Can I Use The Switch Pro Controller On Pc

How to utilise a Nintendo Switch Pro controller on your PC

Nintendo Switch Pro controller held in a person's left hand

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

As one of the all-time Nintendo Switch controllers, knowing how to apply a Nintendo Switch Pro controller on your PC gives you the best of both worlds. The Nintendo Switch Pro is a delight to utilize, and is far more comfortable than the Joy Cons which come with the Switch. Information technology's one of the nicest pads e'er made, so information technology'southward just natural yous'd want to use it as much every bit possible.

Fortunately, Nintendo has fabricated it piece of cake to apply the Switch Pro controller work with PC, either wired using a USB-C cable or wirelessly over Bluetooth. Though the keyboard/mouse combo is one that some gaming puritans would never give up, using a joypad for sports games or a few sessions of Rocket League every now then is a welcome change.

Information technology may not offer the avant-garde options you can get by using a DualSense controller with PC, but in terms of comfort and stamina, the Switch Pro pad and its superhuman battery life remains extremely hard to vanquish.

Here's how to use your Nintendo Switch Pro controller on your PC.

How to use a Nintendo Switch Pro controller on your PC (wired)

At that place's really not much to this method, but…

ane. Catch a USB-C cablevision and plug ane end into the acme of the Switch Pro controller, and the other into your PC.

How to use a Nintendo Switch controller on PC — (Epitome credit: Nintendo)

2. Windows should notice and identify the Nintendo Switch controller, and you lot'll come across a small notification in the task bar telling you when it's done.

How to utilise a Nintendo Switch Pro controller on PC (wireless)

To use the Switch Pro controller on your PC wirelessly, y'all'll either demand to have Bluetooth congenital in, or take a Bluetooth dongle lying effectually. Assuming yous do, here's how you lot connect your Switch Pro controller to PC via Bluetooth.

i. Printing the Start push, and and so printing "Settings".

2. In the window that opens, select "Devices," which is the 2nd choice on the top row.

3. Make sure the Bluetooth toggle is switched on, and and then press "Add Bluetooth or other device."

iv. Yous at present have to choose the kind of device you lot desire to connect. Ignore the mention of Xbox controllers at the bottom, and press the peak option: "Bluetooth."

v. Yous now demand to put your Switch Pro controller in pairing fashion. Pick it upwards and find the small push on the left side of the charging port (number 2 in the diagram below – thank you Nintendo!).

Press and hold the button until the set of lights on the underside of the pad (marked half-dozen in the epitome in a higher place) starts flashing back and forth.

6. Back on your computer, a list will have begun to fill featuring Bluetooth devices that tin be continued. The Switch Pro controller will appear here, and it's thankfully easy to spot, named only "Pro Controller.'' Click this option.

7. All being well, you'll get confirmation with the words "Your device is ready to go!" Once you've seen this message, your gamepad is connected.

How to setup the Nintendo Switch Pro controller in Steam

Before you begin to play with your Nintendo Switch Pro controller on PC, yous'll want to do a piddling finetuning on Steam.

i. Sign into Steam, and press the Steam menu button in the summit-left hand corner of the window. Select "Settings" in the drop-downwardly menu.

2. From the carte du jour that appears, select "Controller". This will open up a new panel on the correct, where you need to cull "General Controller Settings."

iii. Select "Switch Pro Configuration Support" so that Steam knows what kind of gamepad it's working with.

When you do this, you'll run into an extra option that lets you use the "Nintendo Button Layout." This is because Nintendo'south positioning for A, B, Ten and Y differs from Microsoft's on the Xbox controller, You can either make the Switch Pro Controller mirror this, or have it the way Nintendo intended.

4. You're at present free to customize the Nintendo Switch Pro controller as much every bit you similar. Go dorsum to the previous menu and select "Big Picture Configuration" and you lot can tweak everything to your liking.

How to use the Nintendo Switch Pro controller with non-Steam games.

But what about your non-Steam games? Well, you can mess around with programs like X360ce if you similar, only an easier solution is to just bring your non-Steam games into Steam. Here's how.

1. Sign into Steam once more, and select the selection labelled "Games" forth the summit bar. From the drib-down carte that appears, choose "Add together a Non-Steam Game to My Library."

two. A new window volition appear that will list a whole bunch of applications from your computer. Just find the games you desire to add, select them, and then printing "Add Selected Programs."

Now you know how to utilise a Nintendo Switch Pro controller on your PC, check out some of our other Nintendo Switch guides, including how to add friends on Nintendo Switch and how to Connect Nintendo Switch to a TV. And if yous've recently upgraded, accept a look at how to transfer Switch data to your new Switch OLED.

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine likewise. When not weighing upwards the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably notice him tackling his ever-growing games excess. Or, more than likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.