With the introduction of iOS 14.5 and later versions, support for controllers for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X finally comes on iPad and Apple TV. And setting them up is literally a matter of 10 seconds. In fact, in order to proceed with the tutorial, all you need to do is just update first to iPadOS 14.5 or later which was launched long ago, and on Apple TV, however, you will need tvOS 14.5 or later versions. Just check out the guide below on how to pair your PS5 and Xbox controllers with iPad and Apple TV in detail below.
iPad and Apple TV: How to Pair PS5 and Xbox Controllers
Support for PlayStation and Xbox controllers on iPad and Apple TV had been introduced since the days of iOS 13, and since then the tradition has never stopped despite the existence of MFi-certified controllers. The latest generations, however, do not work natively with Apple devices, which is why an update was needed.
Therefore, after getting the iPadOS 14.5 and tvOS 14.5 or later versions, follow the steps below to pair your PS5 and Xbox Controllers with iPad and Apple TV.
Pairing PS5 DualSense controller on iPad
- Press and hold the PS and Share buttons until the LED light starts flashing.
- Open the Settings app on your iPad, and tap Bluetooth.
- Find the DualShock 5 controller and tap it to complete the pairing.
Pairing Xbox Series X/X Controllers on iPad
- Press and hold the Xbox button.
- Press the Pair button on the controller for 3 seconds.
- Open the Settings app on your iPad, and tap Bluetooth.
- Look for the Xbox Wireless Controller and tap it to complete the pairing.
- Once connected to iPad, simply launch a game and start playing. That’s all.
Remap Commands
To set up your controller layout, remap buttons, turn vibration on or off, and everything in between, just follow the steps below. Among other things, it is possible to create customized profiles for each specific title:
- Open Settings.
- Tap General > Game Controller.
- Tap on Enable Customizations.
- Touch any button to remap it.
Pairing PS5 DualSense controller on Apple TV
To pair a PS5 controller to Apple TV, the procedure is very similar to the one for iPad, with the only difference that you will have to turn on the device search from the Apple TV menu:
- On Apple TV, open the Settings app and select Remotes and Devices > Bluetooth.
- Press and hold the PS and Share buttons until the LED light starts flashing.
- Select the DualShock 5 controller in the Apple TV menu to complete the pairing.
Pairing Xbox Series Controller on Apple TV
- On Apple TV, open the Settings app and select Remotes and Devices > Bluetooth.
- Press and hold the Xbox button.
- Press the Pair button on the controller for 3 seconds.
- Select the Xbox controller in the Apple TV menu to complete the pairing.
That’s everything you need to know about how to pair your PS5 and Xbox controllers with iPad and Apple TV. In the meanwhile, check out our other similar types of guides here: How to Pair an Xbox Controller with an iPhone, and How to Connect a PS5 DualSense Controller to an iPhone.