How to Change the Button Mapping on Nintendo Switch Controllers

Applies to:  Nintendo Switch Family, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, Nintendo Switch - OLED Model


In this article, you'll learn:

  • How to remap or reconfigure the button inputs for supported controllers on Nintendo Switch.
  • How to save your custom mapping configurations and load them on supported controllers.

Note: Your custom button configurations are saved on the Nintendo Switch system, not on the controller. The custom configuration for your controller will not carry over if you pair the controller on another system.

What to do

  1. What would you like to do with the controller inputs?
    1. From the HOME Menu, select System Settings and then Controllers and Sensors.
    2. Select Change Button Mapping.
    3. On the left side of the screen select a controller, then select Change.
    4. Select a button from the list shown on the screen, then choose a new function for that button.
      Button mapping with ZL Button selected

      Important: If you want to disable a button input, select Disable.

      Button mapping: Disable function selected for ZL button
    5. Select Back, then Done to confirm the change.
      Important
      • If you want to save the new button configuration for future use on a similar controller, select Save as Preset Mapping, then name the preset mapping. Select an available mapping slot (1 through 5).
      • If there are no available mapping slots, select the one you want to erase, then select Overwrite.
    1. From the HOME Menu, select System Settings and then Controllers and Sensors.
    2. Select Change Button Mapping.
    3. On the left side of the screen select a controller whose configuration you want to reset, then select Reset.
      • If the option to Reset is greyed out and can’t be selected then the controller is already at its default configuration and cannot be reset.
    4. Select Reset again to confirm.

      Important: The controller configuration can also be reset when waking up the system from sleep mode.

    Important: You can configure a controller to an existing mapping configuration only if the controller is the same type as the one where the configuration was created. For example, an existing custom configuration for a left Joy-Con can be loaded to another left Joy-Con, but not to a right Joy-Con.

    1. From the HOME Menu, select System Settings and then Controllers and Sensors.
    2. Select Change Button Mapping.
    3. On the left side of the screen select a controller, then select Load a Preset Mapping.
      • If the option for Load a Preset Mapping is grayed out, you will need to select a different controller.
    4. Select an available preset configuration from the mapping slots (1 through 5).
      System Setting showing button mapping
    5. Select Back, then select Done to confirm.
    Important
    • The left control stick can be remapped as the right control stick input and vice versa.
    • This mapping change will apply to the control sticks only while holding the Joy-Con controller as a dual-controller grip (vertically).
    1. From the HOME Menu, select System Settings and then Controllers and Sensors.
    2. Select Change Button Mapping.
    3. On the left side of the screen select a controller, then select Change.
    4. Select Control Stick Settings.
      • If you are updating the Left Joy-Con inputs, you can change the left control stick input by selecting Change to Right Stick.
        Button Mapping: change left stick input side
      • If you are updating the Right Joy-Con inputs, you can change the right control stick input by selecting Change to Left Stick.

      Important: This mapping change will apply to the control sticks only while holding the Joy-Con as a dual-controller grip (vertically).

    5. Select Back, the select Done to confirm.

    To change the control stick orientation, see How to Change the Control Stick Orientation on the Joy-Con Controller.


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Language: EN
System: SWTCH
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