How To Set Up Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

How to use a Nintendo Switch Pro controller on PC

Nintendo didn't have PC gamers in mind when it built the Switch Pro controller, but that won't stop u.s. from using it anyway. Information technology's a fantastic controller with very long battery life, great analog sticks and face buttons much larger than the puny ones on the Switch joy-cons. If y'all take one around and are ready to upgrade from an ancient Xbox 360 pad, it'southward a potent contender for your next PC controller.

Thanks to Steam's controller configurator, which has official back up for the Nintendo Switch Pro controller, using it for the bulk of your PC games is a breeze. It's basically plug-and-play. Simply if you desire to play games that aren't on Steam, you're going to need this guide.

Here's how to get your Nintendo Switch Pro controller working in Steam or Windows, via a wired connexion or Bluetooth. To beginning, you'll demand a Nintendo Switch Pro controller (obviously) and a USB-C cable.

Steam setup

How to use the Switch Pro Controller in Steam

Steam's born controller back up has included the Switch Pro controller since 2022, which makes using the controller a cakewalk in Steam games. Enabling it is extremely simple. Start by plugging the controller into your PC.

i. Open Steam and the settings menu. Observe the Controller tab and open General Controller Settings. You should meet a few configuration support options on the left. Naturally, nosotros want to enable Switch Pro Configuration Support.

If you similar your Pro controller with flip-flopped 10/Y and A/B buttons, you can likewise enable the Nintendo button layout so games default to information technology. If this option is non enabled, your Pro controller volition be treated like an Xbox controller. You tin can also change your controls game-past-game by right-clicking that game in your library, selecting Edit Steam Controller Configuration, and remapping each push.

iii. While you lot're here, take the time to personalize your Switch controller past selecting information technology under Detected Controllers. If your controller isn't registering properly, beginning by clicking Identify, so open the controller's preferences. Y'all can modify the name, the brightness of the home push button'due south light ring, and whether to use the gyro motion sensor.

From the controller settings folio, you tin can as well calibrate your controller's gyro sensor and joysticks past clicking Calibrate, only yous should simply calibrate your controller if you run into latency issues. If it ain't bankrupt, don't prepare information technology: if you calibrate before trying your controller in-game, you lot may actually create a latency problem. If y'all ever experience the need to calibrate your controller, click Calibrate, set it on a flat surface, and follow the button prompts.

Then, if everything feels right, but save your contour and voila, y'all're fix to go. Whenever you want to utilize your controller, be sure to plug information technology in before opening Steam or any Steam games to prevent whatsoever connection problems.

Non-Steam games

Setting upwards the Switch Pro Controller for not-Steam games

Using Steam is the actually like shooting fish in a barrel manner to get this controller working. If you aren't playing games via Steam, using a Switch Pro controller is withal an option but it requires a little actress work, particularly for a Bluetooth connexion. But the good news is that it's at present natively recognized in Windows, which helps speed things upwardly.

The easiest solution for non-Steam games is to actually bring Steam back into the picture. Steam has an "Add together to library" feature for Windows executables that allows you to add together other programs to your Steam library, and then brand utilize of the Steam overlay. This fifty-fifty works for the Nintendo GameCube/Wii emulator Dolphin!

Equally you tin see in the image above, click the "Games" menu in Steam, then choose the "Add a Non-Steam game to my library..." pick to pull upwardly a listing of programs on your PC. In most cases, this should allow you to add a game and utilize a controller with Steam as an intermediary. Hooray!

Bluetooth

How to go Bluetooth working on PC

Here'due south what y'all need to start:

Hardware

Nintendo Switch Pro controller
Bluetooth dongle (optional)
8Bitdo wireless Bluetooth adapter (optional)

Software

x360ce (if you don't use the 8Bitdo dongle)

8Bitdo adapter: Easy Bluetooth and XInput support

The $20 8Bitdo Bluetooth adapter helps you featherbed most of the finicky setup below past treatment the Bluetooth connection and making Windows play squeamish with the controller without whatever hobbyist software. It'll make Windows see the controller similar it would an Xbox gamepad, and supports the push/joystick inputs and motion controls (but not vibration). As a bonus, this volition piece of work on multiple consoles and with tons of other controllers, likewise, including the Switch Joy Cons, PS4 controller, Wii remotes, and more.

If you don't want to spend the $xx, follow the guide below.

The hard way: Windows installation guide

You only need to follow these steps if you lot're not using the Switch Pro Controller through Steam.

1. Plug your Switch Pro controller into the PC with a USB cable. You lot should be able to utilise the USB-A to USB-C cablevision that came with the controller, or you can employ a USB-C to USB-C cable, if your PC has the advisable port. Inside a few seconds, Windows x should pop up with a new continued device: Pro Controller.

You're most of the way there! Merely considering this is a DirectInput controller (like virtually gamepads other than the Xbox's), if y'all aren't using Steam's congenital-in controller interface, some games won't recognize the controller without some actress software.

2. Download both the 32-chip and 64-fleck versions of x360ce and save their .nada files to a fresh folder. I'thou running a 64-bit system, and you probably are too, but some games require the 32-bit version, so become them both now to save time later. Thankfully, x360ce will tell yous which version yous demand.

three. You have to install x360ce individually for every new game, and this process can vary slightly between games. Luckily, the first step is always the same: detect your game'southward executable (or application) file. Y'all'll find it in the game's local files—sometimes it's buried in a folder, sometimes information technology's correct upwardly front.

4. Once you've found the correct folder, re-create and paste the x360ce .zip file into it. Now extract its contents. This volition give y'all an application file with a little controller icon. Open it. If you need the 32-fleck version of x360ce, a prompt will tell you at this fourth dimension. Otherwise, yous'll get a prompt saying you demand to create a .dll file. Click Create.

five. After y'all create your base .dll file, another prompt will ask yous to search for controller settings. Click Search automatically for settings and make sure the Search the Net box is checked. This will pull a button layout for your Switch Pro controller to use, and lucky for united states, the default layout is perfect for nearly games. Click Side by side and and so Cease.

half-dozen. Test the buttons and analogue sticks on your controller. If everything went co-ordinate to programme, they should line up with the virtual Xbox 360 controller displayed in x360ce. If everything looks good, click Save, and shut x360ce. It will boot on in the groundwork once y'all outset your game. If your controller still isn't registering, try deleting the default .dll in your game's local files (steam_api.dll), simply be sure to save a copy first.

7. You accept to repeat these steps for every game you want to play with your Switch Pro controller. And then, to reiterate: find local files, paste the x360ce .aught, extract and run, create and save a profile, and so relieve and shut x360ce before opening your game.

Using your Switch Pro controller

x360ce works by reading DirectInput commands as XInput commands, which is what well-nigh modern games support. At present that it's installed, your Switch Pro controller should behave like an Xbox 360 controller in almost games. However, some games apartment-out volition not work with DirectInput gamepads. The Witcher three, for example, cannot be played with a Switch Pro controller using this method. With whatever luck, some whiz will piece of work out a workaround for that in the coming months.

Compared to other controllers, I had to remap my in-game buttons more than often while using a Switch Pro controller. My x360ce layout was correct, just the game wasn't registering it correctly. However, afterward remapping the gamepad controls in the in-game settings, it worked perfectly for every game I tried.

Yous shouldn't need to remap any buttons in x360ce, but if yous do need or desire to, only click the drop-down carte on the button you lot desire to remap, click Record, and press the desired button on your controller. Be sure to relieve your profile after making any changes.

The hard style: Windows Bluetooth setup

You only need to follow these steps if you want to play wirelessly and chose not to purchase the 8Bitdo adapter for Bluetooth connectivity.

Note that if you decide to connect via Bluetooth, without using the 8Bitdo adapter method above, you cannot charge the controller while it'due south connected, so brand sure its battery is topped off before you start.

Start, disconnect it from your Switch past belongings the small circular button on the top of the controller to the left of the USB-C port. (If your Switch is in the same room as your PC, I recommend turning information technology off, just to keep your Bluetooth environment clear. We also don't want it to know we're two-timin' it. You lot can hands reconnect your Pro controller to your Switch via cable.)

Pull up your Bluetooth settings and start a search for new devices, and then press the aforementioned small-scale button on the acme of your controller one more time. Information technology should automatically pair after 30 seconds to a minute. Annotation: the lights on the bottom of the controller will go along flashing fifty-fifty later it's paired.

From this point, follow the aforementioned instructions above to utilize x360ce with your controller. Yous may have to re-pair your controller each time depending on what Bluetooth dongle you lot're using and your Bluetooth settings.

WiinUPro and WiinUSoft are as well longstanding favorites for using Bluetooth to play Nintendo controllers on PC, and they added Switch Pro controller back up likewise. Even so, to utilize a Switch Pro controller with these programs you have to jump through several more Bluetooth hoops. x360ce is a simpler alternative which can also be used with other DirectInput gamepads. For at present, nosotros think it's the all-time way to use your Switch Pro controller on PC, other than via Steam.

Non a controller person? Here'southward a round-up of the best gaming keyboards , and all-time gaming mouse .

Wes has been covering games and hardware for more than than 10 years, kickoff at tech sites like The Wirecutter and Tested earlier joining the PC Gamer team in 2022. Wes plays a little bit of everything, but he'll always jump at the gamble to cover emulation and Japanese games.

When he'due south not obsessively optimizing and re-optimizing a tangle of conveyor belts in Satisfactory (it's really becoming a trouble), he's probably playing a 20-yr-one-time Concluding Fantasy or some opaque ASCII roguelike. With a focus on writing and editing features, he seeks out personal stories and in-depth histories from the corners of PC gaming and its niche communities. 50% pizza by book (deep dish, to be specific).