Connect Nintendo Switch Controllers to Your Mac (Ventura and later)

[@chloemorris8711]

Perfect!!! It worked on my MacBook to first try! Now I hopefully I can play Minecraft on my laptop with a switch controller instead on my trackpad. Thank YOU!!

[@alexbritesuy]

amazing and helped a lot quickly, thanks!

[@alexwilliamwin]

You're the best thank you!

[@mercysnowden6130]

Tysm! This was very helpful!!

[@Stab.a_Saurus]

actualy the goat

[@Twooneandthree]

My pro controller is not usb charged

[@arianabrittenden8632]

Hello! I followed all instructions that you gave, and my wired pro controller will not work when I launch Stardew valley. The arrow moves around fine on steam but as soon as I launch SV, it doesn’t work. Any tips?
I’m using a MacBook Air M2, system updated to current update.

[@EasyOSX]

So I don’t have SDV through Steam, but looking around it seems like the Mac version of SDV seems to have mixed results with controller support. I did find a forum page talking about a file you can replace that seems to have great success in fixing it. The forum page has the file to download and then how to actually install it. Most of the people seem to be running the game from GoG rather than Steam, but I believe it should work just as well. Maybe you can give it a try
forums.stardewvalley.net/threads/no-sound-with-libsdl2-2-0-0-controller-fix.14450/#post-115714

[@THEULTIM8EDITS]

tysm

[@fribey5299]

WOW

[@EasyOSX]

What was the wow about?

[@quintonmoore8797]

I cannot get this to work for Disney dream light valley. Im using joycons and got them to connect to the Mac book and I got the version of dream light valley from the App Store. The Mac recognizes the joycons as a single controller and work on the Mac but as soon as I open dream light valley they don’t do anything. I’ve added the game to the controllers and renamed the controllers to Disney and still nothing. Dream light valley for Mac says it’s compatible with controllers which is why this is so frustrating. They are licensed Nintendo joycons that came with the switch.

[@EasyOSX]

Admittedly I haven't tried Dreamlight Valley specifically. If I had to guess, it could be a bug in the game's code that doesn't see the joycons as a unified controller despite the Mac recognizing them. It could also be something in the settings of the game that you have to enable. As frustrating as it is, you might look at getting another controller that's compatible such as the Switch Pro Controller and syncing that to see if it works.

[@quintonmoore8797]

@@EasyOSX we got a switch pro controller from Walmart last night and will be trying it today. Fingers crossed 🤞🏽

[@EasyOSX]

@quintonmoore8797 Best of luck!

[@quintonmoore8797]

@@EasyOSX the pro controller didn’t work. It was the same situation as the joycons unfortunately. I think it’s the game itself and not the Mac because we hooked up a dual sense ps5 controller and it worked instantly. My girlfriend’s just gonna use the ps5 controller instead. Thanks for the advice though!

[@EasyOSX]

@quintonmoore8797 Well that’s a bummer to hear. Sorry you had to buy the controller, but hopefully y’all can use it on the Switch. Glad you found something else that was supported though!

[@connected1k]

Great video, thanks for making these! One question I'd love help with is how to make the button remappings in Ventura work with Xbox Cloud Gaming. I'm using a Switch Pro Controller so the A/B X/Y buttons operate inverted when trying to play something like Halo. I'm running the latest Ventura so I've tried using the remapping settings you cover in this video but I see now affect in the Xbox Cloud games running in the browser. Have you experimented with this to see if it's possible? Would love to figure this out thanks!

[@EasyOSX]

I have not, I haven’t used Xbox Cloud Gaming. If they did have something like that, I imagine it would be in the settings, but I also imagine that would be in an app rather than in a browser setting. I also could see them assuming you just have an Xbox controller and don’t need to remap anything, though that would also conflict with their accessibility controller

[@michaeloxborrow628]

The OS keeps pairing the controllers as one device (Joy-Con L/R). When I go to System Settings and scroll to the bottom it shows Joy-Con (L), just above trackpad and keyboard, and under Game Controllers it shows (Joy-Con L/R). I have tried holding both the home and capture buttons for 3 seconds but this does nothing only open my app > games directory. I am using M1 Max and Sonoma 14.3.1

[@EasyOSX]

Have you tried having the Mac forget both controllers and then re-adding them?

[@michaeloxborrow628]

@@EasyOSX Yes

[@EasyOSX]

When they get re-added, do they still go back to this configuration? Normally a full forget should clear that, so perhaps something is preventing that from clearing out. I think there's another way to force that, but I don't have access to my Switch for a couple of days, so I'll have to get back to you on that.

[@michaeloxborrow628]

@@EasyOSX Thank you

[@MKS-us3yt]

I can't open the game controller setting page,what can i do?(PLS answer me,ty)

[@EasyOSX]

Are you using an official Nintendo controller or a 3rd party one (8BitDo, Hori, etc.)

[@MrJazz86]

Thanks for the tips! I've tried some months ago pairing both JoyCons without success, so now pressing both buttons for 3sec made it works? And is it also possible to mapp 2 joycons paired as one controller like you showed with the pro controller? I need to try this for sure (I wonder why there is no message that tells you both joycons are paired). Do you know if this works also with emulator such OpenEmu?

[@EasyOSX]

Glad I could help! You can use the Joy-Cons as a single unit! Connect a Left and Right Joy-Con via Bluetooth to the machine then start the video at 01:28 and go from there.
As far as OpenEMU I haven't used that myself so my experience is limited. I looked at the documentation page for OpenEMU, though, and it says the Pro Controller is supported, but the Joy-Cons are not listed. Not to say they couldn't work, but it may not be as simple.

[@MrJazz86]

@@EasyOSX after the connection of both joycon as a single unit is it also possible to change buttons and everything as explained by you like with the pro controller? Why you say with OpenEmu couldn't be as simple if pairing options are working within MacOs system?
thanks

[@EasyOSX]

The Joy-Cons aren't offered the same flexibility in button mapping MacOS, only the Pro Controller.
As for OpenEMU, it's similar to the issue with Steam. Steam, OpenEMU, the game, etc. may use some different methods for handling input that override the system's own settings. Not a great analogy, but think of it the same way when you're playing a game on your machine using the keyboard: it's not typing anything in the background but instead is interpreting that key press in different way. In this case, OpenEMU's own controller settings are likely going to override MacOS' or they may conflict with one another. OpenEMU may decide it's easier to support the Pro Controller with its more traditional setup than the Joy-Cons with can be a controller with multiple different configurations.

[@AlexanderLindo]

Does vibration / haptics / rumble work when used with Mac?

[@EasyOSX]

I've not had it on Steam games, but I have on Apple supported games from the App Store. Admittedly it's pretty hit or miss though, so I wouldn't rely on it.

[@luminousherbs]

My Joycons connect to the Mac and the Mac detects input from them, but none of the buttons do anything. DOes anyone know why?

[@EasyOSX]

Are these official Joy-Cons from Nintendo or third party ones?

[@Ghxstlesss]

Will all switch controllers work with mac? (I got a basic power A) I got a one and i want to it to connect to my Geoforce Now.

[@EasyOSX]

3rd-party controllers are hit or miss. It seems Apple only provides full support for the official Nintendo controllers. Some third party ones work (typically those that Nintendo has officially licensed) but even those aren't guaranteed. Your best support will come with the official Nintendo controllers. But that said, please try and let us know what you find. It would be good to have a list of any other controllers that do work.

[@reorengga4916]

Hi, thank you for this. but i still have one problem. i can't seperate my R and L joycons. everytime i connect both, the mac reads them as one joycons not two joycons. can you help me with this? thanks

[@EasyOSX]

What happens when you hold the Home and Screen Capture button for 3 seconds? Does that not split them again?

[@divinejakiro3656]

@@EasyOSX ya. same happen to mine one

[@chiefbxxf]

When I connect the joycons they automatically act as a unified controller. Is there any way to revert this and have both of them act individually for multiplayer?

[@EasyOSX]

Yes just hold the screen capture and home button for 3 seconds and they'll separate. See 01:30

[@idk56309]

did u find a replace app?

[@EasyOSX]

So far no unfortunately

[@toghrulmammadli1]

Hey man I need your help I have tried over and over again, to get this tutorial to work. Is there any re-placements for joystick mapper? I have trie so many but they all seem to not work with it. also how do make games recognise that it is a controller? @EasyOSX

[@EasyOSX]

Honestly I haven't. It feels like it's an abandoned development area. My thinking is that what gaming that is on Mac has become centered in digital gaming stores, namely Steam, Epic, and the Mac App Store (along with smaller ones like the Humble Bundle, GOG, and Mac Game Store). Most of those provide API's or tools to map game controllers for them. As a result most developers probably won't worry about adding it to their game until it's in a Store that can help offer those capabilities assuming they feel it is appropriate for their game.
Keep in mind this is purely my speculation. I'm not a game developer so this line of thought could be misguided. I know developers have to do some work to add it to their game, but some store fronts do take off some of the burden. Suffice to say, I haven't found a good alternative on modern versions of Mac OS. You might have to stick to what Steam, Apple, and the rest of them provide. I'm sorry

[@FrogInCar-uu4oq]

Hello, this video was helpful, yet I am stuck with one problem, whenever I try and connect both of my controllers holding on the camera and home buttons, it conects with my switch instead of the MacBook, and the two controllers have been paired with the MacBook and bow up on the bluetooth devices page. Help me please.

[@EasyOSX]

When you do the button presses, are the actively connected to your Mac first?

[@FrogInCar-uu4oq]

@@EasyOSX Yes, but only the one joy con connects, and when I press the two buttons at once, nothing happens it just turns on my switch. I tried powering off my switch and then trying, yet that did nothing either.

[@EasyOSX]

You would need to have both joycons actively connected to the Mac at the same time before triggering the Camera/home combo

[@FrogInCar-uu4oq]

@@EasyOSX how do I get BOTH joy cons connected at the SAME time? that's what I am having trouble with.

[@EasyOSX]

It should let you have 2 Joycons connected at the same time, one saying "L" and the other "R" for Left and Right respectively. What happens when you go through the syncing procedure with the second JoyCon when the first one is already connected to the Mac?

[@StarCutieforever]

Do I need the app to play the games? or....

[@EasyOSX]

Which apps are you referring to? If you are playing games from the Mac App Store, then you don't need any other app besides the game so long as the game has native controller support. For Steam games it'll be the same thing, though Steam will need to be running in order to help map controls. If it's for games downloaded outside a major storefront like that, like Minecraft or itch.io then it's really hit or miss

[@StarCutieforever]

@@EasyOSX I meant to say; "Do I need the steam app to play the apple games with a switch controller?"

[@EasyOSX]

Only for games purchased through Steam

[@Sifolamdg]

Hi I am using the joy cons but am not able to connect them to my macbook. I have the M1 chip running on macOS Ventura. Do you have any suggestions?

[@EasyOSX]

Are the joycons appearing in the Bluetooth menu at all, or is it that they appear but it doesn’t show them as connected when you try to sync them to the Mac?

[@Sifolamdg]

@@EasyOSX They appear in the Bluetooth and says it is connected but the green light keeps flashing indicating it is not connected. I’ve only gotten it to work like 2 times. I’ve updated my switch and laptop. I have disconnected/forgot the joy cons, turned Bluetooth on and off, restarted my laptop and they still don’t connect.

[@EasyOSX]

@Sifolamdg Well the flashing isn’t unheard of so unless the batteries aren’t charged I wouldn’t worry about that. Does the game you’re trying to play have controller support?

[@Sifolamdg]

@@EasyOSX Hi yes it does. I just connected another pair of joycons to my laptop and it connected/worked fine so I think it is an issue with that specific pair of joycons.

[@EasyOSX]

@Sifolamdg Well I’m glad you figured it out at least