But if you want to move it over to your Mac, you'll have to re-pair it with Bluetooth there, and then re-pair it again with your iDevices afterward. Once you've set up your Xbox One wireless controller with your iPhone and iPad, you can switch seamlessly between the two. How can I switch my Xbox One controller between my iPhone, iPad, and Mac? We've circled it in red in the image below:
On your Xbox One controller, find the small circular button on top of the controller, near the left shoulder and trigger buttons.
Make sure Bluetooth's turned on, so that it can "listen" for new devices. Open System Preferences > Bluetooth on your Mac, or Settings > Bluetooth on your iPhone or iPad. We've got more detailed instructions if you need them, but in short, Apple's made this part the "it just works" kind of easy. How can I connect an Xbox One controller to my Mac, iPhone, or iPad? So if you're running Catalina, a wireless, Bluetooth-enabled Xbox One controller is your only option if you like this particular flavor of gamepad. As of this writing, developers haven't created a fix.
MacOS Catalina, which you'll need to use both Apple Arcade and Xbox One wireless controllers, appears to have broken the third-party 360controllers driver that once allowed Mac users to play games with Xbox 360 or One controllers. Sorry, old-school diehards, but Xbox 360 controllers won't work on your Mac, neither will first- or third-party wired Xbox One controllers. In short, look for a controller like the one pictured below. Microsoft offers a simple visual test to see whether yours will work with Bluetooth: If the plastic around the circular Xbox button at the top of the controller is part of the face of the controller, rather than part of the top with the triggers and shoulder buttons, you're good to go. What kinds of Xbox controllers will work with Apple Arcade?įor now, at least, you'll need a new or recent Xbox One S controller ($45) that supports Bluetooth connections. Here's what you need to know to get Apple Arcade on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad playing nicely with your trusty Xbox gamepad. Apple Arcade and the latest versions of Apple's various operating systems have worked together to change that, providing seamless support for wireless Xbox One controllers.
You needed third-party drivers, and you got inconsistent support from game to game. For a long time, using an Xbox controller with your Mac was an iffy prospect.