iOS device as a second controller for AppleTV 4th gen

I keep hearing that you can use an iOS device as a second controller for games on the new 4th Gen. AppleTV, but I can't find any documentation covering how to do that. I tried to pair my AppleTV's Bluetooth with my iPod Touch, but neither recognizes the other. BT is set to ON on both devices, and I sat the iPod Touch just a few inches from the ATV and left it for over a minute. I don't know what else to do to enable a second controller.

Posted on Nov 1, 2015 1:04 PM

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3 replies

Nov 1, 2015 1:14 PM in response to Scott Rogers1

You won't actually "pair" the phone with the ATV. it connects over wifi if the app is open on the phone. Here is how you do it for Crossy Road


  1. Open Crossy Road on your TV.
  2. Go to the character picker, then scroll to the far leftfor multiplayer mode. (You'll need at least one character unlocked to open the character picker; if you don't have any unlocked, just play a solo game or two!)
  3. On your iOS device, download and open Crossy Road, and tap the arrow in the bottom right corner.
  4. Tap the game controller icon.
  5. You should be connected after a few moments; you'll see a P2 or P1 in the top right corner to signify the multiplayer connection.
  6. Have fun playing with pixels!

Nov 1, 2015 1:16 PM in response to Scott Rogers1

Per the iMore website the game has to support the usage of iOS devices as secondary controllers.


http://www.imore.com/what-you-need-know-about-apple-tv-and-game-controllers

iPhone and iPods work as game controllers, too—if your game supports it

You're not just limited to a Siri Remote or third-party controller: The new Apple TV can use your iOS device as an additional controller if the game you're playing supports it. Typically, you'll see iOS controller support for games that have an iPhone or iPad counterpart, like SketchParty.

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iOS device as a second controller for AppleTV 4th gen

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