Google is shutting down its Stadia cloud game streaming service on January 18, 2023, but giving the Stadia wireless controller a second chance as a Bluetooth controller that can connect to PCs, Macs, phones, and presumably other devices as well. The change does not happen automatically; it is a manual process that cannot be undone. Plus, you only have until December 31, 2023 to make the switch, and after that date any unconverted Stadia controller you have is just a gamepad-shaped paperweight.
I’m going to walk you through the process of converting your Stadia controller using Google’s browser-based tool.
At this point, the tool will show you a series of button commands that you need to press to enable the conversion from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth. Here are the button prompts in order:
To install the update, you’ll need to select your controller again, following a similar process as before.
Again, the next step is for you to allow the browser to install the update. Select the controller (it may have one of the names listed in the previous step) for the last step that will enable Bluetooth.
To wirelessly connect your Stadia Controller to devices via Bluetooth, press and hold the Y and Stadia buttons at the same time for two seconds. The status light flashes orange to indicate that the controller is in pairing mode. Google notes that once paired with a device, it automatically connects to the last paired device when powered on.
