How to Connect a Playstation 4 Controller to Apple TV
The PlayStation 4 DualShock 4 controller can be paired with an Apple TV rather easily. This is a great option for Apple TV and PS4 owners, and if you have been playing games on Apple TV or playing through Apple Arcade and have wished to use a traditional video game controller to game with, this may be one option to achieve that.
You will need a Playstation 4 DualShock 4 wireless controller, and a newer Apple TV running tvOS 13 or later to be able to connect the PS4 controller to the Apple TV.
Essentially you’re pairing the PS4 DualShock 4 controller to the Apple TV like any other Bluetooth device pairing procedure. Here are the exact steps:
How to Use Playstation 4 Controller with Apple TV
- Turn on Apple TV if you have not done so already
- Place the DualShock 4 PS4 controller into pairing mode by holding down the PS logo and Share buttons simultaneously, keep holding until the light bar flickers
- On the Apple TV, go to the “Settings” app, then go to “Remotes and Devices” and to “Bluetooth”
- Choose the Playstation DualShock 4 Controller to pair Apple TV with
Once the PS4 controller has been paired with Apple TV, it’s ready to go and play with games on the device.
Most of the buttons and features of the Playstation DualShock 4 wireless controller work on Apple TV, but some features like vibrating/rumble, motion sensing, and the headphone jack may not work at all (currently at least, this may change down the road).
Note that if you pair a Playstation DualShock 4 controller to Apple TV, it will stay paired with Apple TV and not the accompanying PS4 until it has been reset or re-paired again to work with the PS4 again. That’s the same with pairing any other Bluetooth accessory so that is not unique to Apple TV.
If you’re already familiar with using a PS4 controller on iPhone or iPad, or connecting a Playstation 4 controller to Mac, then the process should be familiar to you, as aside from being a completely different interface on tvOS, the pairing process of a wireless controller to the hardware is similar.
Of course you can pair other wireless remotes to Apple TV as well, including many third party game controllers, the Xbox One S wireless controller, and more.
This obviously applies to the Playstation 4 DualShock controller, but for some reason the Playstation 3 controller does not appear to work with Apple TV (or iOS for that matter), though you can pair PS3 controllers to a Mac for gaming on a computer. If you know of any hints or methods to pair other controllers to Apple TV, share them with us in the comments below.
Did you pair a PS4 controller to Apple TV for gaming? What do you think of the experience? Let us know in the comments below.
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