Switch Pro Controller not working on a Mac
InputConfig is completely free on the Mac App Store. You don't have to make an account, there are no subscriptions, and nothing is locked. Optimized for Apple silicon.
Three things cause nearly every case. The Mac needs macOS 13 Ventura or later. The controller sends input only over Bluetooth, not over its USB-C cable. And it stays paired to the last Switch it was used with, so a Switch nearby can take it back. Check those three, then the fixes below.
On this page
Pair it again, properly
- On the Switch, open System Settings, Controllers and Sensors, Disconnect Controllers, or simply turn the Switch off.
- On the Mac, forget the Pro Controller in System Settings, Bluetooth if it is listed.
- You: Hold the small Sync button on the top edge, next to the USB-C port, until the player lights run back and forth, and pick Pro Controller in the Bluetooth list.
- macOS: Connects it as a game controller.
- Check: Open Game Controllers in the System Settings sidebar and press a button.
More detail: how to connect a Switch Pro Controller to a Mac.
If it is plugged in by cable and nothing happens
That is expected. Over USB-C the Pro Controller charges, but macOS reads it only over Bluetooth. Pair it wirelessly, and you can still leave the cable in to charge while you play.
If it works in System Settings but not in the game
The Mac side is done.
- A Steam game. Check that Steam's controller settings have Switch support on, and look at the controller setting for that game. See works in Steam but not in the game.
- A game with no controller support. InputConfig maps the Pro Controller to the keys and mouse the game reads, with an FPS layout built for this pad.
If A and B are the wrong way round
Nintendo puts B at the bottom and A on the right, the opposite of Xbox and PlayStation. Games and apps usually go by position, so the button a game calls A is the one printed B. In InputConfig, a preset row that says A / Cross fires on the bottom button. To make the letters match, use Scan on those rows and press the buttons you want.
What it cannot do on a Mac
macOS does not pass the Pro Controller's HD rumble through to apps, so rumble is not available with it on a Mac. Every button, both sticks and the D-pad work. InputConfig's Motion rows read its gyroscope and accelerometer, as on a PlayStation controller, so gyro aim works.
If you have Joy-Cons or a Switch 2 Pro Controller
- Joy-Cons. They pair one at a time with the Sync button on the rail, also on macOS 13 and later. The Joy-Con page covers using one or both.
- The Switch 2 Pro Controller. macOS does not support it. InputConfig can start it and map it on a USB-C cable, or since 1.8 over Bluetooth with a setting, as an experimental feature. See the Switch 2 Pro Controller on a Mac.
The short version
- macOS 13 or later. Older versions do not read it.
- Bluetooth, not the cable. The cable only charges.
- No Switch nearby. Turn it off while you pair.
Pair it over Bluetooth with the Switch off, and most problems never start.
Questions
Why won't my Switch Pro Controller connect to my Mac?
Usually the Switch takes it back, or the Mac is older than macOS 13. Turn the Switch off, forget the controller on the Mac, hold Sync until the lights run, and pair again.
Does the Switch Pro Controller work wired on a Mac?
No. The cable charges it, but macOS reads it only over Bluetooth.
Why are A and B swapped on a Mac?
Nintendo's labels are the reverse of Xbox's. Games go by position, so the bottom button acts as A. Remap the rows in InputConfig with Scan if you want the letters to match.
Does gyro work with a Switch Pro Controller on a Mac?
Yes, in InputConfig: Motion rows read its gyroscope and accelerometer, as on a PlayStation controller, so gyro aim works. Its HD rumble does not come through.
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