diff --git a/src/joystick/apple/SDL_mfijoystick.m b/src/joystick/apple/SDL_mfijoystick.m
index a7ab051ebe..484891bb1b 100644
--- a/src/joystick/apple/SDL_mfijoystick.m
+++ b/src/joystick/apple/SDL_mfijoystick.m
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "../hidapi/SDL_hidapijoystick_c.h"
 #include "../usb_ids.h"
 #include "../../events/SDL_events_c.h"
+#include "../../video/uikit/SDL_uikitvideo.h"
 
 #include "SDL_mfijoystick_c.h"
 
@@ -790,6 +791,10 @@ static bool IOS_JoystickInit(void)
                                                SDL_UnlockJoysticks();
                                              }];
 #endif // SDL_JOYSTICK_MFI
+
+#ifdef SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER_UIKIT
+        UIKit_SetGameControllerInteraction(true);
+#endif
     }
 
     return true;
@@ -1581,6 +1586,10 @@ static void IOS_JoystickQuit(void)
         while (deviceList != NULL) {
             IOS_RemoveJoystickDevice(deviceList);
         }
+
+#ifdef SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER_UIKIT
+        UIKit_SetGameControllerInteraction(false);
+#endif
     }
 
     numjoysticks = 0;
diff --git a/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitvideo.h b/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitvideo.h
index 0f69503b2c..38d41037ce 100644
--- a/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitvideo.h
+++ b/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitvideo.h
@@ -36,19 +36,24 @@
 @end
 
 #ifdef SDL_PLATFORM_VISIONOS
-CGRect UIKit_ComputeViewFrame(SDL_Window *window);
+extern CGRect UIKit_ComputeViewFrame(SDL_Window *window);
 #else
-CGRect UIKit_ComputeViewFrame(SDL_Window *window, UIScreen *screen);
+extern CGRect UIKit_ComputeViewFrame(SDL_Window *window, UIScreen *screen);
 #endif
 
+extern API_AVAILABLE(ios(13.0)) UIWindowScene *UIKit_GetActiveWindowScene(void);
+
+extern void UIKit_SetGameControllerInteraction(bool enabled);
+extern void UIKit_SetViewGameControllerInteraction(UIView *view, bool enabled);
+
 #endif // __OBJC__
 
-bool UIKit_SuspendScreenSaver(SDL_VideoDevice *_this);
+extern bool UIKit_SuspendScreenSaver(SDL_VideoDevice *_this);
 
-void UIKit_ForceUpdateHomeIndicator(void);
+extern void UIKit_ForceUpdateHomeIndicator(void);
 
-bool UIKit_IsSystemVersionAtLeast(double version);
+extern bool UIKit_IsSystemVersionAtLeast(double version);
 
-SDL_SystemTheme UIKit_GetSystemTheme(void);
+extern SDL_SystemTheme UIKit_GetSystemTheme(void);
 
 #endif // SDL_uikitvideo_h_
diff --git a/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitvideo.m b/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitvideo.m
index aaa1d5076a..2cca9bc0c2 100644
--- a/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitvideo.m
+++ b/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitvideo.m
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #ifdef SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER_UIKIT
 
 #import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
+#import <GameController/GameController.h>
 
 #include "../SDL_sysvideo.h"
 #include "../SDL_pixels_c.h"
@@ -210,7 +211,8 @@ SDL_SystemTheme UIKit_GetSystemTheme(void)
 }
 
 #ifdef SDL_PLATFORM_VISIONOS
-CGRect UIKit_ComputeViewFrame(SDL_Window *window){
+CGRect UIKit_ComputeViewFrame(SDL_Window *window)
+{
     return CGRectMake(window->x, window->y, window->w, window->h);
 }
 #else
@@ -251,8 +253,80 @@ CGRect UIKit_ComputeViewFrame(SDL_Window *window, UIScreen *screen)
 
     return frame;
 }
+#endif // SDL_PLATFORM_VISIONOS
 
-#endif
+UIWindowScene *UIKit_GetActiveWindowScene(void)
+{
+    if (@available(iOS 13.0, tvOS 13.0, *)) {
+        NSSet<UIScene *> *connectedScenes = [UIApplication sharedApplication].connectedScenes;
+
+        // First, try to find an active foreground scene
+        for (UIScene *scene in connectedScenes) {
+            if ([scene isKindOfClass:[UIWindowScene class]]) {
+                UIWindowScene *windowScene = (UIWindowScene *)scene;
+                if (windowScene.activationState == UISceneActivationStateForegroundActive) {
+                    return windowScene;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // If no active scene, return any foreground scene
+        for (UIScene *scene in connectedScenes) {
+            if ([scene isKindOfClass:[UIWindowScene class]]) {
+                UIWindowScene *windowScene = (UIWindowScene *)scene;
+                if (windowScene.activationState == UISceneActivationStateForegroundInactive) {
+                    return windowScene;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Last resort: return first window scene
+        for (UIScene *scene in connectedScenes) {
+            if ([scene isKindOfClass:[UIWindowScene class]]) {
+                return (UIWindowScene *)scene;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    return nil;
+}
+
+void UIKit_SetGameControllerInteraction(bool enabled)
+{
+    if (@available(iOS 13.0, tvOS 13.0, *)) {
+        UIWindowScene *scene = UIKit_GetActiveWindowScene();
+        if (scene == nil) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        for (UIWindow *window in scene.windows) {
+            UIKit_SetViewGameControllerInteraction(window, enabled);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+void UIKit_SetViewGameControllerInteraction(UIView *view, bool enabled)
+{
+#ifndef SDL_PLATFORM_TVOS
+    if (@available(iOS 18.0, visionOS 2.0, *)) {
+        if (enabled) {
+            GCEventInteraction *interaction = [[GCEventInteraction alloc] init];
+            interaction.handledEventTypes = GCUIEventTypeGamepad;
+            [view addInteraction:interaction];
+        } else {
+            for (id<UIInteraction> entry in view.interactions) {
+                if ([entry isKindOfClass:[GCEventInteraction class]]) {
+                    GCEventInteraction *interaction = (GCEventInteraction *)entry;
+                    if (interaction.handledEventTypes == GCUIEventTypeGamepad) {
+                        [view removeInteraction:interaction];
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+#endif // !SDL_PLATFORM_TVOS
+}
 
 void UIKit_ForceUpdateHomeIndicator(void)
 {
diff --git a/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitviewcontroller.m b/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitviewcontroller.m
index 6bdefae955..845c0d3686 100644
--- a/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitviewcontroller.m
+++ b/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitviewcontroller.m
@@ -341,6 +341,10 @@ static void SDLCALL SDL_HideHomeIndicatorHintChanged(void *userdata, const char
 {
     [super setView:view];
 
+    if (SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK)) {
+        UIKit_SetViewGameControllerInteraction(view, true);
+    }
+
     [view addSubview:textField];
 
     if (textFieldFocused) {
diff --git a/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitwindow.m b/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitwindow.m
index 22a863e61f..b16319ef84 100644
--- a/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitwindow.m
+++ b/src/video/uikit/SDL_uikitwindow.m
@@ -126,43 +126,6 @@ static bool SetupWindowData(SDL_VideoDevice *_this, SDL_Window *window, UIWindow
     return true;
 }
 
-API_AVAILABLE(ios(13.0))
-static UIWindowScene *GetActiveWindowScene(void)
-{
-    if (@available(iOS 13.0, tvOS 13.0, *)) {
-        NSSet<UIScene *> *connectedScenes = [UIApplication sharedApplication].connectedScenes;
-
-        // First, try to find an active foreground scene
-        for (UIScene *scene in connectedScenes) {
-            if ([scene isKindOfClass:[UIWindowScene class]]) {
-                UIWindowScene *windowScene = (UIWindowScene *)scene;
-                if (windowScene.activationState == UISceneActivationStateForegroundActive) {
-                    return windowScene;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        // If no active scene, return any foreground scene
-        for (UIScene *scene in connectedScenes) {
-            if ([scene isKindOfClass:[UIWindowScene class]]) {
-                UIWindowScene *windowScene = (UIWindowScene *)scene;
-                if (windowScene.activationState == UISceneActivationStateForegroundInactive) {
-                    return windowScene;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        // Last resort: return first window scene
-        for (UIScene *scene in connectedScenes) {
-            if ([scene isKindOfClass:[UIWindowScene class]]) {
-                return (UIWindowScene *)scene;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    return nil;
-}
-
 bool UIKit_CreateWindow(SDL_VideoDevice *_this, SDL_Window *window, SDL_PropertiesID create_props)
 {
     @autoreleasepool {
@@ -210,7 +173,7 @@ bool UIKit_CreateWindow(SDL_VideoDevice *_this, SDL_Window *window, SDL_Properti
 
         UIWindow *uiwindow = nil;
         if (@available(iOS 13.0, tvOS 13.0, *)) {
-            UIWindowScene *scene = GetActiveWindowScene();
+            UIWindowScene *scene = UIKit_GetActiveWindowScene();
             if (scene) {
                 uiwindow = [[UIWindow alloc] initWithWindowScene:scene];
             }