PS5 and Xbox Controllers Pair With PCs and Phones

A PS5 DualSense pairs with a Windows PC, an iPhone or iPad, and an Android phone, by Bluetooth or USB-C. An Xbox Wireless Controller with Bluetooth pairs with all three over Bluetooth; an older one without it works with Windows over USB or Microsoft’s adapter. Nintendo’s Pro Controller FAQs describe pairing with Switch consoles only and mention no PC or phone.

To pair: on a DualSense, hold Create, then hold the PS button until the light bar blinks. On an Xbox controller, turn it on and hold the Pair button for 3 seconds. Then pick the controller in your device’s Bluetooth list.

Which controller works where

Controller	Windows PC	iPhone and iPad	Android
PS5 DualSense	Bluetooth or USB-C; Windows 10 (64-bit) or 11	Bluetooth or USB-C; iOS or iPadOS 14.5 or later	Bluetooth or USB-C; Android 12 or later
PS5 DualSense Edge	Bluetooth or USB-C; Windows 10 (64-bit) or 11	Bluetooth or USB-C; iOS or iPadOS 16.4 or later	Not in Sony’s list of supported systems
Xbox Wireless Controller with Bluetooth (Series X or S, later Xbox One, Elite Series 2, Adaptive)	Bluetooth (Windows 10 Anniversary Update or later), USB, or the Xbox Wireless Adapter	Bluetooth only; iOS 14.5 for the Series X or S controller, iOS 13 for the others	Bluetooth only; Android 5.1.1 or later
Xbox One controller without Bluetooth	USB or the Xbox Wireless Adapter	Not listed by Microsoft	Not listed by Microsoft
Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, Switch Pro Controller	Not mentioned by Nintendo	Not mentioned by Nintendo	Not mentioned by Nintendo

Sources: PlayStation Support’s DualSense and DualSense Edge pages; Xbox Support’s platform table and PC and Bluetooth pages; Nintendo’s two Pro Controller FAQs. All read 12 November 2026.

A Bluetooth Xbox controller has the plastic around the Xbox button as part of its face. On older controllers without Bluetooth, Microsoft says that plastic “is only part of the top, where the bumpers are”. Microsoft’s setup page adds that a controller that came with an Xbox Series X or S has Bluetooth.

Sony’s DualSense Edge page names Android phones in its introduction, but its list of supported systems stops at Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS and tvOS, so we leave the Android cell as Sony’s list has it.

What stops working off the console

The controllers pair, but some features stay behind. Each maker lists them.

	PS5 DualSense	Xbox Wireless Controller
Vibration or haptics	Haptics need USB on PC; not on Mac or mobile	No rumble on PC over Bluetooth; supported over the Xbox Wireless Adapter
Adaptive triggers	Not on Android	—
Headset or audio in the controller	Jack needs a wired PC or Mac connection; not on mobile	Not over Bluetooth; not supported on Android or Apple
Built-in mic and speaker	Windows PC only, where the game supports it	—
Firmware updates	From a PC with PlayStation Accessories	From a console or PC; not over Bluetooth

For vibration or a headset on a PC, both makers point you away from Bluetooth: Sony to a cable, Microsoft to a cable or its adapter. Microsoft also says controller attachments such as chatpads and the Xbox Stereo Headset Adapter do not work over Bluetooth, and recommends one Bluetooth controller at a time. The PS5 and Digital Edition each come with a USB cable, though PlayStation Direct’s box list for the PS5 Pro has none, as our PS5 model guide notes.

Apple says support for features “such as a controller’s audio jack or lights” varies by controller and by the app you use it with.

How to pair, step by step

DualSense or DualSense Edge. Sony’s steps: make sure the player indicator is off (hold PS until it goes out), unplug any USB cable, then hold Create and, while holding it, press and hold PS until the light bar blinks. Select the controller in your device’s Bluetooth list. The controller stores up to four pairings, one per slot: hold PS with triangle, circle, cross or square for over 5 seconds to pair to slots 1 to 4, or about 3 seconds to switch to that slot later.

Xbox Wireless Controller. Press the Xbox button to turn it on, then hold the raised Pair button on top for 3 seconds until the Xbox button flashes rapidly. For an iPhone or iPad, Microsoft says to turn the controller off first if it is already paired to an Xbox. A double press of Pair on a Series X or S controller switches it back to the last console or PC it was paired with over Xbox Wireless.

Then, on the device:

Device	Where to pair, as the page gives it	Source
Windows 11	Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Add device › Bluetooth	Xbox Support
Windows 10	Settings › Devices › Bluetooth & other devices › Add Bluetooth or other device › Bluetooth	Xbox Support
iPhone or iPad	Settings › Bluetooth, then tap the controller	Xbox Support; Apple Support 111099
Android	Settings › Connected devices › Pair new device	Android Help

On an Xbox Wireless Adapter or a PC with Xbox Wireless built in, Microsoft says to pick Everything else instead of Bluetooth. Google says some of its Bluetooth steps work only on Android 15 and up, and phone makers’ own menus can differ.

After it connects

Apple’s page, published 14 September 2026, says iOS and iPadOS 16 or later let you remap buttons under Settings › General › Game Controller. On Android, Google’s help puts the same options under Settings › Connected devices, then the controller’s Game Controller settings.

A game still has to support a controller. Sony suggests checking a Steam game’s store page for “Full Controller Support” or “Partial Controller Support”. For PS5 or PS4 games on a phone or PC, Sony points to its PS Remote Play app; for PC games on Android, our look at Android gaming handhelds covers how they arrive by Steam Link, Xbox Cloud Gaming or GeForce Now.

To use the controller on its console again: Sony says to plug the DualSense into the PS5 with a USB cable and press PS. Microsoft says a controller paired with a PC over Xbox Wireless must be re-synced to the console with the sync button or a USB cable; after Bluetooth, a Series X or S controller switches back with the double press of Pair.

Nintendo. Its FAQ says the Switch 2 Pro Controller pairs with the console “wirelessly, or by connecting” it to the dock, and that it “is only for use with Nintendo Switch 2”, not the original Switch. Neither Pro Controller FAQ mentions a PC, phone or tablet.

Questions people ask

Can I use my PS5 controller on my PC?

Yes. Sony supports the DualSense on Windows 10 (64-bit) and Windows 11, by Bluetooth or a USB-C cable. Use the cable if you want haptic feedback or a headset in the controller’s jack: Sony says both need a wired connection on PC.

How do I put a PS5 controller in pairing mode?

Turn it off first (hold PS until the lights go out) and unplug any cable. Then hold the Create button and, while holding it, press and hold the PS button until the light bar blinks. Pick the controller in your device’s Bluetooth list.

Does my Xbox controller have Bluetooth?

Look at the plastic around the Xbox button. Microsoft says on Bluetooth controllers it is part of the face of the controller; on older ones without Bluetooth it is part of the top, with the bumpers. Microsoft says a controller that came with an Xbox Series X or S has Bluetooth.

Why doesn’t my Xbox controller vibrate on PC?

Microsoft says vibration is not supported when the controller is connected to a PC by Bluetooth. It says vibration is supported when you connect through the Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows instead.

Can I use a Switch Pro Controller on a PC or phone?

Nintendo does not say so. Its Pro Controller FAQs describe pairing with Switch consoles and the dock only, and do not mention PCs or phones. It also says the Switch 2 Pro Controller cannot be used with the original Switch.

How do I connect a controller to an iPhone?

Put the controller in pairing mode, then open Settings, Bluetooth on the iPhone and tap it in the list. Apple says this works for Xbox, PlayStation and other Bluetooth controllers, and that iOS 16 or later adds button customization under Settings, General, Game Controller.

How do I switch my controller back to my console?

For a DualSense, Sony says to connect it to the PS5 with a USB cable and press the PS button. For an Xbox Series X|S controller, Microsoft says to double-press the Pair button to jump back to the console it was last paired with.