Full wireless DualSense support for Moonlight on Android and Windows

UPDATE: The post has been updated. On Android 12 and newer, an external Bluetooth adapter is no longer required for wireless DualSense functionality. A new testable Artemis Extended release is now available.

The currently attached video was recorded before native Android Bluetooth support was added, so it still demonstrates the external USB Bluetooth adapter setup. I’m planning to upload an updated video showing the new adapter-free connection and its functionality soon.

I would like to introduce my current project, which brings full wireless DualSense support to Android and Windows Moonlight clients without requiring any additional programs.

The project consists of modified versions of:

The Moonlight Windows client
The Artemis Android client
The Apollo host

The full source code for all three projects is available on GitHub. Ready-to-use builds can be downloaded from the Releases section of each repository.

Artemis Extended: https://github.com/Taveszfito/Artemis-Extended-Native-Wireless-DualSense-Features
Apollo Extended: https://github.com/Taveszfito/Apollo-Extended
Moonlight Extended: https://github.com/Taveszfito/moonlight-extended

How does it work?

Apollo Extended creates a virtual DualSense controller on the host, while the client handles the physical controller.

Instead of reducing everything to standard gamepad input, the stream carries DualSense-specific input and feedback in both directions. This allows the controller’s advanced features to keep working remotely.

Windows client

This is the simple part.

Connect the DualSense through Bluetooth or USB, connect to the host, and start streaming.

The Windows client also supports microphone forwarding to the host, including audio from the DualSense built-in microphone.

Additional controller-related options are available in the Extended section of the client settings.

Android client

On Android 12 and newer, the DualSense can now connect directly to the Android device through the normal Bluetooth settings.

No external Bluetooth adapter is required anymore.

The process is simply:

Pair the DualSense with the Android device.
Open Artemis Extended.
Connect to the Apollo Extended host.
Start streaming.

The controller is detected and exposed to the host as a virtual DualSense. Input and feedback are then carried in both directions through the stream.

A wired USB connection is also supported.

What works?

The current Android and Windows implementations support:

All buttons and analog sticks
Analog triggers
Adaptive triggers
Multi-touch touchpad input
Gyroscope and motion sensors
Conventional rumble
Native HD haptics
Built-in controller speaker
Headphone jack
Player LED control
Lightbar color control
Microphone LED and mute control

The controller speaker uses a dedicated audio path. DualSense speaker effects are sent separately from the normal game audio, so they are played through the controller instead of being mixed into the phone, tablet, or PC speakers.

Connecting headphones to the DualSense jack is also supported. Stream audio is automatically routed through the connected headset and returns to the previous output when the headset is unplugged.

The DualSense mute button can be used as a global client microphone mute switch in every connection mode.

Microphone support

The Android device microphone can be forwarded to the host while using a directly connected wireless DualSense.

The DualSense built-in microphone currently requires either:

A wired USB connection, or
The optional USB Bluetooth HCI bridge

Direct access to the DualSense microphone through Android’s standard Bluetooth HID connection is the only major limitation of the new adapter-free route.

On Windows, the DualSense built-in microphone is available through the supported controller connection.

Apollo Extended presents the forwarded microphone to Windows through a virtual Steam Streaming Microphone device.

Optional USB Bluetooth HCI bridge

Artemis Extended still includes the USB Bluetooth HCI bridge developed for earlier releases. It is no longer required for normal wireless DualSense functionality on Android 12+, but it remains available as an optional connection method.

The bridge is also currently required if you want to use the DualSense built-in microphone wirelessly on Android.

Supported adapter chipsets include:

CSR
Realtek
Actions ATS2851

The chipset alone does not guarantee compatibility. Firmware differences between Bluetooth dongles can affect pairing, connection stability, or individual controller features.

Apollo Extended

Apollo Extended uses VIIPER to emulate a fully functional DualSense controller on the host.

DualSense-specific data is transported between the physical controller and the virtual controller instead of being translated into generic gamepad input.

This includes:

Adaptive trigger feedback
Native haptics
Controller lighting
Touchpad input
Motion sensor data
Controller speaker audio
Microphone control and supported microphone audio

The result is essentially a complete DualSense connection transported through the Moonlight/Apollo stream.

Demo

The currently attached video shows the earlier Android setup using the optional USB Bluetooth HCI bridge.

A new video demonstrating direct Android Bluetooth pairing and adapter-free DualSense functionality is coming soon.

The latest testable release already includes the new direct wireless implementation.

Credits

Thanks to Idkiamaguy645 and the CloudPad-Android-Dualsense-Wireless project for demonstrating the Android wireless HID approach used by the new adapter-free DualSense connection.

Their existing implementation made adapter-free DualSense support in Artemis possible and much faster to integrate.

A few months ago I shared my custom Moonlight Android mod. One of the most common suggestions was to build it on top of Artemis instead of maintaining a separate Moonlight fork.

So... I did.

This project is now called Artemis Extended.

The goal isn't to replace Artemis. Artemis already does a fantastic job, so I wanted to keep all of its improvements while adding features that are mainly focused on controller users.

Main features

🎮 Controller-friendly Quick Menu

The Quick Menu is fully usable with a controller.

It can be opened with Share + Xbox/PS button (optional), so there's no need to reach for the touchscreen while playing.

The menu is also fully customizable, allowing you to add, remove or reorder actions to fit your own workflow.

⌨️ Controller → Keyboard & Mouse

Any controller button can be mapped to keyboard keys or mouse buttons.

This makes games without native controller support much easier to play, while also allowing custom shortcuts even in controller-friendly games.

🎯 Gyro aiming

One feature I'm particularly happy with is the new gyro implementation.

Instead of replacing the controller with mouse input, the gyro can be blended into the right analog stick.

Games continue to detect a normal controller, while small aiming adjustments become much more precise.

For games that work better with keyboard & mouse, gyro can also behave like a real mouse instead.

Note: DualSense gyro currently requires a wired USB connection because Sony doesn't expose gyro data over standard Bluetooth. For clip-on/mobile controllers without a built-in gyro, Artemis Extended can also use the phone's gyroscope as a fallback.

🔊 Flexible volume controls

The device volume buttons can control either:

Android volume
Windows volume

Switching between them is just a setting.

🎛️ More controller-focused improvements

There are plenty of additional quality-of-life improvements, including:

On-screen controller mapping overlay
Improved in-stream controls
UI improvements
Additional Quick Menu actions
Various controller usability tweaks

...and many smaller improvements that would make this post way too long.

The full feature list, and downloads are available on GitHub.

Feedback and new ideas are always welcome!

GitHub:
https://github.com/Taveszfito/moonlight-android

u/Due-Boysenberry-1226

Dualsense support has arrived