Add support for SDL3 joystick input driver for iOS by Nintorch · Pull Request #114316 · godotengine/godot

Nintorch · 2025-12-24T12:39:47Z

Follow-up to #106218

I decided to split #109645 into several smaller PRs, starting with iOS ~~and visionOS.~~ (EDIT: not entirely sure this PR supports visionOS)
This PR adds support for SDL3 joystick input driver for the rest of the supported Apple platforms.

Also, it would be nice if someone could test if Input.has_joy_light() and Input.set_joy_light() work on iOS ~~and visionOS~~ with this PR. :D
I think they're supposed to work since JoystickSetLED function is implemented in the MFI joystick driver and a check for iOS version is included inside:

godot/thirdparty/sdl/joystick/apple/SDL_mfijoystick.m

Lines 1452 to 1473 in 63227bb

    
           static bool IOS_JoystickSetLED(SDL_Joystick *joystick, Uint8 red, Uint8 green, Uint8 blue) 
        
           { 
        
               @autoreleasepool { 
        
                   SDL_JoystickDeviceItem *device = joystick->hwdata; 
        
                   if (device == NULL) { 
        
                       return SDL_SetError("Controller is no longer connected"); 
        
                   } 
        
                   if (@available(macOS 10.16, iOS 14.0, tvOS 14.0, *)) { 
        
                       GCController *controller = device->controller; 
        
                       GCDeviceLight *light = controller.light; 
        
                       if (light) { 
        
                           light.color = [[GCColor alloc] initWithRed:(float)red / 255.0f 
        
                                                                green:(float)green / 255.0f 
        
                                                                 blue:(float)blue / 255.0f]; 
        
                           return true; 
        
                       } 
        
                   } 
        
               } 
        
               return SDL_Unsupported(); 
        
           }

TODO:

Rebase
Check if joypad LED works (Sorry, I can't check myself :( ) (it does)
Check if joypad motion sensors work (Sorry, I can't check myself :( ) (at the moment, they don't)
Include bruvzg's SDL code fix
Documentation
~~Report SDL not detecting controller motion sensors on iOS~~
Return true for Input.has_joy_motion_sensors() if only one of the motion sensors is available
Document Input.get_joy_accelerometer() and Input.get_joy_gravity() being unsupported on iOS due to OS limitations.

drivers/sdl/joypad_sdl.cpp

doc/classes/Input.xml

Alex2782 · 2026-02-17T22:53:57Z

I only have a Mac mini. I can't test it on iOS/VisionOS.

CC @godotengine/ios

bruvzg · 2026-02-18T08:36:52Z

Tried it on iOS (10.gen iPad, iOS 26.3), and no controllers are detected (tested with Dual Sense and Xbox One controllers, both BT and wired connection).

Nintorch · 2026-02-18T08:56:31Z

Thank you for your review, bruvzg! I will try to fix this issue!

bruvzg · 2026-02-18T09:04:54Z

Relevant part from the log:

drivers/sdl/joypad_sdl.cpp:67:initialize(): Application didn't initialize properly, did you include SDL_main.h in the file containing your main() function? Condition "!SDL_Init(0x00000200u | 0x00002000u)" is true. Returning: FAILED
drivers/apple_embedded/os_apple_embedded.mm:176:initialize_joypads(): Couldn't initialize SDL joypad input driver. Couldn't initialize SDL joypad input driver.

bruvzg · 2026-02-18T09:12:27Z

#elif defined(SDL_PLATFORM_IOS)
        /* On iOS SDL provides a main function that creates an application delegate
           and starts the iOS application run loop.

           To use it, just #include SDL_main.h in the source file that contains your
           main() function.

           See src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitappdelegate.m for more details.
         */
        #define SDL_MAIN_NEEDED

Some noted:

There's no C++ main in iOS, it's using Swift Application.
We have own app delegate and main loop and can't use one provided by SDL, so SDL likely should be changed to use our loop.

bruvzg · 2026-02-18T09:21:21Z

Simply commenting #define SDL_MAIN_NEEDED line seems to be sufficient to make it work (at least it inits, controller is detected and input works), and nothing in the SDL delegate files seems to be relevant for the input. I'll check is light and vibration works a bit later.

bruvzg · 2026-02-18T09:29:40Z

With the following patch (and rebase to master):

diff --git a/thirdparty/sdl/include/SDL3/SDL_main.h b/thirdparty/sdl/include/SDL3/SDL_main.h
index 905d78e964..46e20445aa 100644
--- a/thirdparty/sdl/include/SDL3/SDL_main.h
+++ b/thirdparty/sdl/include/SDL3/SDL_main.h
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@

            See src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitappdelegate.m for more details.
          */
-        #define SDL_MAIN_NEEDED
+       // #define SDL_MAIN_NEEDED

     #elif defined(SDL_PLATFORM_ANDROID)
         /* On Android SDL provides a Java class in SDLActivity.java that is the

Connecting / disconnecting controllers work.
Input work.
Vibrations work.
Light detection and color work.

Nintorch · 2026-02-18T09:56:06Z

Thank you very much! I will include your fix in the PR later today!
May I ask if DualSense motion sensors get detected too? You can check those by using Input.has_joy_motion_sensors(), Input.set_joy_motion_sensors_enabled() and then getting the values from Input.get_joy_accelerometer(), Input.get_joy_gravity() and Input.get_joy_gyroscope().

bruvzg · 2026-02-18T10:04:10Z

May I ask if DualSense motion sensors get detected too?

No, Input.has_joy_motion_sensors() return false, all gets return zeros.

Nintorch · 2026-02-18T10:43:09Z

Does it return false in _ready() or in _process() too?

bruvzg · 2026-02-18T10:48:12Z

Only checked it with _process() (has_ and get_ output constantly printed out) + button calling Input.set_joy_motion_sensors_enabled(idx, true). Same test app works on macOS.

Nintorch · 2026-02-18T11:25:34Z

I see, thank you for testing! It seems to me like an issue with SDL, I will try to report the issue in their repository soon.

bruvzg · 2026-02-18T12:10:05Z

It seems it only supports SDL_SENSOR_GYRO but not SDL_SENSOR_ACCEL, this corresponds to the system API data, which also return false for https://developer.apple.com/documentation/gamecontroller/gcmotion/hasgravityanduseracceleration?language=objc. So it's not a SDL bug, but either iOS limitation, or issue with specific controller (maybe incompatible firmware).

Nintorch · 2026-02-18T13:38:04Z

I'm not entirely sure SDL (and this PR) supports controllers for visionOS, so I think it's probably a good idea to mark it as only for iOS for now.
But if later it turns out it does, I think we can update the documentation/this PR accordingly. If not, we can create a Godot proposal to support controllers on visionOS.

bruvzg · 2026-02-18T13:39:57Z

I'm not entirely sure SDL (and this PR) supports controllers for visionOS, so I think it's probably a good idea to mark it as only for iOS for now.

OS API should be the same, but I have not way to test it.

Nintorch · 2026-02-18T15:42:32Z

With the following patch (and rebase to master):

diff --git a/thirdparty/sdl/include/SDL3/SDL_main.h b/thirdparty/sdl/include/SDL3/SDL_main.h
index 905d78e964..46e20445aa 100644
--- a/thirdparty/sdl/include/SDL3/SDL_main.h
+++ b/thirdparty/sdl/include/SDL3/SDL_main.h
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@

            See src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitappdelegate.m for more details.
          */
-        #define SDL_MAIN_NEEDED
+       // #define SDL_MAIN_NEEDED

     #elif defined(SDL_PLATFORM_ANDROID)
         /* On Android SDL provides a Java class in SDLActivity.java that is the

Connecting / disconnecting controllers work.
Input work.
Vibrations work.
Light detection and color work.

I defined SDL_MAIN_HANDLED in SDL_build_config_private.h, it should have the same effect as applying your patch, but without creating a new patch file. See also:

godot/thirdparty/sdl/include/SDL3/SDL_main.h

Lines 145 to 178 in 8db94f7

    
           #ifndef SDL_MAIN_HANDLED 
        
               #if defined(SDL_PLATFORM_PRIVATE_MAIN) 
        
                   /* Private platforms may have their own ideas about entry points. */ 
        
                   #include "SDL_main_private.h" 
        
               #elif defined(SDL_PLATFORM_WIN32) 
        
                   /* On Windows SDL provides WinMain(), which parses the command line and passes 
        
                      the arguments to your main function. 
        
                      If you provide your own WinMain(), you may define SDL_MAIN_HANDLED 
        
                    */ 
        
                   #define SDL_MAIN_AVAILABLE 
        
               #elif defined(SDL_PLATFORM_GDK) 
        
                   /* On GDK, SDL provides a main function that initializes the game runtime. 
        
                      If you prefer to write your own WinMain-function instead of having SDL 
        
                      provide one that calls your main() function, 
        
                      #define SDL_MAIN_HANDLED before #include'ing SDL_main.h 
        
                      and call the SDL_RunApp function from your entry point. 
        
                   */ 
        
                   #define SDL_MAIN_NEEDED 
        
               #elif defined(SDL_PLATFORM_IOS) 
        
                   /* On iOS SDL provides a main function that creates an application delegate 
        
                      and starts the iOS application run loop. 
        
                      To use it, just #include SDL_main.h in the source file that contains your 
        
                      main() function. 
        
                      See src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitappdelegate.m for more details. 
        
                    */ 
        
                   #define SDL_MAIN_NEEDED

bruvzg

Retested all features, everything seems to work (including Input.get_joy_gyroscope()). Code looks good.

Repiteo · 2026-02-18T18:12:18Z

Thanks!

Nintorch requested review from a team as code owners December 24, 2025 12:39

Nintorch mentioned this pull request Dec 24, 2025

Add support for SDL3 joystick input driver for Android, iOS, visionOS and Web #109645

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Nintorch changed the title ~~Add support for SDL joystick input driver for iOS and visionOS~~ Add support for SDL3 joystick input driver for iOS and visionOS Dec 24, 2025

Chaosus added enhancement platform:ios topic:input platform:visionos labels Dec 24, 2025

Chaosus added this to the 4.7 milestone Dec 24, 2025

Nintorch mentioned this pull request Jan 4, 2026

Add support for Input.get_joy_info() for web #114589

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Nintorch commented Jan 4, 2026

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drivers/sdl/joypad_sdl.cpp Show resolved Hide resolved

Nintorch mentioned this pull request Jan 12, 2026

Add support for joypad vibration checking #114895

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Nintorch force-pushed the sdl-joypad-ios-visionos branch from b738d7b to d94fc4d Compare January 15, 2026 11:05

AThousandShips reviewed Jan 15, 2026

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Nintorch force-pushed the sdl-joypad-ios-visionos branch from d94fc4d to 95d5fff Compare January 15, 2026 11:09

bruvzg mentioned this pull request Jan 16, 2026

Update Priorities page to match status as of January 2026 godotengine/godot-website#1238

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Nintorch force-pushed the sdl-joypad-ios-visionos branch from 95d5fff to b8a7a46 Compare January 28, 2026 09:30

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bruvzg self-requested a review February 18, 2026 08:10

Nintorch changed the title ~~Add support for SDL3 joystick input driver for iOS and visionOS~~ Add support for SDL3 joystick input driver for iOS Feb 18, 2026

Nintorch removed the platform:visionos label Feb 18, 2026

Add SDL joystick input for iOS

73fcc0d

Nintorch force-pushed the sdl-joypad-ios-visionos branch from b8a7a46 to 73fcc0d Compare February 18, 2026 15:39

bruvzg approved these changes Feb 18, 2026

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This was referenced Feb 18, 2026

Add support for joypad touchpads #111714

Open

Add support for joypad triggers vibration #116214

Open

Add support for querying more joypad information #112680

Open

Repiteo merged commit afa6d60 into godotengine:master Feb 18, 2026
20 checks passed

Nintorch deleted the sdl-joypad-ios-visionos branch February 18, 2026 18:12

Nintorch mentioned this pull request Mar 1, 2026

Clarify that SDL3 is used for joypads on iOS since Godot 4.7 godotengine/godot-docs#11801

Merged

	static bool IOS_JoystickSetLED(SDL_Joystick *joystick, Uint8 red, Uint8 green, Uint8 blue)
	{
	@autoreleasepool {
	SDL_JoystickDeviceItem *device = joystick->hwdata;

	if (device == NULL) {
	return SDL_SetError("Controller is no longer connected");
	}

	if (@available(macOS 10.16, iOS 14.0, tvOS 14.0, *)) {
	GCController *controller = device->controller;
	GCDeviceLight *light = controller.light;
	if (light) {
	light.color = [[GCColor alloc] initWithRed:(float)red / 255.0f
	green:(float)green / 255.0f
	blue:(float)blue / 255.0f];
	return true;
	}
	}
	}
	return SDL_Unsupported();
	}

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