, so teardown() never mutates a motor that a `drive` call
+            // still holds an exclusive reference to.
+            if !ok { self.teardown() }
         }
     }
 
     func stop() {
-        queue.sync { self.teardown() }
+        queue.sync {
+            self.teardown()
+            self.closeHID()
+        }
     }
 
     /// Engines per handle when the pad distinguishes them (low = left/heavy motor,
@@ -144,44 +179,51 @@ private final class RumbleRenderer: @unchecked Sendable {
             self?.queue.async { self?.teardown() }
         }
         do {
+            // Start the engine now; the player that actually moves the motor is built per level
+            // change in `drive` (a fresh event baked at the target intensity).
             try engine.start()
-            let event = CHHapticEvent(
-                eventType: .hapticContinuous,
-                parameters: [CHHapticEventParameter(parameterID: .hapticIntensity, value: 1)],
-                relativeTime: 0,
-                duration: TimeInterval(GCHapticDurationInfinite))
-            let player = try engine.makeAdvancedPlayer(with: CHHapticPattern(events: [event], parameters: []))
-            return Motor(engine: engine, player: player)
+            return Motor(engine: engine, player: nil)
         } catch {
             log.warning("haptic engine setup failed (\(locality.rawValue, privacy: .public)): \(error, privacy: .public)")
             return nil
         }
     }
 
-    private func drive(_ motor: inout Motor?, _ amplitude: Float) {
-        guard var m = motor else { return }
+    /// Drive one motor at `amplitude` (0...1) by (re)building a continuous player whose intensity
+    /// is BAKED into the event. On a DualSense this is what actually moves the actuators: a
+    /// fixed-intensity event scaled by a dynamic `.hapticIntensityControl` parameter (the old
+    /// path) drives the iPhone Taptic Engine but is silent on a controller's haptic engine. The
+    /// event carries an explicit sharpness (frequency) so the voice coils respond, and an infinite
+    /// duration so a single host update — the host sends rumble only when the level changes —
+    /// sustains until the next one. Returns false if the engine errored; the caller tears down for
+    /// a rebuild (done outside this `inout` access to avoid an exclusivity violation).
+    private func drive(_ motor: inout Motor?, _ amplitude: Float) -> Bool {
+        guard var m = motor else { return true }
+        // Replace any running player: stop the old, and for a zero level leave the motor idle.
+        try? m.player?.stop(atTime: CHHapticTimeImmediate)
+        m.player = nil
+        guard amplitude > 0 else { motor = m; return true }
         do {
-            if amplitude > 0 {
-                if !m.playing {
-                    try m.player.start(atTime: CHHapticTimeImmediate)
-                    m.playing = true
-                }
-                try m.player.sendParameters(
-                    [CHHapticDynamicParameter(
-                        parameterID: .hapticIntensityControl,
-                        value: amplitude, relativeTime: 0)],
-                    atTime: CHHapticTimeImmediate)
-            } else if m.playing {
-                try m.player.stop(atTime: CHHapticTimeImmediate)
-                m.playing = false
-            }
+            let event = CHHapticEvent(
+                eventType: .hapticContinuous,
+                parameters: [
+                    CHHapticEventParameter(parameterID: .hapticIntensity, value: amplitude),
+                    CHHapticEventParameter(parameterID: .hapticSharpness, value: Self.sharpness),
+                ],
+                relativeTime: 0,
+                duration: TimeInterval(GCHapticDurationInfinite))
+            let player = try m.engine.makeAdvancedPlayer(
+                with: CHHapticPattern(events: [event], parameters: []))
+            try player.start(atTime: CHHapticTimeImmediate)
+            m.player = player
             motor = m
+            return true
         } catch {
             // A transient failure (the engine stopped/reset between its handler firing and now).
-            // Tear down so the next nonzero amplitude rebuilds — do NOT latch rumble off for the
-            // session (that was the old "spotty" behaviour).
+            // Signal a rebuild — do NOT latch rumble off for the session (the old "spotty" bug).
             log.warning("rumble: haptic update failed — rebuilding: \(error, privacy: .public)")
-            teardown()
+            motor = m
+            return false
         }
     }
 
@@ -191,12 +233,56 @@ private final class RumbleRenderer: @unchecked Sendable {
             // (Both properties are non-optional closures on this SDK, so assign no-ops, not nil.)
             m.engine.stoppedHandler = { _ in }
             m.engine.resetHandler = {}
-            try? m.player.stop(atTime: CHHapticTimeImmediate)
+            try? m.player?.stop(atTime: CHHapticTimeImmediate)
             m.engine.stop()
         }
         low = nil
         high = nil
     }
+
+    // MARK: - DualSense raw-HID rumble (macOS)
+    //
+    // On macOS the DualSense's motors aren't reachable through CHHapticEngine, so for a DualSense
+    // we drive them over raw HID (see `DualSenseHID`); every other pad keeps the CoreHaptics path.
+    // All three run on the serial `queue`, like the rest of the renderer state.
+
+    private func openHIDIfDualSense(_ c: GCController?) -> Bool {
+        #if os(macOS)
+        guard let c, c.extendedGamepad is GCDualSenseGamepad else { return false }
+        let hid = DualSenseHID()
+        guard hid.open() else { return false }
+        dualSenseHID = hid
+        return true
+        #else
+        return false
+        #endif
+    }
+
+    /// Drive the DualSense's motors over HID if that's the active backend; false → not a HID pad,
+    /// so the caller uses CoreHaptics. The wire's 0...0xFFFF amplitudes scale to the pad's 0...255.
+    private func hidRumble(low: UInt16, high: UInt16) -> Bool {
+        #if os(macOS)
+        guard let hid = dualSenseHID else { return false }
+        hid.rumble(low: UInt8(low >> 8), high: UInt8(high >> 8))
+        return true
+        #else
+        return false
+        #endif
+    }
+
+    private func closeHID() {
+        #if os(macOS)
+        dualSenseHID?.close()
+        dualSenseHID = nil
+        #endif
+    }
+
+    private func backendNote(for c: GCController?) -> String {
+        #if os(macOS)
+        if let hid = dualSenseHID { return "DualSense HID · \(hid.transport)" }
+        #endif
+        return c == nil ? "—" : "CoreHaptics"
+    }
 }
 
 public final class GamepadFeedback {
@@ -369,3 +455,74 @@ public final class GamepadFeedback {
         return which == 0 ? ds.leftTrigger : ds.rightTrigger
     }
 }
+
+#if DEBUG
+/// Local feedback driver for the Settings → Controllers "Test Controller" panel (DEBUG builds
+/// only). It drives the SAME CoreHaptics rumble renderer and `DualSenseTriggerEffect` path a
+/// live session uses — just aimed at the physically-connected controller instead of the
+/// host→client feedback planes — so rumble, the adaptive triggers, the lightbar and the player
+/// LEDs can be confirmed on-device without a host. Reusing the real renderers is the point:
+/// a passing test exercises the exact code a session runs.
+@MainActor
+public final class ControllerTester: ObservableObject {
+    private let renderer = RumbleRenderer()
+    private weak var controller: GCController?
+
+    /// The rumble backend now in use — "DualSense HID · USB/Bluetooth", "CoreHaptics", or "—" —
+    /// for the test panel to display so it's obvious which path a given pad takes.
+    @Published public private(set) var rumbleBackend = "—"
+
+    public init() {}
+
+    /// Aim the feedback at a controller (nil releases it). Idempotent — safe to call on every
+    /// active-controller change.
+    public func target(_ c: GCController?) {
+        guard c !== controller else { return }
+        controller = c
+        renderer.retarget(c) { [weak self] note in
+            Task { @MainActor in self?.rumbleBackend = note }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Drive both motors at 0...1 amplitudes — low = left/heavy, high = right/light — mapped to
+    /// the 0...0xFFFF wire range the session carries, through the real `RumbleRenderer`.
+    public func rumble(low: Float, high: Float) {
+        func u16(_ v: Float) -> UInt16 { UInt16((min(max(v, 0), 1) * 65535).rounded()) }
+        renderer.apply(low: u16(low), high: u16(high))
+    }
+
+    public func stopRumble() { renderer.apply(low: 0, high: 0) }
+
+    /// Replay an adaptive-trigger effect on a DualSense via the real `DualSenseTriggerEffect`
+    /// renderer. `right == false` → L2, `true` → R2. No-op on a non-DualSense pad.
+    public func applyTrigger(_ effect: DualSenseTriggerEffect, right: Bool) {
+        guard let ds = controller?.extendedGamepad as? GCDualSenseGamepad else { return }
+        effect.apply(to: right ? ds.rightTrigger : ds.leftTrigger)
+    }
+
+    public func resetTriggers() {
+        guard let ds = controller?.extendedGamepad as? GCDualSenseGamepad else { return }
+        ds.leftTrigger.setModeOff()
+        ds.rightTrigger.setModeOff()
+    }
+
+    /// Lightbar colour (DualSense / DualShock 4); nil turns it off. No-op without a light.
+    public func setLight(_ color: GCColor?) {
+        controller?.light?.color = color ?? GCColor(red: 0, green: 0, blue: 0)
+    }
+
+    /// Player-indicator LEDs (`.index1`...`.index4`, or `.indexUnset` to clear).
+    public func setPlayerIndex(_ index: GCControllerPlayerIndex) {
+        controller?.playerIndex = index
+    }
+
+    /// Silence every channel and release the controller — call on the panel's disappear.
+    public func stop() {
+        resetTriggers()
+        setPlayerIndex(.indexUnset)
+        setLight(nil)
+        renderer.retarget(nil) // async teardown: stops the motors + drops the controller ref
+        controller = nil
+    }
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/clients/apple/Tests/PunktfunkKitTests/DualSenseHIDTests.swift b/clients/apple/Tests/PunktfunkKitTests/DualSenseHIDTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1ea280f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/clients/apple/Tests/PunktfunkKitTests/DualSenseHIDTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+// Locks the DualSense raw-HID rumble report layout to the SDL / Linux hid-playstation spec.
+// The motors can only be confirmed on a physical pad, but these guard against a silent byte
+// error in the offsets, enable flags, lengths, and the Bluetooth CRC32 — the parts most likely
+// to regress unnoticed. macOS-only (DualSenseHID isn't compiled elsewhere).
+
+#if os(macOS)
+import XCTest
+
+@testable import PunktfunkKit
+
+final class DualSenseHIDTests: XCTestCase {
+    func testUSBReportLayout() {
+        let r = DualSenseHID.usbReport(low: 0xAA, high: 0xBB)
+        XCTAssertEqual(r.count, 48)
+        XCTAssertEqual(r[0], 0x02) // report id
+        XCTAssertEqual(r[1], 0x03) // flag0: COMPATIBLE_VIBRATION | HAPTICS_SELECT
+        XCTAssertEqual(r[2], 0x00) // flag1 (untouched — leaves lightbar/LEDs alone)
+        XCTAssertEqual(r[3], 0xBB) // motor_right = high
+        XCTAssertEqual(r[4], 0xAA) // motor_left  = low
+        XCTAssertEqual(r[39], 0x04) // flag2: COMPATIBLE_VIBRATION2 (payload offset 38 + report id)
+    }
+
+    func testBluetoothReportLayoutAndCRC() {
+        let r = DualSenseHID.bluetoothReport(low: 0xAA, high: 0xBB)
+        XCTAssertEqual(r.count, 78)
+        XCTAssertEqual(r[0], 0x31) // report id
+        XCTAssertEqual(r[1], 0x00) // seq/tag
+        XCTAssertEqual(r[2], 0x10) // magic
+        XCTAssertEqual(r[3], 0x03) // flag0
+        XCTAssertEqual(r[5], 0xBB) // motor_right = high (payload offset 2 + 3-byte BT header)
+        XCTAssertEqual(r[6], 0xAA) // motor_left  = low
+        XCTAssertEqual(r[41], 0x04) // flag2 (payload offset 38 + 3)
+
+        // Trailing CRC32 = standard CRC32 over (0xA2 seed + report[0..<74]), little-endian.
+        let expected = DualSenseHID.crc32(seed: 0xA2, r[0..<74])
+        let stored = UInt32(r[74]) | (UInt32(r[75]) << 8) | (UInt32(r[76]) << 16) | (UInt32(r[77]) << 24)
+        XCTAssertEqual(stored, expected)
+    }
+
+    func testCRC32MatchesStandardCheckVector() {
+        // The canonical CRC32 check value: CRC32("123456789") == 0xCBF43926. Our helper folds a
+        // seed byte in first, so feed seed='1' and the rest — proving poly/reflection/init/final.
+        let crc = DualSenseHID.crc32(seed: UInt8(ascii: "1"), Array("23456789".utf8))
+        XCTAssertEqual(crc, 0xCBF4_3926)
+    }
+}
+#endif