How to Connect a Wii Remote to an iPod Touch

by Spanner Spencer
Jailbreaking your iPod Touch is legal but voids its warranty.

Jailbreaking your iPod Touch is legal but voids its warranty.

David McNew/Getty Images News/Getty Images

The wireless controllers for the Wii video game console use Bluetooth to send your commands to the games you are playing. Apple's iPod Touch multimedia device is also equipped with Bluetooth wireless connectivity, although the two devices aren't natively compatible. Several video game console emulators for a jailbroken iPod Touch -- which has been unlocked from iTunes and can install software from the third-party Cydia app store -- add this Bluetooth compatibility, allowing you to control the app on your iPod Touch using the Wii Remote.

Step 1

Launch the Cydia app store on your iPod Touch and browse through the "Games" category for a Wii Remote-compatible app such as gpSPhone, psx4all or SNES4iPhone.

Step 2

Tap the app's entry in the list to open its full product page. Tap the "Install" button followed by the "Confirm" button. The app is downloaded and installed on your iPod Touch.

Step 3

Launch the Settings app on your iPod Touch, tap "General" and then "Bluetooth." Slide the "Bluetooth" switch to "On."

Step 4

Launch the emulator app you just downloaded from Cydia and tap the "Options" button.

Step 5

Slide the "WiiMote Controls" switch to "On." The app automatically begins scanning for Wii Remote devices within range.

Step 6

Remove the battery cover on your Wii Remote and press the red "Sync" button. An entry for the Wii Remote appears in the list of nearby Bluetooth devices on your iPod Touch's screen.

Step 7

Tap the entry for the Wii Remote on your iPod Touch's screen to sync the two devices. You can now control the iPod Touch app using your Wii Remote.

Tips

  • Connecting a Wii remote to your iPod Touch does not affect the controller's warranty.
  • Although some of the jailbroken emulator apps are often labelled as being for the iPhone, they are also fully compatible with the iPod Touch and iPad.
  • If a Wii Remote has previously synced with the app on your iPod Touch, a connection is established automatically once the option is activated, negating the need to press the "Sync" button in the Wii Remote's battery compartment.
  • At the time of publication, only video game console emulator apps are compatible with the Wii Remote. The Wii Remote cannot be used to control non-compatible games or apps.

Warnings

  • You may need to sync the Wii Remote to your Wii Console again after pairing it with your iPod Touch.
  • Ensure you do not breach any copyright laws when loading any additional games into the emulator app on your iPod Touch.

About the Author

Spanner Spencer has been writing since 2005 for a variety of print and online publications. Focusing on entertainment, gaming and technology, his work has been published by Eurogamer.net, "The Escapist," "GamesTM," "Retro Gamer," "Empire," "Total PC Gaming" "The Guardian," among others. Spencer is a qualified medical electronics engineer with a Business and Technology Education Council certificate in technical writing from Huddersfield Technical College.

Photo Credits

  • David McNew/Getty Images News/Getty Images