Can't Connect Controllers to Your Switch 2? Here's Why
The Switch 2's Joy-Con 2 is full of extra functionality, from upgraded gyros to the slick mouse mode, but sometimes you just need a more traditional gamepad to play your games. The bigger issue users are experiencing this go-around is connecting all their old devices to the Nintendo's new handheld. Players quickly learned last week their original Pro controllers won't wake the console, and that may be due to Nintendo changing up the connection protocols, leaving third-party devices to fall behind the Switch maker's first-party controller options.
While a Switch 2 Pro controller costs $85, third-party devices are often much more affordable. Gizmodo received a bounty of controllers from multiple manufacturers for review, including several devices from 8BitDo and Gulikit specifically to test them on the Switch 2. Since the Switch 2 launch last Thursday, we've found the majority of our devices take extra time and effort to pair with the new console. Connecting them to an original Switch is far more seamless.
8BitDo's controllers in particular simply refuse to communicate with the Switch 2. On Friday, the company released new firmware for its Ultimate and Ultimate 2 controllers alongside the Pro 2 and SN30 controllers, as well as the company's USB Wireless Adapters. If you want to keep using 8BitDo's top-end gamepads, you'll need to download the company's Ultimate or Update Tool software to your Mac or PC and then put the controller into upgrade mode by hitting R1+L1+Start at the same time.
Gulikit—the makers of Hall effect joystick replacements and third-party controllers—also released similar firmware patches last week. In an email to Gizmodo, Gulikit reps said that in their tests, the Switch 2 now uses a different communication protocol than the original Switch. This means the console wouldn't be able to pair the same way it had with previous controllers used for the original Switch.
We reached out to Nintendo for comment, but we did not immediately hear back. While trying to troubleshoot our connection issues, we found going into System Settings, then to Controllers & Settings and flipping on 'Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Wired Communication' helps connect some wired controllers, though we still can't confirm if that setting also helps you connect with Bluetooth devices.
There are still issues connecting some third-party controllers. I still can't pair an 8BitDo Micro controller with the Switch 2, though the company told us that more compatibility updates will be coming in the near future. The Switch 2 Joy-Con 2 and the rest of Nintendo's accessories, down to the revised GameCube controller, all have a 'C' button to connect with GameChat, which may have necessitated a different communication protocol. However, the lack of clarification isn't helping regular users transition to Nintendo's new handheld.
Third-party controllers are often cheaper, but a good number of them also sport joysticks that may be more appealing than what comes with Switch 2. The $95 Joy-Con 2s don't include Hall effect sticks, which would help them better avoid the stick drift issues of the original Switch. In its teardown of the Switch 2, iFixit wrote that the new Joy-Con 2 joysticks are still liable to drift issues, though that may depend on how well the border around the sticks can keep out dirt and debris. The repair gurus further suspected the lack of Hall effect may be due to the controller's magnetic attachment points, which would potentially disrupt the Hall effect method to track stick orientation—which relies on magnetic fields. Nintendo has not made a peep about its decision to keep with what is essentially the same control mechanism as the original Switch.
Nintendo will replace drifting Joy-Con 2 controllers for free pic.twitter.com/BLrTI3j8dZ
— Nintendeal (@Nintendeal) June 6, 2025
At the very least, if you buy a Switch 2 Joy-Con 2, you can expect Nintendo won't completely leave you hanging. Last week, Nintendeal spotted that Nintendo will offer free replacements for U.S. customers experiencing Joy-Con 2 stick drift or a few other issues. If you're going to spend close to $100 on a pair of controllers, at the very least you should hope you'll be able to use them long into the Switch 2's life cycle.
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