iPhones support many standard game controllers over Bluetooth, including recent PlayStation and Xbox controllers. Dedicated mobile controllers such as Backbone or Razer Kishi connect through the phone’s port and usually need no Bluetooth pairing.
These steps apply to iPhones running iOS 16 or later with Bluetooth-compatible controllers and MFi-style mobile controllers.
Does this affect you?
Use this if you want physical controls for iPhone games, cloud gaming, or Remote Play instead of touchscreen buttons.
Pair a PlayStation or Xbox controller
- Put the controller in pairing mode.
- For DualSense, hold PS and Create until the light bar flashes quickly.
- For Xbox Wireless Controller, hold Xbox, then the pairing button until the logo flashes quickly.
- On iPhone, open Settings > Bluetooth.
- Turn Bluetooth on.
- Tap DualSense Wireless Controller, Xbox Wireless Controller, or the matching name under Other Devices.
- Open a controller-supported game and test the buttons.
Once paired, the controller should reconnect when it is turned on near the iPhone, as long as Bluetooth is enabled.
Use a mobile controller
- Slide the iPhone into the controller so the Lightning or USB-C connector plugs into the phone.
- Wait for iOS to recognize it automatically.
- Install the controller companion app if the maker requires it.
- Open a supported game directly or through the companion app.
- If buttons do not respond, disconnect and reconnect the controller.
Backbone, Razer Kishi, and similar controllers use a physical connection, so no Bluetooth menu appears.
Check game support
A paired controller doing nothing inside one game usually means the game does not support controllers. Scroll the App Store listing and look for controller support, or check Settings > General > Game Controller after pairing.
Xbox Cloud Gaming, PlayStation Remote Play, and GeForce NOW are designed around controller input, so they are good places to use a paired controller even when many native mobile games do not support one.
Connection limits
Bluetooth controllers usually connect actively to one device at a time. If the controller keeps reconnecting to a console or PC, turn off Bluetooth there, disconnect it from that system, or manually choose the controller from the iPhone Bluetooth menu.
Sources
- Apple Support – Pair a Game Controller With Your iPhone (2025)
- Apple – Made for iPhone MFi Game Controllers Overview (2025)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment – DualSense Wireless Controller Bluetooth Pairing (2025)