How to Use a Nintendo Switch Controller on Steam

If you’re looking to use your Nintendo Switch Pro Controller on Steam, you may be wondering how you can go about setting that up, so you can use one of the best controllers to play your favorite PC games. With its long battery life, great buttons, and smooth sticks, the Pro Controller is a great option for just about any game, but its lack of analog triggers could be a downfall for racing fans.

There are multiple ways to make this happen, however, so let’s dive in and find out what you’ll need to do if you’re looking to use your favorite Nintendo controller on your PC to play your Steam library! Here’s how you can make that happen.

How to Use Pro Controller on Steam

There are two main ways that you’ll be able to connect your Pro Controller to Steam: wired and wireless. We’ll go through ways on how to set it up with both options, so let’s get right into the wired option first!

Wired Connection for Pro Controller on Steam

If you’re looking for the easiest way to get your controller up and running on Steam, you’ll just want to follow these steps:

• Plug in a compatible USB C cable (USB-A to USB-C or USB-C to USB-C) into an open port on your PC
• Connect your cable to your Pro Controller
• Start Steam
• Access Big Picture Mode
• Click Switch Pro Configuration Support

That’s all there is to it! A very straightforward process, allowing you to jump right into your favorite game with your favorite controller. However, if you’re looking to do things wirelessly, you’ll need to follow a few more steps.

Wireless Connection for Pro Controller on Steam

To set things up wirelessly, you’ll want to make sure that you have Bluetooth on your PC, otherwise, you will not be able to do this unless you happen to have a Dongle.

• Press and hold the Sync button (small button on the top of the controller) until it starts flashing Orange
• Open Bluetooth Settings on your computer
• Click on Add a Bluetooth Device
• Navigate to and click on Add Bluetooth or Other Device
• Once more, click on Bluetooth
• Search for and find Pro Controller on the list, and select that
• Wait for the connection to be verified
• Start Steam
• Access Big Picture Mode
• Click Switch Pro Configuration Support

And you’re ready to go! Even if you happen to have Bluetooth on your PC, the 8-BitDO Adapter that we linked above is a great way to avoid all of the hassles of setup, and you can also use it on your Switch for other controllers. If you’ve ever wanted to use a Dualsense on your Switch, this is the easiest way to do that, as well!

And there we have it! If you’re looking to find some of the best games on Steam, make sure you’re checking our Steam Section here on the site, where you’ll be able to find out how to download your saves from the cloud, how to get a refund if you don’t like the game you purchased, and even some information on the Steam Deck!