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How to Fix a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller That Won’t Connect to Switch 2

The original Switch Pro Controller works with Switch 2. Try USB pairing through the dock, then wireless pairing, and check the cable and dock if it still will not connect.
Length2 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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The original Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (model HAC-013) is compatible with Nintendo Switch 2. To troubleshoot a connection failure, make sure the console is powered on, update or restart it, then try pairing by USB through the dock and wirelessly from the controller settings. If neither method works after checking the cable and dock, Nintendo says the controller needs service.

1. Update and restart Switch 2

On the HOME Menu, open System Settings > System > System Update and install an available update. If the console says it is up to date, restart it: hold the POWER button for at least three seconds, choose Power Options, then select Restart. A controller cannot pair while the console is asleep, so make sure Switch 2 is powered on before testing either method. Nintendo’s pairing instructions note that pairing is not possible in sleep mode.

2. Confirm it is an original Switch Pro Controller

Look on the back of the controller, directly beneath the Nintendo logo. Nintendo identifies its official original Switch Pro Controllers as model HAC-013, regardless of color or special edition. If yours is a third-party controller, contact its manufacturer for pairing instructions and support; the steps below are for the official Nintendo controller. Nintendo’s troubleshooting page explains how to identify the model.

3. Pair through the Switch 2 dock with USB

  1. Power on Switch 2 and place it in the dock.
  2. Connect the Pro Controller to a USB port on the dock using its USB charging cable. Nintendo identifies the original cable as model HAC-010.
  3. Press a button on the controller, such as A, to wake it and try pairing.

If it does not connect, press the controller’s SYNC button once, then press another button to wake it and retry. Next, try a different USB port on the dock and another compatible USB charging cable. If you have access to another Switch 2 dock, test with that as well. Changing one connection at a time can help isolate whether the issue is associated with a port, cable, or dock, but a single failed test does not identify a faulty component. Nintendo recommends these checks on its controller troubleshooting page.

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4. Try wireless pairing

  1. On the powered-on console, open Controllers > Change Grip and Order.
  2. While that screen is displayed, hold the controller’s SYNC button for at least one second.

Wait for the controller to appear or connect on the screen. Nintendo documents this wireless pairing method in its Pro Controller pairing guide.

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5. When to contact Nintendo

If the official HAC-013 controller will not pair either wirelessly or by USB cable after the checks above, Nintendo says it needs service. Its support instructions do not establish which part is at fault from those symptoms alone; contact Nintendo Support for device-level diagnosis.

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