How To Connect a Playstation & Xbox Controller to an iPhone

Smartphone gaming has taken off in recent years, and Apple has been leading the pack for some time now. Not only are Apple Arcade and the Apple AppStore full of worthwhile offerings, but the newest iPhones are powerful enough to run console-level video games at the same visual fidelity as a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 4 Pro. But the touch screen isn’t the best way to interface with your games. So in this guide, you will learn how to connect a PS4 and Xbox controller with an iPhone and turn it into a much more practical gaming machine.

Although the market is full of great mobile controllers that you can get, it will be far more economical if you just use the controllers you have lying around. If you own any recent console, your controller should work just fine on any somewhat recent iPhone.

How To Connect a PS4 Controller To an iPhone

Connecting your PS4 controller to your iPhone is as easy as it gets, just follow these steps and you’ll be up and running in no time:

1. Turn on your iPhone and go to your phone’s settings app
2. Turn on your Bluetooth and keep an eye on all your devices 
3. Get your PS4 controller and put it into pairing mode by holding the Home button and the Select Button at the same time for about 5 seconds
4. Your iPhone should now be showing “DualShock 4 Wireless Controller” as a potential device that can be connected
5. Tap on the controller’s name on your iPhone and it will be connected instantly

How To Connect Xbox Controller to an iPhone

Connecting your Xbox to your iPhone might get a bit more complicated. Unfortunately, Xbox controllers connect to consoles using the 2.4Ghz band, and not Bluetooth. Newer controllers that come with the Xbox Series S|X have Bluetooth connectivity, so they will work just fine for our purposes. If you have an older Xbox One controller, it likely will not work wirelessly. In that case, your best bet would be to get a wire that connects your iPhone to your controller directly.

1. Turn on your iPhone and go to your phone’s settings app
2. Turn on your Bluetooth and keep an eye on all your devices 
3. Get your Xbox controller and turn it on by holding the Home button for a second
4. If it is already paired to a console, press the small Pairing button on top and hold it for around 5 seconds
5. If it is not paired to anything, skip Step 4
6. Check your iPhone’s devices and you should see an Xbox Controller in the list now
7. Tap it and you’re good to go

Almost every game on the Apple App Store and Apple Arcade will now recognize your controller. That is all you need to know about connecting your Xbox and PS4 controllers with your iPhone. It is highly recommended that you buy a clamp that attaches your iPhone to the controller itself and turns it into one unit while gaming. They are very affordable and will help you avoid the neck strain of propping up your iPhone on a table.