How To Connect A PS5 Controller To Your IPhone Or IPad

Touchscreen controls can often be quite awkward. Here’s how you can use your PS5 controller instead for a better experience.

With games such as Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Resident Evil 4 coming to iPhones and iPads, now is the perfect time to enjoy mobile gaming. There’s just one small problem: the touchscreen controls. While these controls are often serviceable, they can often be awkward and unintuitive. This is especially true for big-budget AAA games. If you have a PS5 controller around somewhere, you can connect it to your iPhone or iPad in order to enjoy a more comfortable experience.

The DualSense Edge is one of the best controllers for iPhones, and it works seamlessly with any game on iOS that features controller support. Just keep in mind that the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers won’t work for games on the App Store. However, these features do work in some capacity if you remotely play games originating on your PS5 using the iPhone interface via the official Remote Play app.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max in the hand with the screen on.

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How to connect a PS5 controller to your iPhone and iPad

Pairing your PS5 controller to your iPhone or iPad is a relatively simple process. This method also works for any other Bluetooth controller, but a few of the steps would be slightly different. Here’s how it works for the DualSense controller:

Before you start the pairing process, make sure your PS5 controller is turned off. To do so, press and hold the PS button for 10–15 seconds. When the lights beside the touchpad go out, your controller is off.
With your DualSense controller turned off, press and hold the PS button and the Share button simultaneously. When the lightbar starts flashing blue, let go of both buttons.
Open your iPhone or iPad and go to the Settings app and then the Bluetooth settings. Make sure that Bluetooth is turned on (toggle should be green).
Your controller should show up as DualSense Wireless Controller under Other Devices. Tap it to start the pairing process.
Your iPhone or iPad might give you a confirmation message for the pairing request. Tap Pair to continue.
If all goes well, you should see a Connected message next to the DualSense controller once it has paired. If not, power down your controller and repeat the steps again from the beginning.

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Once you start to enjoy the convenience of playing with a DualSense controller on your mobile device, you’ll never want to go back. While controllers like the Razer Kishi or Backbone One might be more portable and even more convenient, you don’t need them if you already have a PS5 controller. However, I do recommend getting yourself a decent stand (or a case with kickstand) so that you can safely prop up your iPhone or iPad.