Stadia ‘Phone Link’ – Connect controllers to your phone to play on non-Bluetooth TVs

Stadia is now rolling out its ‘Phone Link’ capability which allows you to use your handheld as a bridge of sorts between supported third-party controllers and Stadia compatible streaming devices that don’t support Bluetooth. So long as your controller is compatible with your phone, you can use it to play games on your TV. This was first discovered by 9to5Google in their APK Insights a while back, but it’s finally becoming available on a rolling basis.

Phone Link is useful if you don’t have a Stadia Controller and your Stadia-compatible streaming device doesn’t support Bluetooth®. If you don’t have a controller, you can also use your mobile device’s touch screen as a virtual gamepad.

Stadia Help

While this may seem like an odd solution or way to route your controller, you have to keep in mind that there are still many televisions out there that simply don’t have built-in Bluetooth. Many of these TVs also have a Chromecast Ultra, a Chromecast with Google TV, or an Android TV set-top box plugged into them via HDMI since they are low-cost solutions to turning any TV into a smart TV.

Add to that the fact that Stadia’s Phone Link also allows you to use the app’s virtual gamepad directly to control your TV without a hardware controller in cases where you’re playing a game with friends or family and come up one short. While not ideal for 3D or fast-paced twitch games, it could be useful in a pinch for 2D platformers or the like.

You can also connect your supported third-party controller to your phone via USB, and although it will look extremely goofy, it will allow you to bridge even hardwire connections to your TV thanks to your phone’s capabilities and compatibility with the Stadia app. One weird thing though is that if you’re using Phone Link, you’ll have to keep the Stadia app open, and your phone screen active. If you don’t, the connection between your gamepad and the TV will be instantly severed. Even swapping to another app on your phone will cause this reaction as discovered by 9to5Google in their hands-on video of the feature.

Connect with Google TV and Android TV

1. Launch Stadia on Google TV or Android TV.
2. Use your TV remote to select your avatar and then select ‘Controller‘.
3. On your mobile device, open the Stadia app, and tap ‘Controller‘.
4. Tap the controller you want to use, and then tap ‘Play on TV‘.
5. Tap the directional pad and face button icons to enter the linking code displayed on your TV.

Connect with Chromecast Ultra

1. On your TV, switch to the input for Chromecast Ultra and find the linking code on the Chromecast’s ambient mode screen.
   • If you can’t find the linking code, turn it on in your ambient mode settings.
2. On your mobile device, open the Stadia app, and then tap ‘Controller’.
3. Connect a third-party controller to your mobile device with Bluetooth or a USB cable.
   • If you need help connecting a controller, tap Connect a controller and then follow the instructions.
4. Tap your controller, and then tap ‘Play on TV‘.
5. Tap the directional pad and face button icons to enter the linking code displayed on your TV.

According to the frequently asked questions found on Stadia Help, Phone Link will work on iOS too, but you’ll have to be running version 12.2 or greater, and Google recommends iOS 14. If you have any trouble connecting your controller through your phone, you can check to see if you have a VPN enabled. Toggling it off temporarily may solve the problem, but maintaining a good wireless connection will be your best bet.

Instructions from Stadia Help