How to connect a mouse, keyboard or gamepad to an Android phone

Did you know that Android supports mice, keyboards, and even game controllers? Many Android devices are compatible with USB peripherals, and almost all Android devices support Bluetooth accessories. Connecting these devices is a lot easier than you might think.

This means you can connect a mouse to your Android phone or tablet and get a mouse cursor, or connect a Google Stadia controller and play games console-style. You can even connect a keyboard and use keyboard shortcuts like Alt + Tab .

How to connect a Bluetooth mouse, keyboard, or controller to Android

To connect a mouse, keyboard, or controller to your Android device with Bluetooth , go to Settings > Bluetooth/Connected Devices > Pair New Device . This guide will use connecting a mouse as an example, but the process is similar for a keyboard or controller.

First, swipe down once or twice from the top of the screen to expand the full Quick Settings panel, then tap the gear icon.

Next, go to "Bluetooth", "Connections" or "Connected Devices". This will vary depending on your device.

Now, select "Pair New Device" . Your device may show available devices without this step.

Make sure your device is in pairing mode (do a web search for "[device name] Bluetooth pairing" if you don't know how to do that) and select it from the list.

You will be asked if you want to allow the device to access your contacts and call history. Tap "Pair" to connect the devices.

That's it! In this case, your mouse is now connected and you can see the cursor on your Android device's screen. The process is similar for a keyboard or a game controller. In the case of controllers - such as Xbox or PS5 controllers - keep in mind that not all Android games support controller input.

How to connect a USB mouse, keyboard, or gamepad to Android

Connecting a USB mouse, keyboard, or game controller to your Android device usually requires a USB adapter. You'll probably need a USB-C to USB-A adapter, since most wired accessories still use the "old" USB-A connector and your Android phone has a USB-C port. If your phone doesn't have one, you can buy a cheap USB-C-to-A adapter from online stores.

Just plug the adapter into your phone and plug your mouse, keyboard, or controller into the adapter. Of course, if the accessory has a USB-C connector on the end of the cable, you don't need an adapter (as shown below).

That’s really all there is to it. As explained above, Android supports the Human Interface Device (HID) protocol. Most USB accessories will work without any additional setup. However, in the case of game controllers, that doesn’t mean every game will work properly with them.

Using accessories that typically come with a PC on an Android device wasn't always easy. Thankfully, those days are over. This is especially useful for Android TV devices. Grab your favorite mouse, keyboard, or game controller and you're ready to go on Android.