How to Connect a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller to Steam

Enable Steam Input for Switch Pro Controllers

To connect your Nintendo Switch Pro controller to Steam, you'll have to first enable Steam's input for it. This is what will make Steam recognize the Switch Pro controller! So here's how to enable the Steam input for a Switch Pro controller:

1. Open up the Steam app
2. Click the Steam logo on the top left corner and select "Settings"
3. In the Settings menu, select the general "Controller" settings tab on the left side
4. Turn on the "Enable Steam Input for Switch Pro controllers" option

After you're done enabling the Nintendo Switch controller input, make sure you don't close Steam and the general "Controller" settings tab. That's because now we'll connect the Switch Pro controller to your PC and it will appear in the settings so you can play the best Steam games! 

Connect the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller to the PC

There are 2 ways you can connect the Switch Pro controller to your PC, and that's through a USB cable or by using Bluetooth. I will recommend you use a USB cable since the connection should be better and there will be less delay.

However, some players have run into problems using a cable. So if you have issues with it, you can try connecting the Switch Pro controller with Bluetooth. Now below we'll see how to connect a Switch Pro controller to a PC using a cable and Bluetooth!

Connect Switch Pro Controller to PC Using Cable

To connect the Switch Pro controller to a PC this way, you'll need a cable with USB-A on one end and USB-C on the other. It's best if you use the cable that came in with the controller! Knowing that here's how to connect a Switch Pro controller to a PC using a USB cable:

1. Take the USB-C side of the cable and connect it to the back of the Switch Pro controller
2. Take the USB-A side of the cable and connect it to a port on your PC
3. The Switch Pro controller should be recognized in the Steam controller settings 

The Switch Pro configuration support should kick in right now, and you'll notice new options appear on top of the Steam controller settings! These options are more or less the same for other detected controllers as well such as when you try to connect an Xbox controller to Steam. And if you have a USB-C port on your PC, you can also connect to it with a different cable!

Connect Switch Pro Controller to PC Using Bluetooth

It's pretty easy to connect your Nintendo Switch controller to your PC using Bluetooth if you hate cables just lying around! But make sure your PC supports a good Bluetooth connection since you may run into problems. So here's how to connect a Switch Pro controller to a PC using Bluetooth:

1. Open the PC settings by pressing the Windows Key+I
2. Select "Bluetooth and devices" tab on the left
3. Turn on the Bluetooth option if it wasn't already, and click on "Add device"
4. Select the first "Bluetooth" way to connect
5. Get your Switch Pro controller, then click and hold the "Sync" button on the back
6. On the front of the controller, there will be flashing lights signaling the Bluetooth is turned on
7. In the Bluetooth settings on your PC, select "Pro Controller" device that should appear
8. In the Steam controller settings, new options will appear at the top

Now you should be able to play PC games on Steam with the controller. Though keep in mind this is limited to Steam games, and not other titles from the best Steam alternatives! But left as it is, the Switch controller might misbehave. So you might want to tweak some of the controller options to check and test everything out.

Turn On the Nintendo Button Layout in Steam

If you leave the Switch controller as it is, the buttons will behave like an Xbox controller. But if you don't want that Xbox controller behavior, you can enable the Nintendo Button Layout option in the Steam controller settings to switch the X and Y buttons alongside the A and B buttons! Basically, this will make the buttons behave normally as seen on the Switch controller.

This is more of a preference, though you can choose the Switch Pro controller buttons to behave however you want to play PC games. Although you can start playing Steam games right now, you should definitely test the Switch controller first to see if it works!

Test the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller on Steam

Testing if the Switch Pro controller works successfully on your PC can be done by clicking on the "Begin Test" option in the Steam controller settings. This will bring up a new window showing your Switch Pro controller where you can test every button and thumbstick to see if Steam registers it!

If the Switch Pro controller misbehaves while playing Steam PC games, you can also click on the "Calibration & Advanced settings" option in the Steam controller settings. A menu will appear here where you can manage the thumbstick dead zone as well as perform gyro calibration! 

That wraps it up for how to connect a Switch Pro controller to Steam on a PC. Now although you can play Steam games freely, you may not be able to play non-Steam games. But there's a workaround here where you can try to add custom games to your Steam library!