Xbox controller: Apple upgrades support for cable connection
iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 as well as macOS 15 bring improved drivers for gamers. The special USB protocol for wired Xbox controllers now works.
Xbox game controller: Now also via cable on the Mac.
(Image: Shutterstock.com/Alex Van Aken)
If you want to avoid even minimal delays when gaming, you need to connect your hardware such as keyboard, mouse or game controller to the computing technology via cable – as this is the only way to avoid (almost) any lag. On Apple devices, Bluetooth gaming products such as the Xbox controller or the PlayStation controller have been supported wirelessly for years. Xbox controllers now have another connection option: via USB-C cable – and Lightning if necessary. Macrumors reports this with further details.
Cable, approve, go
To implement this, Apple has included new drivers in iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS 15 that understand the USB protocol developed by Microsoft for the Xbox controllers. The easiest way to do this is on a Mac with Sequoia: all you need is a USB-C to USB-C cable and the gaming device should be available on the Mac.
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Bluetooth pairing is not required, but the connection must be approved the first time for security reasons. The hardware is then also listed in the game controller section of the system settings. However, subsequent identification via vibration is not (yet) provided for, so you should remember which connected device it is. In the system settings, you can also change assignments and switch on the haptic functions or configure their level.
If necessary, use an adapter for the iPhone or iPad
It may be more complex on iPhones and iPads: For devices that do not yet come with a USB-C port (such as the iPhone 14), you will need to use a USB-C to Lightning adapter, such as Apple's USB Camera Adapter. The controller is then set via a separate entry in the system settings (not under Bluetooth).
This is reminiscent of connecting a wired PlayStation controller, which Apple has supported for some time. On iPhones and iPads with USB-C –, i.e. newer devices –, all you have to do is use a USB-C to USB-C cable and the controller will work. Microsoft uses the GIP protocol for its hardware, which works faster than the usual standard USB-HID. Switch Pro controllers are also supported by wire.
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