How to Connect an Xbox Wireless Controller with an Android Phone

The Xbox Wireless Controller—also known as the Xbox Series X|S controller—is a good gaming accessory that isn’t just for Xbox. Today, we’ll show you how to use the Xbox Wireless Controller with your Android phone.

How to Pair an Xbox Controller with Android

The process of connecting this Xbox controller with Android is similar to connecting any other Bluetooth accessory. First, you need to open “Settings” on your Android phone. If you’re not sure where to find it, you can swipe down twice on the home screen of your Android phone to open Quick Settings.

Now, tap the gear icon in the bottom-right corner of the Quick Settings panel on Android.

In Android Settings, select “Connected Devices” to open Bluetooth pairing preferences.

On the Connected Devices page in Settings on your Android phone, tap “Pair New Device.”

This is the time to put your Xbox Wireless Controller in pairing mode. Press and hold the pairing button on the controller until the Xbox button starts blinking rapidly.

RELATED: How to Put Your Xbox Controller Into Pairing Mode

The pairing button is located at the top of the controller, between the LB button and the USB Type-C charging port.

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We’re now ready to connect the Xbox controller with your Android phone. On the “Pair New Device” page in Settings on your Android phone, tap “Xbox Wireless Controller.” The controller’s name will appear under the “Available Devices” section on the “Pair New Device” page.

That’s it! Your Xbox controller is now connected to your Android phone. You can fire up any game that supports controllers and play it to your heart’s content. Just be mindful that some games don’t support controller input in the menus, but they do let you use your Xbox controller in-game.

This means that you might not always be able to navigate the mode selection or game preferences pages using the Xbox controller. However, the gameplay isn’t affected by this limitation.

If you also have an Xbox Series X|S, you’ll be glad to know that you can sync the Xbox Wireless Controller with two devices at once. Yes, you can pair the controller to both the console and your phone and quickly switch between the two devices.

RELATED: How to Sync Your Xbox Controller to Multiple Devices at Once