Joy-Con Left (Neon Blue) (Nintendo Switch)

Product Information

Outside of the Steam realm, both the Pro Controller and Joy-cons are excellent for playing older games compatible with DirectInput API and simple controls. Both of these controllers are also suited to play games through your PC’s emulator, which is handy if you like to play old-school Nintendo games on modern technology. It might take some adjusting to get used to using upgraded controllers to play your retro favorites, but it’s a bunch of fun once you learn. Step 4: Look for the Joy-Con in your computer’s Bluetooth menu, and select the option to pair it with your device. There is a fairly elaborate workaround to sync a pair of Joy-Cons together as a single controller, and it involves multiple external programs and some intensive tinkering. We think the process we’ve described is the best way to go, but if you’re interested, follow the steps outlined by this Reddit user. How to connect the Switch Pro Controller using Steam First, disconnect it from your Switch by holding 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 it off, just to keep your Bluetooth environment clear. We also don't want it to know we're two-timin' it. You can easily reconnect your Pro controller to your Switch via cable.)

Pull up your Windows Bluetooth settings and start a search for new devices, then press the same small button on the top of your controller one more time. It should automatically pair after 30 seconds to a minute. Using your Switch Pro controllerin PC games There are some quirks to watch out for, such as when the pairing lights on the Joy-Cons won’t stop blinking. You can confirm that the controller is connected, however, by looking at your computer’s Bluetooth settings. If you see the error message below, move the controller around to ensure no other devices are interfering with the signal. Then try again. BetterJoy is a piece of open source software specifically built to use the Switch Pro controller and joy-cons as generic XInput devices (and to make them easier to use with emulators). Connect your Joy-Con to the Switch itself rather than to the controller grip. This forces you to play in handheld mode, but a direct connection like this should not encounter syncing failures.We’re officially on “new console watch.” Reports from credible publications like Eurogamer say that Nintendo secretly showed developers its next system behind closed doors at this year’s Gamescom. While it’s only a rumor, it’s a realistic one. We’re six years into the Nintendo Switch’s lifespan and even the longest-running consoles turn over at eight. If Nintendo’s next system is one or two years away, it’s time to start lining up support from third-party developers. Though rare, other devices may interfere with your Joy-Con signals. If nothing else is working, try turning off nearby wireless devices (one at a time) and see if the Joy-Con signal improves. Note that if you decide to connect via Bluetooth, without using the 8Bitdo adapter method above, you cannot charge the controller while it's connected, so make sure its battery is topped off before you start.

BetterJoy works by reading DirectInput commands as XInput commands, which is what most modern games support. Now that it's installed, your Switch Pro controller should behave like an Xbox 360 controller in most games.But first you have to launch BetterJoy for Cemu (the name of the executable) from its install folder. You're most of the way there! But because this is a DirectInput controller (like most gamepads other than the Xbox's), if you aren't using Steam's built-in controller interface, some games won't recognize the controller without some extra software. Using it requires some gaming savvy, which, to be fair, you probably have if you’re attempting this in the first place. It’s an imperfect solution — not every game will work, no matter what you do. For now, we’ll have to wait for the homebrew community to come up with their own methods. And with that you're ready to game: your controller should show up and work in any game that an Xbox controller would. For the Joy-Con to function properly when detached from the Switch, there must be an unobstructed line-of-sight between the Joy-Con and the Switch.

Step 3: Hold the Sync button on the Joy-Cons, located between the SR and SL buttons, until the LED lights start flashing. The Steam client now officially supports the Switch Pro Controller, with it previously only being available in the beta client. This gives you the ability to use it with all of your PC games and even remap its buttons, should you see fit. Note: You only need to follow these steps if you're not using the Switch Pro Controller through Steam.