You can now switch your Stadia controller to Bluetooth, but only until December

Google revealed that at some point this week it was going to allow Stadia controller owners to enable Bluetooth, allowing the controller to be used on other platforms. That time is now as Bluetooth support has gone live.

By visiting the Stadia website, owners of Stadia controllers can finally make the switch to the long-requested feature. It’s stated that once you enable Bluetooth mode, the switch will be permanent and you won’t be able to go back to Wi-Fi for playing on Stadia. However, you’ll be able to still play on Stadia if you use a wired connection. But that shouldn’t be much of a concern given that the platform is scheduled to shut down on January 18.

To activate Bluetooth mode, all you have to do is connect your controller to your computer via USB, find the “Switch to Bluetooth mode” button on the Stadia page, then hit the start button in the “Switch to Bluetooth mode” tab.

Once the process is done, Google says the controller will start using Bluetooth Low Energy connections. What this means is the controller will be able to connect with other platforms using Bluetooth, but some features won’t work. For example, the controller will lose the ability to do pass-through audio wirelessly. Google also provides a list of devices that will be supported by the standard.

When you scroll down the Stadia webpage, you’ll also find a handful of helpful FAQs if you run into trouble with the switch.

Something that stood out, however, is it appears the update will only be available until the end of this year. Right next to the tab warning that the switch is permanent is another tab that says the update is available until December 31, 2023. Additionally, it says that owners can check on Bluetooth updates and the controller mode during this period.

Although it’d be nice if there weren’t a deadline, a grace period of almost a year should be plenty of time for owners to switch over.