What platforms does the official Xbox Series S|X wireless controller work with?

The next generation of Xbox finally arrived in the UK back in November, bringing with it the potential for better graphics, faster loading speeds and, of course, a brand-new gamepad. At first glance the official Xbox Series S|X wireless controller doesn’t look to be doing anything terribly innovative compared to other options, but the truth is that it cleverly builds upon the Xbox One’s existing template in several ways to help improve every user’s play experience.

And though it may come as a surprise, the official Xbox Series S|X wireless controller isn’t just compatible with the console it’s named after but indeed a whole range of platforms. In this short blog post we’ll explore where and how exactly it can be used, helping you to better enjoy the benefits like true D-Pad support, textured trigger grips and the dedicated Share button on systems sitting outside of the Xbox Series X|S eco system.

Does the Xbox Series S|X wireless controller work on Xbox One?

Whereas Microsoft admittedly lost its way towards the beginning of the Xbox One’s lifecycle, for Xbox Series S|X the tech giant has been all about ubiquity. That means making it as easy as possible for players to enjoy Xbox games wherever they want using the official Xbox Series S|X wireless controller – including their previous platform: the Xbox One.

This is particularly useful for die-hard console players who have picked up the new gamepad separately but are yet to jump into the next generation with a new Xbox Series X or S. Connecting the controller to your Xbox One console is as simple as holding the central Xbox button down the same time as the connection button that sits under the unit’s disc drive. Before long you’ll be enjoying Microsoft’s last-generation console on your brand-new controller. The gamepad’s new Share button functionality should even work, too.

Does the Xbox Series S|X wireless controller work on PC?

PC players have a lot of control options when it comes to how they like to play their games. But while a traditional mouse-and-keyboard setup works well for first-person shooters and isometric RPGs, the Xbox One controller was the number 1 choice for many PC die-hards who wanted to enjoy a more relaxed and simple experience on their souped-up machine. Knowing this, Microsoft has made it just as easy to connect the new Xbox Series S|X wireless controller with PC gaming platforms like Steam, GOG and Uplay.

To pair the Xbox Series S|X wireless controller with your PC, all you need to do is make sure that both have been updated with the latest software. From here you need to turn on the controller and press down the pair button on the top for 2 seconds. Your PC should then recognize it from the ‘Add Bluetooth Device’ option within your PC’s settings. Wait for the Xbox Series S|X wireless controller to appear in the list and then simply connect.

Does the Xbox Series S|X wireless controller work on Android Devices?

Thanks to the beauty of Project XCloud, players with a Game Pass subscription can stream Xbox games directly from the cloud to any Android device of their choosing. Some games work okay with touch controls, but they’ll only really live up to their full potential if you play games on your Android device using an XboxSeries S|X wireless controller.

Getting the controller to communicate with your phone or Android device works similarly to how it is with PC, where you must set your phone to search for new Bluetooth devices and you hold down the gamepad’s pair button for three seconds. Once both are connected you’re ready to play a massive selection of Xbox games on the go. Just be sure to download the Project XCloud app from the Google Play store and you’ll be streaming and playing in no time.

Does the Xbox Series S|X wireless controller work on PlayStation 5?

It should come as no surprise to learn that the Xbox Series S|X wireless controller is currently not compatible with PlayStation 5. Players on that platform are stranded using the DualSense controller. And though Xbox and PlayStation have been growing quite chummy by allowing cross-play on select online games, don’t hold out any hope that you’ll be able to use Xbox’s newest gamepad with Sony’s next-gen console.

Where can you purchase an Xbox Series S|X wireless controller?

The Xbox Series S|X wireless controller is available to buy from a range of different UK retailers, but one that’s held consistent stock on all three available colours is GAME. There you can pick one up in either Shock Blue, Carbon Black or Robot White, ready to keep gaming for longer with the gamepad’s smattering of new features. Click here to check out GAME’s best deals.