How to pair DualShock 4, DualSense and Xbox controllers with 2021 Apple TV

With the 2021 Apple TV, you will be able to connect to PlayStation and Xbox wireless controller. You can follow this guide from Seeking Tech to see how you can connect these gamepads to your media player.

Supported 2021 Apple TV Models

This guide will cover the following models of the Apple TV:

  • 2021 32GB Apple TV HD (MHY93LL/A)
  • 2021 32GB Apple TV 4K (MXGY2LL/A)
  • 2021 64GB Apple TV 4K (MXH02LL/A)

How to pair DualShock 4 to 2021 Apple TV

In order to pair the DualShock 4, which is the official controller of the PlayStation 4, to a 2021 Apple TV, you need to do the following:

1. Turn on your 2021 Apple TV.

2. Press the PS and Share button at the same time until the light bar of the controller begins to flash.

3. Follow the on-screen instructions on the Apple TV to pair the DualShock 4 to media device.

How to pair DualSense to 2021 Apple TV

To pair the DualSense, which is the official controller of the PlayStation 5, you need to do the following:

1. Make sure that your 2021 Aple TV is turned on.

2. Press and hold the PS and Create button at the same time until the light indicator of the DualSense beings to flash.

3. Follow the on-screen instructions on your Apple TV to pair the DualSense.

How to pair Xbox controllers to 2021 Apple TV

You will be able to pair the following Xbox controllers to your 2021 Apple TV:

  • Xbox Wireless Controller with Bluetooth (Model Number: 1708) for Xbox One, Xbox One S and Xbox One X
  • Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2
  • Xbox Adaptive Controller
  • Xbox Wireless Controller for Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X

To pair any of these Xbox controllers, you need to take the following steps:

1. Turn the Apple TV on if you haven’t done so already.

2. Press the Xbox button on the controller to turn the gamepad on.

3. With the Xbox controller turned on, press and hold the Pairing button on the gamepad for a few seconds.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions on your 2021 Apple TV to pair your Xbox controller.

How to fix PS and Xbox controller pairing issues with 2021 Apple TV

If you are experiencing issues with connecting, pairing or using a PlayStation and/or Xbox controller on your 2021 Apple TV, then you can find some possible fixes below:

1. First off, we recommend checking to see if your controller still have any battery life.

2. You should also check to see if your gamepad and 2021 Apple TV have been updated to the latest firmware.

3. Next, you can try moving your controller closer to your Apple TV.

4. You should also make sure that there aren’t any physical obstructions that may be interfering with the Bluetooth signals.

The list of objects that may weakened the signal that connects your gamepad to your media player include bricks, bulletproof glass, concrete, glass, marble, metal, plaster, water, wood as well as synthetic materials.

5. You should also avoid using your Apple TV nearby any of the following objects: cordless phones, fluorescent lights, microwave ovens, Wi-Fi router and wireless video cameras.

6. Turn off other Bluetooth or Wi-Fi devices that you aren’t using.

Both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi utilize the 2.4 GHz band. If your Wi-Fi router supports 5.0 GHz band as well, you can try moving some of your Wi-Fi connected devices from the 2.4 GHz band to the 5.0 GHz band so that you can get a better Bluetooth connection.

How to unpair PS and Xbox controllers on 2021 Apple TV

If you are still experiencing problems with connecting and/or using your PlayStation and/or Xbox controllers with your 2021 Apple TV, you can try unpairing the controller and then pairing it back again.

In order to unpair the controller, you need to do the following:

1. On your 2021 Apple TV, go to Settings.

2. Next, you should select Remotes and Devices.

3. Afterwards, select Bluetooth.

4. Select the controller you want to unpair from your 2021 Apple TV.

5. Select Unpair Device.

To pair your controller to your Apple TV again, you can follow the aforementioned instructions earlier in this guide.

How to fix unresponsive 2021 Apple TV remote

With the latest Apple TV, you may experience issues where its remote controller become unresponsive. You can follow this troubleshooting guide at Seeking Tech to find some potential fixes to your remote when it is not working as intended.

Apple TV Models

This guide will cover the following Apple TV models:

  • 2021 32GB Apple TV HD (MHY93LL/A)
  • 2021 32GB Apple TV 4K (MXGY2LL/A)
  • 2021 64GB Apple TV 4K (MXH02LL/A)

The remote controller that is included with these three models is called the Siri Remote.

How to recharge the 2021 Apple TV HD and 4K Remote

There is a chance that the unresponsive remote controller for the 2021 Apple TV may be related to a depleted battery.

To recharge the Siri Remote, you need to take the following steps:

1. Use the Lightning to USB cable that came with your Apple TV and plug the Lighting end to the Lighting port of the remote controller.

2. Plug the USB end of the Lightning to USB cable into a power source, which could be a computer, power bank, power adapter and other devices.

3. The Siri Remote takes around 3 hours to fully charge.

With that said, you should be able to wait approximately 30 minutes for it to recharge enough where you will get a good amount of battery life to test whether or not the remote is working normally with your 2021 Apple TV.

How to avoid Siri Remote Interference

You should make sure that there is nothing blocking the direct line of sight between the remote and your 2021 Apple TV. Otherwise, the signal will be weak or even non-existent.

If your Apple TV is behind your television, try to relocate it upfront. You should also remove any objects that could be blocking the front side of the media player.

Last but not least, you need to make sure that you aren’t using the remote too far away from your Apple TV.

How to pair Siri Remote to 2021 Apple TV HD and 4K

If your remote is still unresponsive after recharging it and removing any connection interference, you can try pairing the controller to the Apple TV again.

In order to do so, you need to take the following steps:

1. First off, make sure that your remote controller still has some battery life left. If you believe that the battery is depleted, you should recharge it for at least 30 minutes.

2. Point the Siri Remote directly at the front side of the 2021 Apple TV. The remote and media player should be three inches away from each other.

3. With the remote pointed directly at the Apple TV, press and hold the Back (<) and Volume Up (+) buttons at the same time for at least two seconds.

4. If the Apple TV shows something on your television screen that ask you to place the remote on top of the media player, then you should follow the instructions that appear.

How to turn off the 2021 Apple TV

Your remote issues may be related to the Apple TV device instead as the media player could have crashed, frozen or encounter other errors.

If you believe that recharging, removing interference and re-pairing the remote does not fix unresponsive remote problems, then you can try turning off the Apple TV instead.

In order to shut down the 2021 Apple TV HD and 2021 Apple TV 4K, you need to do the following:

1. Unplug the Apple TV from the power outlet. The media player will lose its power source, forcing it to shut down.

2. Wait at least six seconds.

3. Plug the Apple TV back into the power outlet. The media player should automatically turn on again.

Other remote options for 2021 Apple TV HD and 4K

You can also try using other compatible remote controllers with your 2021 Apple TV.

The 2021 32GB Apple TV HD (MHY93LL/A), 2021 32GB Apple TV 4K (MXGY2LL/A) and 2021 64GB Apple TV 4K (MXH02LL/A) should work with other Apple TV remotes.

You can also use your smartphone as a remote controller for your Apple TV.

To do so, you need to do the following:

1. Download the Control Center app on a compatible iOS device.

2. Open the Control Center app.

3. Tap the Apple TV Remote option.

4. Tap your Apple TV device from the list.

5. Enter the four-digit passcode from the Control Center app to your Apple TV.