Last week I tried to queue for a casual trios match with my cousin who plays Apex on his Steam Deck, while I’m on Xbox Series S. The first thing I googled mid-text chain was can you crossplay in Apex Legends, because I’d heard conflicting info about handheld and console compatibility from friends in my clan. Cross-platform play in Apex Legends has been around for years, but Respawn has made a lot of small changes to how it works that most players don’t know about. If you’ve ever found yourself in the same spot, wondering if you can team up with friends no matter what device they own, this guide breaks down everything you need to know, from setup steps to hidden restrictions that can mess up your queue.
Can You Crossplay in Apex Legends Across All Devices?
The short answer is yes, crossplay works across most supported Apex Legends platforms, but there are a few key splits you need to be aware of before you try to build a cross-device squad. Crossplay is enabled by default on all platforms, so you don’t have to dig through settings to turn it on when you first install the game. Apex Legends crossplay support covers all current generation and last generation consoles, plus PC, so you don’t have to worry about being left out if you haven’t upgraded to a new console yet. The core crossplay pool includes PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC (both Steam and EA App).
So if you’ve ever wondered can you crossplay in Apex Legends with your friend who plays on Switch while you’re on PS5, the answer is definitely yes, as long as you’re both in the same input pool. The only exception right now is standalone mobile versions of Apex, which were discontinued globally in 2023. If you’re using a handheld PC like a Steam Deck or Lenovo Legion Go to play the standard PC version of Apex, you’ll be included in the main crossplay pool, same as any other PC player. I’ve tested this myself, queuing from my Xbox with friends on PS5, Switch, and Steam PC, and we never had trouble connecting as long as we all had our EA accounts linked properly.
It’s also worth noting that input matters more than device for matchmaking. If you’re a PC player who uses a controller, you’ll be placed in the controller pool with console players, even if you’re on a PC. That surprises a lot of PC players who assume they’ll only be matched with other PC players, but Respawn designed the matchmaking system around input first, not device, to keep matches fair. Custom lobbies have no crossplay restrictions at all, so you can host a fun clan tournament with players on any supported platform, no matter what input they use.
How to Enable Crossplay and Invite Friends Across Platforms
If you accidentally turned crossplay off in settings at some point, re-enabling it only takes a few seconds. Just head to the Gameplay tab in your settings menu, scroll down to the crossplay toggle, and switch it back on. Once you have crossplay enabled, you don’t have to do anything extra to confirm can you crossplay in Apex Legends with your friends, the game will automatically connect you across platforms as long as you’re all in the same lobby. Inviting cross-platform friends is a little different than inviting friends on your own device, but it’s still very straightforward once you know what to do.
You don't need a paid subscription to use crossplay on PC or handheld PCs, but console players will still need an active PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold subscription to play online, same as they would for any other online multiplayer game. If you’re having trouble finding a friend, double check that they gave you their EA account name, not their platform username. I’ve spent 20 minutes before trying to find a friend only to realize he gave me his Switch username instead of his EA ID, so that’s a common mistake most new crossplay players make.
If you’re playing on Nintendo Switch, you might notice slightly longer load times when queuing with friends on PC or newer consoles, but that’s just a hardware limitation, not a crossplay bug. Most of the time, the lobby will wait for the slowest device to load before starting the match, so no one gets left behind or dropped into the game late. If you’re playing on a Steam Deck, you’ll be treated as a PC player for crossplay purposes, so you can toggle between controller and mouse and keyboard if you want, just like you would on a regular PC.
Key Crossplay Restrictions and Limitations You Need to Know
Crossplay functionality in Apex is designed to be as fair as possible, which is why Respawn implemented input-based matchmaking a few seasons back after a lot of player feedback about mouse and keyboard advantages. Ranked crossplay is restricted per input type, so controller players will only be matched against other controller players, no matter if they’re on console or PC, and mouse and keyboard players will only be matched against other mouse and keyboard players. That rule applies to all ranked modes, including Battle Royale and Arenas, so you never have to worry about going up against a mouse and keyboard player if you’re using a controller, or vice versa.
Cross-progression is tied to your EA account, so as long as you log into the same EA account on every device you play on, your skins, rank progress, and in-game currency will carry over. But there’s one catch: any platform-exclusive skins you earn, like the PlayStation-only Wraith skin from Season 12, will only be available when you’re playing on that specific platform. You still own the skin, it just won’t show up when you log in on a different device, and you can’t transfer it to another platform.
Crossplay doesn’t affect your rank progression at all, so if you climb to Master rank on console, you’ll still be Master rank if you log into the same EA account on PC, and you’ll be matched against other Master rank players in the same input pool. Also, note that crossplay is not available for any limited time event modes that are platform exclusive, but those are extremely rare, and Respawn usually announces them well in advance so players know they won’t be able to play with friends on other devices for that specific mode. I’ve tried turning off crossplay on my Xbox during off-peak hours, and I waited 12 minutes for a trios match, so I only recommend doing that if you’re really frustrated with running into more experienced players from other platforms.
Tips to Improve Your Crossplay Experience No Matter Your Device
If you’re a controller player playing against other controller players across platforms, you don’t have to worry about aim assist differences, because Respawn standardized aim assist for all controller users regardless of device a few seasons back. That means you’ll get the same aim assist strength on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC, so you don’t have to adjust your settings when you switch devices. If you want to avoid crossplay entirely but don’t want super long queue times, you can group up with other players on your same platform, and the game will prioritize matching you against other full same-platform lobbies.
You can turn off crossplay entirely if you prefer to play only with players on your device, just head to the Gameplay tab in settings and toggle the crossplay option off. Keep in mind that queue times will be significantly longer, especially for less popular modes like ranked Arenas or limited time events that are nearing the end of their run. Another tip: if you’re playing with friends across different platforms, make sure everyone has the latest game update installed, because mismatched versions will stop you from joining the same lobby. I’ve had this happen before when a friend forgot to update his Switch copy of Apex, and we couldn’t get him into our lobby for 10 minutes while he waited for the download to finish.
If you’re worried about communication across platforms, Apex has built in cross-platform voice chat, so you don’t need to use a third party app like Discord to talk to your friends, though you can if you prefer. The in-game voice chat works across all platforms, and you can adjust individual player volumes or mute players easily from the lobby or in-game menu. If you’re a console player who wants to practice against PC players to improve your skills, you can switch your input to mouse and keyboard if your console supports it, and you’ll be placed in the mouse and keyboard pool with PC players. That’s a great way to get better at faster aim and movement, if you’re looking to climb the ranked ladder. If you’re streaming your crossplay matches, you can turn on the “hide platform names” option in settings to avoid viewers targeting players based on what device they use.
At the end of the day, the answer to can you crossplay in Apex Legends is a resounding yes for nearly all mainstream devices, with only a small number of caveats to keep in mind. As long as you have your EA account linked, you can team up with almost all of your friends no matter what device they prefer to play on, and Respawn’s input-based matchmaking rules keep matches fair for everyone, regardless of if you use a controller or mouse and keyboard. The only real hassle is remembering to ask for your friend’s EA ID instead of their platform gamertag, but once you have that sorted, you can jump straight into matches without any extra steps. Next time you’re trying to put together a squad with friends who play on different platforms, you won’t have to waste time googling compatibility questions — you can just focus on picking your main and getting that win.