One of the niftiest features Apple added to iOS 13 last year was the ability to pair an Xbox One or PlayStation 4 controller to your iPad or iPhone. It's pretty handy, especially given the ever expanding game line-up available through Apple Arcade.
A touchscreen can be great for gaming, but there are definitely titles that are improved by a controller, such as Dead Cells, Sayonara: Wild Hearts, Crossy Road Castle, or Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Fortunately, pairing a controller with your iOS device is almost as easy as adding Bluetooth headphones.
First, you'll want to make sure your Xbox One or PlayStation 4 controller is charged up. After, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app on your iPad or iPhone
- Tap Bluetooth
- Put your Xbox One controller or PlayStation 4 controller into pairing mode. To do this on an Xbox One controller, hold down the Guide button (the one that looks like an Xbox logo) until it starts flashing. To do this on a PlayStation 4 controller, hold down the PlayStation button and share button until the light bar starts blinking rapidly.
- Once your controller is in pairing mode, it should appear under other devices. Tap it to connect it.
At this stage, Nintendo Switch controllers do not work with iOS devices.
If you're using your controller with an iPhone, you might want to consider a clip that lets you mount your phone to your controller. Here's an Xbox One controller clip, and here's a PlayStation 4 controller clip.
Alex Choros
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