Gaming on iPhone and iPad is becoming more and more interesting. The App Store offers more and more choice every day, but the controls on the display sometimes limit the gaming experience. That is about to change – under iOS 13, iPadOS, tvOS 13 and macOS Catalina allow users to connect their Playstation 4 or Xbox One S joystick to their iPhone or iPad and we'll show you how.
Gaming on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, but also on Mac, is becoming increasingly popular - but if someone wants to play with a joystick, they have to use a certified controller - there are various models for this, but these cannot be compared to a real Playstation 4 or Xbox One S joystick - Apple knows that too. The announcement at WWDC 2019 that the popular console joysticks for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV would be supported caused great cheers among many fans. One reason for this innovation is probably the introduction of Apple's new gaming service - Apple Arcade. But how are the two popular console joysticks connected to the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV? We'll show you.
How to connect your Playstation 4 or DualShock 4 controller to your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV
To connect a PlayStation 4 controller to your iPhone or iPad, the device must be running iOS 13 or iPadOS or later. Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad and select “Bluetooth.” Now hold down the PS button and Share button on your DualShock 4 controller at the same time. After about five seconds, the LED status indicator should start flashing. The joystick labeled “DualShock 4 Wireless Controller” should now appear under Bluetooth on your iPhone or iPad. You can now connect it to your iOS device. From here, you can open a game and control it with the connected controller. If you want to disconnect the two devices, you can do so by pressing the PS and Option buttons simultaneously. Alternatively, you can deactivate Bluetooth on your iPhone or iPad. If you want to connect your DualShock 4 to an Apple TV, you need at least tvOS 13 or later. Then, on your Apple TV, open the “Remote” menu under Settings and select “Devices.” Now navigate to “Bluetooth” and follow the steps above for the joystick itself.
How to connect your Xbox One S controller to your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV
To pair your Xbox One S joystick with your iPhone or iPad, you'll need at least iOS 13 or iPadOS or later. Note: Older Xbox controllers aren't compatible with Apple devices. Open your iPhone or iPad's settings and navigate to the Bluetooth section. Then hold down the wireless connection button on your Xbox One S controller – after about five seconds, the Xbox logo should flash. The joystick will now appear in the list of Bluetooth devices on your iPhone or iPad under the name "Xbox Wireless Controller." Once a connection has been established, you can start using the controller. To connect the Xbox joystick to an Apple TV, you need to follow the same steps as described above.
How to connect a Playstation 4 or Xbox One S controller to your Mac
Of course, you can connect both console joysticks to a Mac under macOS 10.15 Catalina. To do this, you need to open the system settings of your Mac device and call up the Bluetooth menu. Now carry out the steps described above for the respective controller.
Please note – not every game is compatible with a joystick. Some titles even allow you to assign the buttons yourself. You can find out whether a game is compatible with a joystick in the description of the respective app. Apple Arcade, for example, will contain a lot of games that can also be played with a joystick. In addition to the two popular console joysticks, there are also products from other providers. It is important to note that the accessories have a MIF seal (Made-for-iPhone). You don't have a console joystick yet and want to buy one? You can find the PlayStation 4 – DualShock 4 Wireless Controller
