Mobile gaming is getting popular day by day. Without buying a console or an expensive gaming machine, many people like to play mobile games. With the popularity of mobile games, phone companies extended mobile device capabilities to improve the mobile gaming experience. In this article, we are going to discuss one such extension. We will discuss how to connect the PS4 controller to iPhone.
- Why should you connect your PS4 controller to your iPhone?
- How to connect PS4 controller to iPhone via Bluetooth
- How to connect PS4 controllers to Apple iPad
- List of controllers that can be paired with Apple devices
- Troubleshooting
- Other types of controllers for iPhone
- Rotor Riot Wired Game Controller
- Razor Kishi for iPhone
- FAQs
Why should you connect your PS4 controller to your iPhone?
One of the most common and most annoying drawbacks of mobile gaming is the controls. When you play a mobile game, most of the controls are on your touch screen. This makes some games hard to play and it limits your field of view when you touch those buttons. Also, it’s hard to do fine movements using the touch screen. By connecting a wireless controller you can easily overcome these difficulties and play games easily.
But unfortunately, not all games are supported by these controllers. And when you download games from the apps store, there is no information regarding controller support. The only way to find out if a game supports controllers or not, is to connect the controller and play the game.
How to connect PS4 controller to iPhone via Bluetooth
PS4 controllers support Bluetooth pairing. So when we try to connect iPhone to the PS4 controller we use the Bluetooth pairing method. Now to do this you should turn on Bluetooth in your iPhone and then start paring the controller. To turn on Bluetooth in iPhone,
- Go to Settings
- Then go to Bluetooth
- Now switch on Bluetooth
When turned on you should see a small Bluetooth icon on the status bar in your phone.
After turning on Bluetooth keep your controller close to the iPhone to start pairing.
Now turn on your PS4 Controller. You do not need to turn on the PS4 console, turning on the PS4 controller would be enough. Follow the instructions below after turning on the PS4 Controller.
- Press and hold the “PlayStation” and “Share” buttons at once. The PlayStation button is in the middle of the joysticks with the PS4 logo, and the share button is the button on the top left of the controller.
- Nearly 5 seconds after, the backlight on your controller will start flashing, which means now your controller is ready to be paired to iPhone.
- Now take your iPhone and go to Settings->Bluetooth. In this menu, you will see a list of paired devices with your iPhone. Under “Other devices” you should see the name of the controller, the name should be something like “Wireless controller”. Click on it.
- Now if the connection is successful, you should see the name of the controller under “My devices” and the word “connected” will be displayed.
Now you can open the game you want to play on the iPhone and check if it works with the controller. You may not want to configure additional settings.
While your iPhone is connected to the controller there may be troubles connecting other Bluetooth devices to the iPhone such as air pods. If you encounter any trouble with other Bluetooth-connected devices while paired with the controller, disconnect those devices and pair them again.
How to connect PS4 controllers to Apple iPad
PS4 controllers can be connected to some other Apple devices too. PS4 controllers can be connected to iPads and Apple TV by following similar steps as same as connecting to an iPhone. As same as before you need to turn on Bluetooth in the apple device to connect the controller to the device. On the iPad, the Bluetooth can be turned on by going to settings->Bluetooth. On Apple TV you can turn on Bluetooth by going to Settings> remote and devices> Bluetooth. After turning on Bluetooth the controller will be visible to the Apple device for you to connect.
List of controllers that can be paired with Apple devices
Apple devices can be paired with many types of PS4 and Xbox controllers, Here is a list of them
- Xbox Adaptive Controller
- Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2
- Xbox Wireless Controller with Bluetooth (Model 1708)
- Xbox Wireless Controller Series S and Series X
- PlayStation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller
- PlayStation DualShock 4 Wireless Controller
Other than these popular controllers you can connect some other MFi Bluetooth controllers which support apple devices.
Troubleshooting
If your controller does not work as expected after you connect it to the iPhone or if you cannot connect it to the iPhone here are few things to check.
- Make sure your controller is not connected to the PS4 console before you try to pair it to the iPhone
- Unpair the controller and pair it again with the iPhone.
- If your iPhone cannot find the device turn off Bluetooth and turn it on again then retry the connection.
- If you are already connected to some Bluetooth devices from your iPhone, disconnect them. Then try to pair the controller again.
- Make sure the firmware of your controller is up to date.
- Some controller functions do not work when it is connected to iPhone. (Eg: audio jack)
Other types of controllers for iPhone
Other than the Console controllers there are some other special controllers available for iPhone. These controllers are not produced by Apple, but if you wish to buy a controller for your iPhone or Apple device, you can try one of these.
Rotor Riot Wired Game Controller
This controller is a wired gaming controller available for iPhone. Other than connecting via Bluetooth, this controller is connected to the iPhone via a lightning connector .one of the best advantages of using this controller is that the connection is stable and you will have zero-latency using these controllers. Also, you do not need to charge these controllers. They are powered by the iPhone and uses less energy. One of these controllers costs about $50 and you can buy this from the apple website.
Razor Kishi for iPhone
This controller is a portable controller which is specially designed for iPhone. You can mount the controller to the iPhone and keep the phone in hand while playing. This gives you some sort of a Gameboy experience and it is very easy to use. This device is also connected to the iPhone via the lightning connector and has super-low latency. It weighs less and has smooth finishing which is very handy for gaming.
Also Read: How to Play Split Screen on Fortnite on PS4
FAQs
What iOS versions support connecting a PS4 controller?
Connecting a PS4 controller to an iPhone requires iOS 13 or later versions.
Can I use a wired connection to connect my PS4 controller to my iPhone?
No, connecting a PS4 controller to an iPhone requires a wireless Bluetooth connection. There is no official support for a wired connection.
Can I use the PS4 controller to navigate the iPhone’s interface?
While the PS4 controller can be used to control certain games and apps, it does not provide full navigation control over the iPhone’s interface. It is primarily designed for gaming purposes.
Can I connect multiple PS4 controllers to my iPhone simultaneously?
Yes, you can connect multiple PS4 controllers to your iPhone for multiplayer games that support multiple controllers. Simply follow the pairing process mentioned in Q3 for each controller.
Can I use a PS5 controller (DualSense) with my iPhone?
As of now, the native compatibility of the PS5 controller with iPhones is limited. However, some games and apps may support it through their own updates or with the help of third-party software.
