On the Nintendo Switch HOME Menu, open Controllers > Change Grip/Order. Press L on the left Joy-Con and R on the right Joy-Con—or press ZL and ZR—to use them together as one vertical controller.
Switch from sideways Joy-Cons to a paired grip
- From the HOME Menu, select Controllers.
- Select Change Grip/Order.
- With the left and right Joy-Cons held vertically, press L on the left controller and R on the right. You can instead press ZL on the left and ZR on the right.
Nintendo calls this the dual-controller grip. The Switch will recognize the two Joy-Cons together as one controller. See Nintendo’s instructions for holding Joy-Con controllers in single- and multiplayer configurations.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Nintendo Joy-Con (L/R) - Neon Red/Neon Blue | $88.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Nintendo Joy-Con (L/R) - Neon Red/Neon Blue (Renewed) | $60.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Nintendo Neon Purple/Neon Orange Joy-Con (L-R) - Switch | $87.95 | Buy on Amazon |
Why the Joy-Cons may appear sideways
On the Change Grip/Order screen, pressing SL + SR on an individual Joy-Con selects the solo horizontal grip. If one is still being recognized as a standalone horizontal controller, return to that screen and select the paired grip using the left and right Joy-Con buttons above. Nintendo’s Joy-Con diagram shows where SL and SR are located along the sides of the controllers.
The grip can reset after sleep or shutdown
Nintendo says the Joy-Con holding position automatically reverts to the dual-controller grip when the console is powered off or put into sleep mode. If the selected grip seems different after waking or restarting the console, select the desired mode again in Change Grip/Order.
#1 Best Overall
- Introducing Joy-Con, controllers that make new kinds of gaming possible, for use with Nintendo Switch.
- The versatile Joy-Con offer multiple surprising new ways for players to have fun.
- Two Joy-Con can be used independently in each hand, or together as one game controller when attached to the Joy-Con grip.
- They can also attach to the main console for use in handheld mode, or be shared with friends to enjoy two-player action in supported games.
- Each Joy-Con has a full set of buttons and can act as a standalone controller, and each includes an accelerometer and gyro-sensor, making independent left and right motion control possible.
Grip mode and stick orientation are different settings
Change Grip/Order controls whether the Joy-Cons are paired or used individually. Control-stick orientation is a separate setting that applies to solo horizontal grip; changing it does not pair the controllers or restore the dual-controller grip. Nintendo’s support instructions give this path: System Settings > Controllers and Sensors > Change Button Mapping, select the controller, choose Change, then Control Stick Settings > Change Orientation. Select Back and then Done when finished. See Nintendo’s guides for changing Joy-Con control-stick orientation and the UK support instructions. The button inputs remain the same as in solo horizontal grip.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
- Two Joy Con can be used independently in each hand, or together as 1 game controller when attached to the Joy Con grip
- They can also attach to the main console for use in handheld mode, or be shared with friends to enjoy two player action in supported games
- Each Joy Con has a full set of buttons and can act as a standalone controller, and each includes an accelerometer and gyro sensor, making independent left and right motion control possible
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