Genshin Impact controller support on mobile devices: All you need to know

Playing Genshin Impact on mobile devices normally is rather inconvenient; fortunately, controller support exists both officially and unofficially (Image via iTechua)
Playing Genshin Impact on mobile devices normally is rather inconvenient; fortunately, controller support exists both officially and unofficially (Image via iTechua)

The idea of using a controller with mobile devices might seem strange at first, but it is surprisingly easy to do whilst playing Genshin Impact.

There are both official and unofficial ways to get controller support on mobile devices. iOS fans can get controller support officially, whereas Android players will have to resort to third-party methods to achieve a similar effect. Either way, there are ways for Genshin Impact players to play the game with a controller, even on mobile devices.

The article below will detail both methods for mobile fans' convenience. It will also detail the available controllers that miHoYo officially supports for iOS devices, as well as any other minor notes Genshin Impact players should be aware of before they try to play Genshin Impact with a controller.


Genshin Impact: How to use controllers on mobile devices

An example of a controller that officially supports Genshin Impact (Image via RAZER)
An example of a controller that officially supports Genshin Impact (Image via RAZER)

Playing with a controller on mobile devices is quite the experience, and it's one that some players wish to learn more about. It should be noted that not every controller type is compatible with mobile devices, regardless of whether it's Android or iOS. That said, miHoYo did release some details about which controllers should work with iOS.

iOS (Official method)

youtube-cover

If Genshin Impact players have their iOS version upgraded to iOS 14 or higher, then they can use the following controllers officially:

  • Xbox Wireless Controller (Bluetooth)
  • Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2
  • Playstation DualShock 4 Wireless Controller
  • MiFi Bluetooth Controllers
  • Razer Kishi

Players should go to their settings, and go to "Control Type" under "Controls." From here, players should use the drop-down menu under "Control Type" and select "Controller" instead of "Touchscreen." Players will need to re-enable their controller every time they launch Genshin Impact, however.

Of course, the controller should be turned on and the player's iOS device should be able to connect to Bluetooth for this to work. The control schemes for the PS controllers and Xbox controllers are the same control scheme found in their native consoles.

Android (Unofficial)

youtube-cover

Unfortunately, while iOS got official controller support back in Genshin Impact 1.3, there is still no official news on when Android devices will get official controller support.

That said, there are ways to play Genshin Impact with a controller on Android devices unofficially. Unfortunately, a good deal of those methods have been reported in getting some users banned, so it's a catch-22. If users are adamant about doing it on Android, they can easily find some methods on YouTube.

That said, there is always a possibility of something going wrong for the user. Android users are not privy to the luxuries iOS users have at the moment, so it's better to be safe than sorry. The YouTube video shows an example of how it can work on Android, but that's mostly for educational purposes.

Until then, Android users should wait patiently for miHoYo to release an update that will target this crucial issue. Else, some players gamble with a chance for something as minuscule as playing with a controller in the grand scheme of things.

The Octopus app should look something like this (Image via MrDeeLee)
The Octopus app should look something like this (Image via MrDeeLee)

Sadly, despite all of the leaks within the Genshin Impact community, there is still no information about official Android controller support. Android fans will just have to wait until that happens, or they can use the method above for convenience's sake.

Likewise, there is no official Developer's Discussion or anything else regarding Android users using a controller on their Android devices, officially.