Sony Will Soon Let You Connect Your PS5 Controller to Multiple Devices at Once
The DualSense controller isn’t just for the PS5. What’s more, it can be connected to a range of other devices , allowing you to play on your PC, smartphone, or tablet. (It even works with Apple TV — so there you have it!)
However, if you’ve ever tried to actively switch between these devices to play a game, it quickly becomes annoying. That’s because you can’t simply start playing on a new device after finishing a game on the previous one: for example, if you paired the DualSense controller to an iPhone , you’ll need to reconnect it to the PS5 before you can start a PlayStation game. Then you’ll need to connect it to your PC before you can play a Steam game . If you’re used to devices that can quickly switch between paired devices, like AirPods, this is especially annoying.
Sony is working on a solution to this problem. The latest beta system update for the PS5 introduced a new feature that allows the DualSense controller to connect to four devices at once. This means that you can connect the DualSense controller not only to the PS5, but also to a PC, Android phone, and iPad. When you want to switch from playing on the couch to the computer, your controller will already be connected and you can start playing right away. It’s a small feature, but it’s very convenient, especially if you play on multiple devices with one controller.
How to Connect a PS5 Controller to Multiple Devices
For now, the only way to try it out is to sign up your PS5 for Sony’s beta program. You can sign up here , but you’ll have to wait for an invite — there are no guarantees.
If you’re using the beta or reading this after Sony released the update to the public, here’s how this new feature works: First, make sure the player indicator and light bar on your controller are off. If not, hold the PS button until they turn off.
Next, you need to put the controller into pairing mode and select one of the available “slots.” Each of the action buttons on the controller (triangle, circle, cross, and square) represents a slot. To set the pairing mode for a specific slot, press and hold one of these action buttons and the PS button for more than five seconds. You’ll see the light bar and player indicator flash twice.
Now make sure Bluetooth is enabled on the device you want to pair with and select the option to add Bluetooth devices. Then select your controller from the list. If everything works, the light bar will light up and the player’s indicators will start blinking according to the slot number:
-
Triangle
-
Circle
-
Cross
-
Square
You can repeat these steps for each of the four slots until you have filled all the pairs.
Switching devices using the PS5 controller
Once paired, you can switch between devices at any time, regardless of whether your controller is on. To do this, make sure the device you want to switch to is on, then press and hold the corresponding action button and the PS button. Release the button when the indicator panel and player indicator start flashing (this should happen after about three seconds).