How to Use Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons to Play Games on Your iPhone or iPad

With the Nintendo Switch 2 on the horizon — and confirmation that its new Joy-Cons will not feature Hall effect thumbsticks, a popular drift-prevention feature some gamers had hoped for — now’s a good time to revisit the potential of the Joy-Cons you already own. In fact, there’s a great way to make them even more useful than before: pairing them with your iPhone or iPad.

If you have an iPhone, one with the A17 Pro chip or beyond, you’ve got access to console-quality gaming in your pocket. Apple’s newer devices are capable of running games like Minecraft or Grand Theft Auto with impressive graphics and smooth performance. The only drawback? Touchscreen controls can get in the way of fast-paced more precise gameplay. That’s where your Joy-Cons come in.

Instead of buying a third-party controller for your iOS device, you can use your existing Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons to level up your gaming setup. Ever since iOS 16, Apple has supported Nintendo’s Joy-Con and Pro Controller, meaning you can connect them to your iPhone or iPad in just a few seconds. Using Joy-Cons gives you the tactile feel and control you want from a “real” console, so this is more than worth your time. 

Here’s how to pair your Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons with your iPhone or iPad, and start gaming like a pro.

How to pair your Joy-Cons to your iPad or iPhone

To start, you’ll want to make sure that your Joy-Cons are charged and ready for use. If not, simply attach them to the Nintendo Switch while it’s charging in the dock. Once your Joy-Cons are charged and ready to go, slide them off of your console and do the following:

1. First, press and hold down the black pairing button on top of the Joy-Con until the green light starts running back and forth. This means the Joy-Con is now in pairing mode.

2. Next, on your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Bluetooth.

3. Now, scroll down and find your Joy-Con under Other Devices. You should see either Joy-Con (L) or Joy-Con (R), depending on which Joy-Con you’re currently pairing.

4. Finally, tap the Joy-Con option to pair it. Repeat this process for the other Joy-Con, if needed.

Once your Joy-Cons are paired, you can go into any game that supports third-party controllers, like Minecraft, Among Us and Call of Duty, and play with your newly paired Joy-Cons. Not all mobile games will support both Joy-Con controllers at once, so you might need to pair only one.

To unpair the Joy-Cons, go to Settings > Bluetooth, tap the blue information icon, and then hit Disconnect.