CoD Mobile Controller Not Working Error: How to Play With a Controller

Mobile gaming is a major part of the video game industry, with controls for games adapted to a touchscreen system. However, this is not the optimal experience, and they prefer a controller for games like Call of Duty Mobile. However, with CoD Mobile controller not working issues though, this can be difficult.
CoD Mobile Does Have Controller Support
Before we dive too deep into the CoD Mobile controller not working error, we have to go over controllers for this game in general. Yes, Call of Duty Mobile supports controllers for input use in matches, rather than just sticking to the standard touchscreen controls.
This means that you can truly enjoy a console-like quality experience on the go with this mobile title even though you are just playing on your phone or tablet. If you have trouble with the touchscreen controls or do not like it, this could be the solution for you.
We live in an age where the touchscreen controls of mobile titles do not have to dominate them forever. There are games like Call of Duty Mobile that offer the ability to use a controller that can help alleviate one of the major issues that some players have with mobile gaming in general.
This is great since it opens up a whole new game avenue for a group of players who wish to enjoy the nostalgia and newness alike that COD Mobile offers without having to settle for the standard touchscreen aiming, shooting, camera, and movement features.
More importantly, it can also help with the accuracy of the game since you will not have to rely so much on the automatic shooting that the game is known for. Technically you are able to use manual shooting and aiming in Call of Duty Mobile with a touchscreen, but I would never recommend it, personally.
The aiming and shooting buttons take too long, in my opinion, to use to make the system worth using that way. Though some players have learned to use it quite well, I found that just the automatic shooting with touchscreen controls works best for that method, but this is still not optimal.
Even when I use automatic shooting, I might do fine, but it is unwieldy and unpredictable. As such, controllers are great since this is where you can have the standard manual controls and shooting that I am used to with the game while being accurate.
This is especially great for sniping and other tasks that require precision aiming and controls. I am with other players who would like to use a controller in the mobile Call of Duty title. However, the problem is that the system is not perfect and is prone to issues, like the CoD Mobile controller not working error.
CoD Mobile Controller Not Working Error Explained
The CoD Mobile controller not working problem is a very common one that players will run into when trying to play with a controller. This can come about in a couple of ways, like an actual in-game error that is notifying the player that they cannot use that controller.
However, that may be rare, and, in most cases, the COD Mobile controller not working issue is that the player is connecting the controller, and it is not working for them at all. The game will not notify you because it may not even know that you connect a controller.
As such, this CoD Mobile controller not working issue can be quite frustrating as you may not know what to do to fix it. The general issue here is that players are trying to connect and use a controller, and, for some reason, it is not working out for them at all.
There are a few instances in which this can happen. For one, there is the problem where you know that a controller will work or could work for the mobile title, but it does not connect at all when you try to link it up to the game.
There could be the issue where you know that you have connected it to your mobile device and the game, but it does not work at all when you enter a multiplayer or battle royale match. Or, worse still, it has worked in the past for you, but it is not currently working in the game.
Each of these cases can be immensely frustrating to experience as a player as they are annoying in their ways and make enjoying this otherwise great mobile title a chore. To help you with this, we have come up with some solutions and steps to alleviate the CoD Mobile controller not working problem.
I understand that some players do not want to resort to touchscreen controls, so I will give you all of the tips that I have for connecting your controller of choice to the game in hopes of avoiding that possibility. To start with, we will begin with step one of using a controller in the first place with the game.
How to Pair Up a Controller
To hopefully fix the CoD Mobile controller not working error, we will break down how to pair up and use a controller in Call of Duty Mobile from start to finish. First and foremost, you need to have the controller you will use and the mobile device with its Bluetooth on.
If you have not turned on the Bluetooth for your device, be sure to turn it on in the settings first. Once you have done this, you then need to activate the controller and make sure that it is searching for devices to connect to so that you can link up and start using it.
For this guide, I will focus on the main two that you might be using on mobile: Xbox and PlayStation controllers. There are other controllers you could use (more on that below). These are the main ones that players might be using and that we recommend for now.
When it comes to the Xbox controller, no matter which version of the Xbox One or Series X/S controller you are using, the same general formula is the same. To start looking for mobile devices, you will want to press and hold the Bluetooth sync button and the main Xbox button at the same time.
The Xbox button is the big “X” icon in the upper middle of the controller, while the sync button is typically found on the top of the controller near the shoulder buttons. Once you have held them long enough, it will start to blink to let you know that you are searching for devices.
On the PlayStation side, it is a similar experience, but with different buttons entirely. You will want to hold down the PlayStation button on the controller along with the Share button (the left menu button near the D-Pad) until it starts blinking, too.
While the controller you are using is blinking, you will want to head into your settings on your phone or tablet and look at available Bluetooth devices and connect to them. One thing to note here is that in my iPad mini, there is a weird thing where I have to remove my controller every time I want to use it before I use it if I have used it for other things.
For instance, my DualSense is used for both my iPad and PS5. If I use it for my iPad and then use it later for my PS5, I have to remove it completely from my iPad’s remembered devices to find it and manually connect to it again. This could help if you have a similar issue.
What Controllers Should Work With the Game
As for what kinds of controllers you can use for Call of Duty Mobile, it officially uses almost all of the main Xbox and PlayStation controllers from the current generation and the previous one. This means most of the DualShock 4 controllers are from the PS4 and the Xbox One controllers.
At the same time, you can also use the new Xbox Series controllers and the DualSense in Call of Duty Mobile. At the same time, though, you can also use controllers that are physically connected to the device, like the beloved Backbone, to play the game too.
And then there is the Nintendo Switch Pro controller. Though it uses Bluetooth connectivity, it is not available for iOS devices, which I find unfortunate. However, it is possible to use it on Android, though it might take a few extra steps to make that happen, so it is not recommended.
You could use other third-party controllers beyond these, but the game may not officially support them. This means that they could work, but they might not, which could also be your issue if you try to use something other than the ones listed above.
Once you are ready to use your controller in-game and connected to your device, head into the game and then the settings. From there, make sure to select the controller tab and the “allow to use controller” option.
If you are connected, it should show there. You will then be able to use the controller in matches. Keep in mind that you will only be queued up with other controller users when using a controller to keep the integrity and fairness of the game.
What to Do If Controller Still Does Not Work
However, if you have completed all of these steps and find that you still have the CoD Mobile controller not working problem, here is what you can do. For one, it is worth noting that the controller will not work in the menus, only the game itself, so please keep that in mind.
Always try it in an actual match (preferably an unranked one, to be safe) and see if it works in the actual gameplay. You should be able to move around, control the camera, aim down the sights, shoot, and so on as you would expect.
If this is still not working and you know that it is an officially supported controller, we recommend making sure that you have updated the game to the most recent patch and restarting your device. If the controller is charged and this is still happening, be sure to try a different controller.
If you do not have another controller or that one also does not work even though Bluetooth connects it, it is at this point that I recommend contacting Activision Support directly through the game. Explain to them the issue that you are having and what can be done to fix it.
Let them know that you have tried all of the above steps. They can try to figure out what the issue might be as it could even be a problem with the game’s current build. They may recommend that you delete and reinstall the game, or you might want to try that yourself.
This is a possible solution for the problem, but I want to stress connecting some external account, like a Call of Duty account or your Apple one, to the game before deleting the title. You do not want to lose all of your hard-earned progress, which can make sure that does not happen.
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