iOS 16 just added support for Nintendo Switch controllers

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Apple wants you to bring your Nintendo Switch controller to iOS 16

Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons will work on iPhone with iOS 16
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Apple’s WWDC 2022 dominated the headlines this week with updates big and small. We got a brand new Macbook Air 2022 and a brand new 13-inch MacBook Pro 2022 to go with it. More importantly, Messages can now be edited or even deleted after sending, which people have wanted since the dawn of Messages. But there are some smaller updates that were not part of the keynote that deserve attention, like Nintendo Switch controllers being supported on iOS 16.

App developer Riley Testut discovered the feature on June 6, and according to Testut, Apple did not cut corners. Not only does iOS 16 natively support the Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons, but it allows users to use either a single Joy-Con or a pair of Joy-Cons. 

Gamers can get their friends in on the fun too, as iOS 16 supports using the pair of Joy-Cons as two separate controllers, just like on the Nintendo Switch. There is even the ability to toggle between using the Joy-Cons as a single controller or two separate controllers by holding the screenshot and home buttons down simultaneously for a few seconds. This feature was later confirmed by Apple engineering manager Nat Brown. 

For Nintendo Switch gamers that prefer the Pro controllers, don’t worry. It seems you can use those with your iPhone too as long as you are running iOS 16. 

While it is impossible to tell from the tweets which iPhone Riley is using, so far there is no reason to believe that a phone running iOS 16 will be unable to support the Nintendo Switch controller of your choosing. But if you are worried, Apple does have the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max to choose from right now, all of which will support iOS 16.

This is not the only improvement for gamers coming to iOS 16. It was also announced during WWDC 2022 that Face ID will work in landscape mode. This means gamers will not have to switch to vertical orientation to use Apple’s biometric security tech while using their favorite Bluetooth controller to game.

FYI: iOS 16 makes transferring an eSim stupidly easy. 

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Malcolm McMillan
Malcolm McMillan
Senior Streaming Writer

Malcolm McMillan is a senior writer for Tom's Guide, covering all the latest in streaming TV shows and movies. That means news, analysis, recommendations, reviews and more for just about anything you can watch, including sports! If it can be seen on a screen, he can write about it. Previously, Malcolm had been a staff writer for Tom's Guide for over a year, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI), A/V tech and VR headsets.

Before writing for Tom's Guide, Malcolm worked as a fantasy football analyst writing for several sites and also had a brief stint working for Microsoft selling laptops, Xbox products and even the ill-fated Windows phone. He is passionate about video games and sports, though both cause him to yell at the TV frequently. He proudly sports many tattoos, including an Arsenal tattoo, in honor of the team that causes him to yell at the TV the most.