There’s one serious benefit that’s come from Nintendo’s choice to use standard Bluetooth technology in the Switch and it’s that you can easily use the console’s unique controllers on a PC, Mac, and Android devices. That includes the Joy-Cons and the Switch Pro Controller, the latter of which is an additional $70 expense that’s totally worth it. All you need to use these controllers on PC is a Bluetooth receiver (if you don’t already have built-in Bluetooth). Here is how to connect a Nintendo Switch controller to your PC.
How to connect Joy-Con controllers to your PC
You can easily pair Joy-Con controllers with a Windows or Mac computer from directly within the Bluetooth menu. Follow the steps below to do so.
Step 1: Turn on Bluetooth on your computer.
Step 2: Disconnect the Joy-Cons from the Switch.
May 3, 2018 - The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller now works with PC games on Steam. The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller without the necessary drivers.
Step 3: Hold the Sync button on the Joy-Cons, located between the SR and SL buttons, until the LED lights start flashing. Use the image below, if you need clarification.
Rpg horror games download free. Step 4: Look for the Joy-Con in your computer’s Bluetooth menu, and select the option to pair it with your device.
How to download outlast 2. 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.
Unfortunately, the two Joy-Cons will be treated as separate controllers by default. That’s great for two-player games, but it makes them useless for playing anything complex, like a first-person shooter.
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 Reddit user Jayzizzle1234.
How to connect the Switch Pro Controller using Steam
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 games and even remap its buttons, should you see fit.
Step 1: Head to the Controller Settings menu in Steam. From here, you can check support for the Switch Pro Controller and enable the Use Nintendo button layout option, which changes all your games’ button prompts to match the Pro Controller. If you leave this unchecked, the A/B and X/Y buttons will be swapped, like they are on the Xbox One.
Step 2: Next, plug in your Switch Pro Controller with a USB cable and you’ll be asked to register it, as well as calibrate the built-in gyro sensor for motion control in certain games.
Step 3: Once you’ve done that, select “controller configuration” and you can set the function of every button and stick on the controller, make preset configurations for certain games, or choose a community member’s own configuration by pressing the X button. If you like, you can even bind the gyro sensor to a particular function, which could enable you to be nearly as accurate as mouse-and-keyboard players in certain games.
How to connect the Switch Pro Controller via Bluetooth
If you aren’t using Steam, you can also connect the Pro Controller directly to your Windows or MacOS machine via Bluetooth. This way is a little trickier than connecting via USB, so we only reserving this method for when you plan to use the Pro Controller with games on a different platform, such as EA Origin, Ubisoft’s UPlay store, and Battle.Net.
Switch Pro Controller Review
Just like with the Joy-Con controllers, you’re going to use Bluetooth to connect the Pro Controller to a desktop PC or an alternative device. The steps are essentially the same as connecting the Joy-Cons, so check the bullet points above for the exact method. The sync button for the Pro Controller is located at the top of the controller, directly to the left of the USB-C plug.
The Pro Controller should prove more viable for a wider range of games than the Joy-Cons, namely because it touts a more traditional layout, although it’s not compatible with everything. That’s due to the controller APIs in use; the Pro Controller apparently uses DirectInput, rather than the newer API XInput, making it incompatible with many newer games.
One method to get around this is to download the freeware program x360ce, which translates DirectInput commands for XInput games.It was specifically designed for Xbox 360 controllers, so x360ce does recognize the Switch Pro Controller.
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.
One more thing to keep in mind if you connect the controller wirelessly: You can’t charge the Pro Controller while it’s paired via Bluetooth. If you plan to connect it for non-Steam gaming, plug in the Pro Controller before and after, especially if it’s your controller of choice for marathon sessions. Thankfully, the Pro Controller has exceptional battery life — 40-plus hours on a full charge.
Other things to keep in mind
If you’re using the Joy-Cons, keep in mind that if you’ve had connectivity issues with your left Joy-Con on Switch, you may run into similar problems on other devices. The Bluetooth connection can be iffy and is easily interrupted by interfering devices. Keep the line between the Joy-Con and your PC clear, and if it’s getting inconsistent, try adjusting where you hold the controller.
Nintendo said shortly after the launch of the Switch that it had corrected future shipments’ connectivity issues, so if you didn’t buy your console when the console launched in 2017 or bought another Joy-Con recently, you’ll likely encounter fewer issues.
Both the Joy-Cons and Pro Controller — outside of Steam — are best used with older games that support simple controls and the older DirectInput API. They may even be the best option for emulating old Nintendo games on your PC or other device — after all, what could be more fitting than using the newest Nintendo controller to play the oldest Nintendo games?
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We don’t talk about the Nintendo Switch ($300 on Amazon) much because, well, this is PCWorld, but its pick-up-and-go portability and deep library of exclusive games make it a delightful companion console for PC gamers (if you can stomach 30 frames per second). And it just became an ever better complement thanks to newfound Nintendo Switch Pro controller support in Steam.
Switch Pro controllers ($70 on Amazon) could be used on Windows PCs via Bluetooth for a while now, but coaxing them to work with third-party software was complex burden. Native Steam support streamlines the experience.
How to use a Nintendo Switch Pro controller in Steam
The feature’s only available in the beta version of the client for now as it prepares for full release. You can join the beta by opening Steam’s settings, then clicking the Change button in the “beta participation” portion of the Account tab. Steam will prompt you to restart. After downloading some data, the client opens back up and you’re ready to go.
To set up your Nintendo Switch Pro controller in Steam, open the settings again, select the Controller tab and click General controller settings. A Steam Big Picture Mode window opens, and you’ll see a “Switch Pro configuration support” option. Checking it allows you to create, browse, and share controller configurations on a per-game basis.
Mentioned in this articleSteam Pro Controller Support
Underneath that, you’ll see an option to use Nintendo’s button layout. Nintendo reverses the X/Y and A/B buttons compared to other major controllers. The Steam Input Configurator software is powerful and versatile, letting you create and use all sorts of button configurations; the Nintendo button layout option automatically reverses the inputs to match your hardware if you select a configuration other than the Nintendo Switch Pro template.
Plug in your controller and register it to your Steam account if you’d like. You typically don’t need to run the calibration function for controllers you’re using with Steam, but Valve recommends it in this case to ensure the Switch Pro’s gyrometer is running correctly. Do so by clicking on the controller in the “Detected controllers” section, then clicking Calibrate and following the on-screen directions.
Steam Switch Pro Controller Support
It takes two lil yachty download. From there, you’re ready to rock. If you don’t want to use the stock control scheme in a given game, you can create custom configurations (or use templates created by others) by booting into Steam Big Picture mode by clicking on the controller icon in the upper-right corner of Steam’s title bar, browsing to the game in your library, and selecting Manage game > Controller configuration. Alternatively, you can press the Home button on your controller while in-game to summon the Steam overlay, where you can change your controller configuration on the fly.
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In some quick tests this morning, Nintendo Switch Pro controller support just works in Steam after the initial setup. Connecting a third-party Zelda: Breath of the Wild Wired Controller Plus ($30 on Amazon) wasn’t quite as seamless; it only registers as a generic gamepad in Steam. Generic gamepads require you to map every button during initial setup, and being designated as one means the Zelda controller doesn’t respond to the “Use Nintendo Button Layout” option. It works, and this controller costs less than half as much as the official Switch Pro controller, but stick to Nintendo’s own hardware for the best experience in Steam.
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