Questions
How to use an 8BitDo Micro on a Mac
Pick the mode first, because the Micro is a different device in each one. The switch on its bottom edge has three positions: S makes it a Switch controller, D makes it a plain gamepad, and K makes it a Bluetooth keyboard. A Mac can use all three, for different jobs. Then hold Pair for three seconds and click Connect in System Settings, Bluetooth.
I make InputConfig, a free Mac app that recognizes the Micro in D mode, draws it, and maps every button to a key, a click or a shortcut. This page is built from 8BitDo's manual and support pages and from the profile the app ships for the Micro.
On this page: 9 sections
Steps
- Slide the switch on the bottom edge to S, D or K.
- Hold the Pair button for three seconds, until the light blinks fast.
- Open System Settings, Bluetooth, and click Connect next to the Micro.
- In D or S mode, open InputConfig and press Scan on a row, then press a button on the Micro.
- Pick what that button sends, and activate the preset.
Pick the mode for the job
- S, for games. The Micro presents itself as a Switch Pro Controller. macOS 13 and later lists Switch controllers under Game Controllers, so games with controller support see it.
- D, for mapping. A plain gamepad. InputConfig recognizes it as the Micro in this mode and draws it as itself.
- K, for no app at all. A Bluetooth keyboard: each button types a letter, which is how most Anki remotes are set up. 8BitDo's FAQ lists macOS among the systems Keyboard mode works with.
The switch decides what the Mac thinks it is talking to, so set it before you pair.
InputConfig is free on the Mac App Store. macOS 14 or later, no account, no tracking, open source.
Pair it
- You: Set the mode, then hold the Pair button on the bottom edge for three seconds.
- macOS: Lists the pad in System Settings, Bluetooth. Click Connect.
- Check: In S mode it appears under Game Controllers in the sidebar. In K mode, pressing a button types a letter into any text field.
A pad paired in one mode is a different device in another, so after moving the switch, pair it again. If it was paired in the wrong mode, forget it in Bluetooth settings first.
Know what each control sends
- The D-pad. The Micro has no sticks. 8BitDo's support page says holding Minus and a D-pad direction for five seconds makes the D-pad report as a D-pad, a left stick or a right stick.
- A, B, X and Y. Printed in Nintendo order, with B at the bottom. The Mac reads them by position.
- L, R, L2 and R2. Four buttons in a row along the top edge. L2 and R2 arrive as triggers and as buttons.
- Star. In D mode it is the controller's own turbo key, according to 8BitDo, and it is never reported to the Mac. In Keyboard mode 8BitDo says it has no function until you give it one in its mobile app.
- Minus, Plus and Home. Ordinary buttons.
Star cannot be bound in D mode, because the pad keeps it for itself.
Map it in InputConfig
- You: With the Micro in D or S mode, add a row to a preset, press Scan, and press a button on the pad. Choose the output: a key, a shortcut, a click, scrolling or a macro.
- InputConfig: Binds the row to whatever the button sends. If the Micro is not in the sidebar, tick it under InputConfig, Devices in the menu bar.
- Check: Activate the preset and press the button in any app.
To see the letters printed on the pad, choose Nintendo under Face button names in the app's Settings. Only the names change, never the presets. Scan binds what the pad sends, so the printed letters never get in the way.
Choose controller mode or keyboard mode
For reviewing flashcards or turning pages, both work, and they differ in who decides what a button does:
- Keyboard mode. The Mac sees a Bluetooth keyboard and no app is needed. The letters are fixed unless you change them with 8BitDo's software.
- Controller mode. The pad is a gamepad, and a mapper decides what each button does: any key, click, scroll or shortcut.
In keyboard mode InputConfig can add an action to a letter the pad types, and the letter still goes through, because the app listens to keys and does not block them. The Anki guide has ready layouts. For a clean remap, controller mode is the better choice.
If it does not work
Climb this ladder, smallest step first:
- Check the switch. S for games, D for mapping, K for typing.
- Forget it and pair again. Remove the pad in System Settings, Bluetooth, set the mode, hold Pair for three seconds.
- Tick it in the Devices menu. In D mode, look under InputConfig, Devices in the menu bar.
- Update the firmware. An older pad that refuses to pair may need 8BitDo's Upgrade Tool.
8BitDo controller not working on a Mac goes further. Almost every problem with a Micro on a Mac is the switch position.
The short version
- Mode. S for games, D for mapping, K for a keyboard with no app.
- Pair. Hold Pair three seconds, then Connect in Bluetooth settings.
- Map. Scan each button in InputConfig. Star is not available in D mode.
Three positions on one switch make the Micro three different devices.
Questions
Does the 8BitDo Micro work on a Mac?
Yes. In S mode it presents itself as a Switch Pro Controller, which macOS 13 and later lists as a game controller. In D mode InputConfig reads and maps it. In K mode it is a Bluetooth keyboard and needs no app.
Which mode should an 8BitDo Micro use on a Mac?
S for games with controller support, D for mapping its buttons in InputConfig, and K when you want it to type letters with no app, as most Anki setups do.
Why does the Star button do nothing on a Mac?
In D mode the Star button is the controller's own turbo key, according to 8BitDo, so it is never reported to the computer and cannot be bound.
Can I use an 8BitDo Micro for Anki on a Mac?
Yes. In K mode each button types a letter that Anki can use, with no app. In D or S mode InputConfig maps each button to any key, which is the cleaner way to choose your own layout.
Does the 8BitDo Micro have sticks?
No. It has a D-pad, and 8BitDo's support page says holding Minus and a D-pad direction for five seconds makes that D-pad report as a D-pad, a left stick or a right stick.
Related
Free. macOS 14 or later. No account, nothing leaves your Mac. Open source on GitHub.