apple patient
  • Home
  • News
  • Rumors
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Reviews
  • Insights
No Result
View All Result
  • iPhone 18
  • iPhone 18 Pro
  • iPhone Duo
  • Apple Watch Series 12
  • Apple Watch Ultra 4
  • AirPods 5
  • iOS 27
  • iPadOS 27
  • macOS
  • MacBook Neo
  • iPhone 17e
  • AirTags
  • iOS 26
  • iPhone 17
  • MacBook Pro
  • iPadOS
  • iMac
  • Mac mini
  • HomePod
  • Apple TV
  • iPad Pro
  • iPhone Air
  • Apple Vision Pro
  • iPhone 16
  • AirPods 4
  • Apple Watch Ultra
  • HomePod Mini
  • MacBook Air
  • iPad
  • AirPods Max
  • AirPods Pro 3
  • Apple Watch Series 3
  • Mac Studio
  • Studio Display
  • iPad Air
  • iPad mini
  • watchOS 27
  • Apple CarPlay
  • Apple Pay
  • watchOS 26
  • Home
  • News
  • Rumors
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Reviews
  • Insights
No Result
View All Result
apple patient
No Result
View All Result
  • iPhone 18
  • iPhone 18 Pro
  • iPhone Duo
  • Apple Watch Series 12
  • Apple Watch Ultra 4
  • AirPods 5
  • iOS 27
  • iPadOS 27
  • macOS
  • MacBook Neo
  • iPhone 17e
  • AirTags
  • iOS 26
  • iPhone 17
  • MacBook Pro
  • iPadOS
  • iMac
  • Mac mini
  • HomePod
  • Apple TV
  • iPad Pro
  • iPhone Air
  • Apple Vision Pro
  • iPhone 16
  • AirPods 4
  • Apple Watch Ultra
  • HomePod Mini
  • MacBook Air
  • iPad
  • AirPods Max
  • AirPods Pro 3
  • Apple Watch Series 3
  • Mac Studio
  • Studio Display
  • iPad Air
  • iPad mini
  • watchOS 27
  • Apple CarPlay
  • Apple Pay
  • watchOS 26

iOS 13 – How to connect a Playstation or Xbox controller to your iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple TV

Milan Jovicic by Milan Jovicic
September 5, 2019 - 01:09 CEST
in Apple Tips & Tricks
1
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan - June 06, 2019: Man playing games on Apple arcade subscription system on iOS 13 with Sony Dualshock gamepad

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan - June 06, 2019: Man playing games on Apple arcade subscription system on iOS 13 with Sony Dualshock gamepad

WhatsAppFacebookEmail
Threads

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 and Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller. (Photo by Konstantin Savusia / Bigstockphoto)

Make Apfelpatient a preferred source One click – and you'll see us more often on Google
Was this article helpful?
YesNo
Tags: Apple ArcadeApple ServicesApple TViOSiOS 13iPadiPadOSiPhoneMacmacOSmacOS 10.15 CatalinatvOStvOS 13
SendShare234Send
Share

Our Amazon Storefront

A handpicked selection of products for iPhone, Mac and more – sorted by topic and updated regularly.

Shop Now

This post contains affiliate links (including Amazon). We earn a small commission on qualifying purchases – at no extra cost to you. Learn more on our Partner Program page.

Previous Post

New data breach at Facebook – millions of phone numbers in circulation

Next Post

Galaxy Fold – Samsung announces market launch

Milan Jovicic

Milan Jovicic

Milan founded Apfelpatient in 2016 and has been responsible for all editorial content since 2018 — news, rumors, guides, and product reviews. Apple devices here are not test units on loan for two weeks but everyday tools: from the iPhone through MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMac to the Apple Vision Pro, at least one device from nearly every product category is in daily use, many of them replaced annually. Every menu path in a guide is verified on the device before it is published.

Related posts

Create a Pass in iOS 27: How to Make Your Own Wallet Passes

by Milan Jovicic
September 26, 2026 - 11:39 CEST
Create a Pass in iOS 27: selection of the Custom, Membership and Event card templates in the Wallet app

Create a Pass in iOS 27 lets you add your own passes to Wallet. Here's how it works step by step - even without the camera scan.

Read moreDetails

Setting up iPhone Handoff: Here's how it works in iOS 27

by Milan Jovicic
September 24, 2026 - 5:50 p.m. CEST
iPhone showing the Set Up eSIM screen with the option to use the number on two iPhones selected, the first step to set up iPhone Handoff

Setting up iPhone Handoff under iOS 27: Requirements, costs at Telekom and why logging out only works via the provider.

Read moreDetails

How to Turn On Advanced Data Protection for iCloud

by Milan Jovicic
September 20, 2026 - 03:27 CEST
Advanced Data Protection for iCloud: iPhone showing the Advanced Data Protection settings page with the list of protected data and the Turn On option, next to a padlock

Advanced Data Protection for iCloud: 25 categories with end-to-end encryption. How to turn it on and secure your recovery options.

Read moreDetails

Selling Your iPhone Safely: How to Prepare Your Device the Right Way

by Milan Jovicic
September 19, 2026 - 9:04 p.m. CEST
Selling an iPhone safely: two iPhones lying face down on a grey surface, one orange and one black

Sell your iPhone safely: Backup, deregistration, activation lock and reset in the correct order – plus shipping step for the 18 Pro Max.

Read moreDetails

iPhone 18 Pro: Setting up Pro video storage for ProRes

by Milan Jovicic
September 19, 2026 - 7:56 p.m. CEST
Pro Video Storage on iPhone 18 Pro: iPhone showing the Configure Pro Video Storage dial at 150 GB and about 26 minutes of ProRes 4K 30 fps, next to a drive with a checkmark

No Pro Video storage, no ProRes: Here's how to reserve storage for video recordings on the iPhone 18 Pro and free it up again when needed.

Read moreDetails
Load More

Comments 1

  1. Pingback: Razer Kishi Review: The Best iPhone Gaming Controller | Apfelpatient

Categories

  • Apple Insights
  • Apple Rumors
  • Apple News
  • Apple Tips & Tricks
  • iPhone news, rumors and tips
  • Mac and MacBook News
  • Reviews

About APFELPATIENT

APFELPATIENT brings you the latest Apple news, product updates, guides, reviews and tips across the entire Apple ecosystem — from the iPhone to the Mac to the Apple Vision Pro. From the first rumors to confirmed news: researched responsibly.

Follow Apfelpatient

Facebook Instagram YouTube Threads Threads

Company

  • About Apfelpatient
  • Contact
  • Author Profiles

Community

  • Netiquette
  • Push Notifications
  • RSS feed

Legal

  • Legal Notice
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Settings
  • Affiliate Program

Resources

  • Sitemap

© 2026 Apfelpatient. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Rumors
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Reviews
  • Insights

© 2026 Apfelpatient. All rights reserved. Page Directory

Change language to Deutsch