Questions

Does the 8BitDo Lite 2 work on a Mac?

Yes. 8BitDo lists the Lite 2 as officially supported by Apple on macOS 13.2 and later. Slide the mode switch to D, press Home to turn it on, hold Pair for three seconds, and pick 8BitDo Lite 2 in System Settings, Bluetooth. A USB-C cable works too, on a Mac with USB-C ports. Rumble and motion are the exceptions: 8BitDo says neither is supported on Apple devices for the moment.

I make InputConfig, a free Mac app with a profile for the Lite 2 that maps it to keys and the mouse for games with no controller support. This page is built from 8BitDo's own pages and from that profile.

On this page: 8 sections
  1. Steps
  2. Pair it in D mode
  3. Know what the S position does
  4. Map it for games without controller support
  5. The original Lite is a different pad
  6. If it does not work
  7. The short version
  8. Questions

Steps

  1. Slide the mode switch to D.
  2. Press the Home button to turn the controller on.
  3. Hold Pair for three seconds, until the lights move from left to right.
  4. Open System Settings, Bluetooth, and click Connect next to 8BitDo Lite 2.
  5. Open System Settings, Game Controllers, and press a button to check it is live.

Pair it in D mode

  • You: Slide the switch to D, press Home, then hold Pair for three seconds.
  • macOS: Lists 8BitDo Lite 2 in System Settings, Bluetooth. Click Connect, and the light on the pad turns solid.
  • Check: It appears under Game Controllers in the System Settings sidebar.

For a cable, 8BitDo gives the same switch position: D, then plug the pad into a USB-C port and wait for the Mac to recognize it. D is the position 8BitDo gives for Apple devices, on Bluetooth and on a cable.

Download InputConfig on the Mac App StoreInputConfig is free on the Mac App Store. macOS 14 or later, no account, no tracking, open source.

Know what the S position does

S is Switch mode. The Lite 2 then says it is a Nintendo Pro Controller, and macOS 13 and later lists it as one, with Nintendo's swapped A and B. 8BitDo's FAQ gives two differences worth knowing:

  • Star. In Switch mode it is the screenshot button. Elsewhere it is the pad's own turbo button, and InputConfig's profile notes that Star reaches the Mac only in Switch mode.
  • Vibration and motion. The Lite 2 has both, and only in S mode. On Apple devices 8BitDo says rumble and motion are not supported for the moment.

Use D for a Mac unless you need the Star button as an input.

Map it for games without controller support

For a game that already supports controllers, macOS is enough. For everything else, InputConfig turns the Lite 2's buttons and sticks into keys, mouse movement, clicks and scrolling. The Lite 2 prints its letters in Nintendo order, with B at the bottom: choose Nintendo under Face button names in the app's Settings and the editor shows the letters on your pad. macOS has its own remapping as well, under System Settings, Game Controllers. Press Scan on a row and press a button, and the printed letter stops mattering.

The original Lite is a different pad

The first 8BitDo Lite, from 2020, has two cross pads where the Lite 2 has thumbsticks, and S and X modes instead of S and D. It is not on 8BitDo's list for Apple devices. InputConfig has a profile for it that I have not confirmed on hardware, so treat it as untested. The steps on this page are for the Lite 2.

If it does not work

Climb this ladder, smallest step first:

  1. Check the switch. D, not S.
  2. Check macOS. 8BitDo lists macOS 13.2 or later. Open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac.
  3. Forget it and pair again. Remove the pad in System Settings, Bluetooth, then hold Pair for three seconds.
  4. Update the firmware. An older pad may need 8BitDo's Upgrade Tool before it pairs with a Mac.

8BitDo controller not working on a Mac goes further. The switch and the macOS version account for most Lite 2 trouble on a Mac.

The short version

  • Works. On macOS 13.2 or later, in D mode, by Bluetooth or USB-C.
  • Pair. D, Home, Pair for three seconds, then 8BitDo Lite 2 in Bluetooth settings.
  • Not supported. Rumble and motion on Apple devices, for the moment.

The Lite 2 is on 8BitDo's own list for the Mac, and D mode is the way in.

Questions

Does the 8BitDo Lite 2 work on a Mac?

Yes. 8BitDo lists it as officially supported by Apple on macOS 13.2 and later. Put it in D mode, hold Pair for three seconds and connect it in System Settings, Bluetooth.

Which mode does the 8BitDo Lite 2 need on a Mac?

D. 8BitDo's page for Apple devices gives D for both Bluetooth and a USB cable. S is Switch mode, which macOS can also read, with A and B swapped.

Does rumble work on the 8BitDo Lite 2 on a Mac?

No. 8BitDo says rumble and motion control are not supported on Apple devices for the moment, and its Lite 2 FAQ says the pad has vibration and motion only in S mode.

Can I connect the 8BitDo Lite 2 to a Mac with a cable?

Yes, on a Mac with USB-C ports. Slide the switch to D, plug it in, and wait for the Mac to recognize it.

Download InputConfig on the Mac App StoreFree. macOS 14 or later. No account, nothing leaves your Mac. Open source on GitHub.