easiest way to connect ps5 controller to iphone?

once you're done on the phone, forget the controller in the iphone bluetooth list. otherwise it keeps grabbing it every time you switch the controller on anywhere near the phone. and if a particular game just ignores it, that's usually the game not supporting controllers rather than a pairing problem.

hold the ps button and the create button together until the light bar starts flashing quickly, then go to bluetooth in the iphone settings and tap dualsense wireless controller when it shows up. needs a reasonably recent ios, anything from the last few years is fine. the annoying part is going back to the ps5 afterwards. the controller stays paired to the phone, so plug it into the console with a usb cable and press the ps button to take it back.