How Do I Sync My Playstation 4 Controller

How to connect a PS4 controller to your iPhone, iPad or Android phone

Apply Bluetooth or cables to sync your DualShock 4

A DualShock 4 controller with a phone attached via phone stand

(Image: © TechRadar)

To those lucky gamers who snagged a PS5 and are trading in their PS4s, think most holding onto your one-time controllers. You can connect a DualShock iv to your iPhone or Android phone using Bluetooth, and become a huge, costless upgrade on touch controls.

More and more mobile games are calculation controller support, not to mention mobile game streaming services like Stadia or Game Pass Ultimate. Third-party controllers may non piece of work with all of them, simply the DualShock 4 is nigh always on the list of supported accessories.

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Figuring out how to connect a PS4 controller to iPhone or Android can exist finicky and frustrating without some assist. But follow our steps below, and information technology shouldn't take y'all more than a couple of minutes to sync upwardly your favorite controller with your favorite mobile games.

How to connect PS4 controller to an iPhone or iPad

A DualShock 4 controller with the PS button and SHARE button highlighted — (Epitome credit: Sony)

Confirm that your Apple tree device is updated to iOS 13/ iPadOS thirteen or higher, or else the DualShock iv won't connect properly. Once it'south upwards to appointment, open up upward your Settings app and tap the Bluetooth menu choice.

Catch your DualShock and press and hold the PS button (the eye button with the Playstation logo) and the Share button (the minor button right of the D-pad and left of the touchpad) simultaneously.

Don't permit go of those buttons until the light on the dorsum of the controller starts double-blinking then pausing at regular intervals. This should only take almost 5 seconds. If yous let go early, the controller will blink slowly without pausing, but your iPhone or iPad will not find it.

The back of this DualShock 4 is lit up — (Image credit: Hereafter)

One time the controller starts flashing, cheque the iOS/ iPadOS Bluetooth Settings menu under 'Other Devices'. 'DUALSHOCK 4 Wireless Controller' should immediately announced in one case the controller enters pairing mode.

Tap the DUALSHOCK pick, and the controller should connect and announced in 'My Devices' in simply a few seconds. In one case information technology'due south synced, the controller light will turn a solid pink red.

If the controller is blinking properly simply failed to pair, y'all probably waited besides long and the DualShock exited pairing mode. Press and concur the buttons again, then quickly tap the selection again under 'Other Devices'. Information technology should work this fourth dimension.

How to connect PS4 controller to an Android phone

A DualShock 4 controller with a phone attachment — (Image credit: TechRadar)

In gild to connect your DualShock iv via Bluetooth, your phone must exist capable of running Android 10 or later. If it can't, you'll either need to use a wired connection (see below) or buy a new Android phone.

Open up Settings. The steps here may vary from phone to telephone, merely on stock Android, you must choose Connected devices > + Pair new device.

On your controller, press and hold the PS button (the eye button with the Playstation logo) and the Share push (the pocket-sized button right of the D-pad and left of the touchpad) at the same time.

As nosotros mentioned before, you must hold these until the back LED lights up in a double-blink pattern; don't release the buttons early, or your phone won't be able to detect it.

Once the DualShock four is in pairing mode, information technology will appear as 'Wireless controller' nether 'Available devices' for you to select. Tap information technology, so tap 'Pair' to ostend the connection. The LED should become 1 solid color – blue, in our case.

DualShock four Bluetooth troubleshooting

If your phone consistently cannot find the DualShock four, try plugging it in for a few minutes before attempting to pair information technology again. The controller may exist struggling to connect because information technology doesn't accept the necessary juice.

If all else fails, in that location could exist an event with the controller'southward firmware. Employ a paper prune and insert information technology into the small hole on the dorsum of the controller, to the bottom-left of the L2 trigger. Agree it down for about v seconds, and the controller will exist mill reset, making information technology (hypothetically) more likely to pair properly.

If you're using an Android phone running 9.0 or earlier, or don't want to use Bluetooth, your simply pick is a wired connection. You lot'll need your DualShock iv charging cable (USB to micro-USB) and an adapter that volition let yous plug the USB end into your phone. For Android, that'due south a USB-C male person to USB female person adapter; for iPhones, that's a Lightning male to USB female adapter.

Looking for something to play with your DualShock? Check out the best iPhone games

Michael Hicks began his freelance writing career with TechRadar in 2016, covering emerging tech like VR and cocky-driving cars. Nowadays, he works equally a staff editor for Android Central, but nonetheless writes occasional TR reviews, how-tos and explainers on phones, tablets, smart home devices, and other tech.