On a standard Nintendo Switch, the two Joy-Con split the controls: the left Joy-Con has directional buttons, a stick, L, ZL, minus, Capture, and side buttons SL/SR; the right has A/B/X/Y, a stick, R, ZR, plus, and HOME. Both also have a SYNC button. Which buttons you use—and what they do—depends on the game and how you hold the controllers.
Standard Nintendo Switch Joy-Con button map
Nintendo’s diagram for the original Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED identifies the following controls. The layout is split between the left and right Joy-Con; it is not one conventional controller with every button in the same place. Nintendo’s Joy-Con diagram also labels structural parts such as the rail, release button, player LED, and IR Motion Camera; those are not ordinary gameplay buttons.
| Left Joy-Con | Right Joy-Con |
|---|---|
| Left Stick | Right Stick |
| Directional buttons (up, down, left, right) | A, B, X, Y |
| L | R |
| ZL | ZR |
| Minus (-) | Plus (+) |
| Capture | HOME |
| SL and SR | SL and SR |
| SYNC | SYNC |
The sticks can also be clicked as buttons in software that supports that input. Button labels identify the physical controls, but individual games decide what actions those controls perform.
What L, R, ZL, ZR, SL, and SR mean
L and R are the shoulder buttons along the top edges of the left and right Joy-Con. ZL and ZR are separate controls on the rear-facing top edges. SL and SR are the small buttons along the inner sides of each Joy-Con; they are positioned for use when a Joy-Con is held horizontally by itself. Nintendo’s Joy-Con holding instructions show how the side buttons are used in that grip.
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What the other labeled buttons do
- A, B, X, and Y: The four face buttons on the right Joy-Con.
- Directional buttons: The up, down, left, and right buttons on the left Joy-Con; they are not laid out as a single cross-shaped pad.
- Plus (+) and minus (-): Separate menu or game controls, with plus on the right Joy-Con and minus on the left.
- HOME: The system button on the right Joy-Con.
- Capture: The screenshot and video capture button on the left Joy-Con.
- SYNC: A controller pairing control, not a regular gameplay button.
How the grip changes which buttons you use
Joy-Con can be attached to the console, held together vertically as a two-piece controller, or used separately in a horizontal grip. The HOME Menu can be navigated in different holding positions, but each game determines which controller orientations and control options it supports.
- Two Joy-Con held together: For the vertical dual-controller grip, press L on the left Joy-Con and R on the right when prompted; Nintendo also gives ZL and ZR as the alternative confirmation pair.
- One Joy-Con held horizontally: Turn the Joy-Con sideways and press SL and SR on that controller when prompted. Each controller intended for horizontal play is confirmed this way.
These are grip-confirmation inputs; they do not mean every game supports every orientation. Consult the game’s control or controller setup screen if its supported options are unclear.
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How the Pro Controller layout differs
The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller puts both sticks and the face buttons on a single controller. Its diagram labels a +Control Pad, A/B/X/Y, L/R, ZL/ZR, plus, minus, HOME, Capture, and SYNC. Unlike the Joy-Con pair, it is not split into two separately usable horizontal controllers. See Nintendo’s Pro Controller diagram for the button positions.
Don’t confuse original Joy-Con with Switch 2 Joy-Con 2
This button map is for original Nintendo Switch Joy-Con. Nintendo’s separate Joy-Con 2 diagram is for Nintendo Switch 2 and includes a C button. That C button is not part of the original Switch Joy-Con layout.
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Can you change what the buttons do?
Nintendo supports button remapping for Joy-Con (L), Joy-Con (R), and the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller; Switch Lite buttons can also be remapped. The HOME, SYNC, POWER, and volume buttons cannot be remapped. A/B/X/Y remapping applies only when Joy-Con are used vertically as a dual-controller grip. Nintendo lists the details in its button mapping support guide.
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