How To Use The PS5 Controller On An IPhone Or Android Phone
Use your DualSense for mobile & cloud gaming
One of the most exciting benefits of the newly-released iOS 14.5 is its new support for the PS5 and Xbox Series X controllers. Your iPhone would not only connect to them but would also recognize their button mapping for iOS and Apple Arcade games.
Android phones would also let you sync your DualSense and Xbox Wireless controllers, though support for them would be different from app to app.
Connecting a PS5 DualSense controller to your iPhone or any Android device is a walk in the park once you know how, so let us not waste any time and walk you through the steps required.
How to connect the PS5 DualSense controller to your iPhone
If you have not already, start by updating your device to iOS 14.5. If you attempt to pair the DualSense on your iOS 14.4 or earlier, your phone most likely would not detect it.
Once that is done, open up Settings > Bluetooth. If you have not already, toggle Bluetooth on. You will see a list of 'My Devices' that are already registered, and a section dedicated for 'Other Devices' that can be paired.
Pick up your DualSense controller. Press and hold on the Share button and PS button at the same time. The Share button is the small button that is next to the D-Pad with three lines just above it; the PS button is the Playstation logo that is in-between the thumbsticks.
You must hold these buttons down for at least 3 seconds until you see the light bar flashing blue. If you let go of it early, it would not go into pairing mode and it would likely turn on your PS5 instead.
Now check your phone. The 'DualSense 5 Wireless Controller' should appear under 'Other Devices' almost instantly. Tap on this option, and it would show under 'My Devices' and show as Connected. Your controller would now be paired and fully useable.
Once you are done using it, you will want to unpair it to save your battery life. Go back to Settings > Bluetooth and tap the 'i' info icon that is next to the PS5 controller. You can disconnect it to instantly turn it off, or you can hit 'Forget this device' to remove it from your list.
How to connect the PS5 DualSense controller to your Android phone
Before walking you through the steps to for this, you need to know some important shortcomings upfront. The most important is that Sony still has not made the DualSense controller compatible with the PS5 remote play on Android phones as of April 2021. You only can connect a DualShock 4 if your phone runs Android 10 or later versions.
However, some third-party application may support the DualSense, and Sony would hopefully add the functionality before the Sony Xperia 1 III launches in early summer of this year. So in preparation for that, here is what to do.
Swipe downwards from the top of the screen to open up your Notification Shade. If Bluetooth is turned off, tap the Bluetooth icon to turn it on. Then tap and hold on the same Bluetooth button to open up the Settings page for pairing new devices.
On your PS5 DualSense controller, press and hold on the PS Button and Share button for at least 3 seconds. Do not let go until the LEDs start to double-blink at you.
Once it is ready to pair, the DualSense would come up under 'Available devices' as 'Wireless Controller'. Tap this option, then tap 'Pair' in the pop-up menu to connect your PS5 controller to your Android phone.
