Skip to main content

How to remap controller buttons on Nintendo Switch

Hands holding Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.
Nintendo

In an era when gaming has started embracing accessibility options more and more, it's rather odd that some games don't feature fully customizable controls. If you're playing games on your Nintendo Switch, though, you're in luck because the console actually allows you to remap your controller at the system level. This means you can fully customize your controller's button layout in a way that suits your playstyle or accessibility needs rather simply by following just a few simple steps in this guide.

Recommended Videos

Difficulty

Moderate

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • Pro Controller or Joy-Cons

Hands holding Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.
Nintendo

How to customize controller layout on Switch

You can remap the controls of the two included Joy-Cons, a Switch Pro Controller, or the buttons of a Nintendo Switch Lite. Here's how.

Step 1: Select System Settings on your Nintendo Switch home screen.

Nintendo Switch home screen
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: Scroll down to the Controllers and Sensors tab, then select Change Button Mapping on the right.

Nintendo Switch System Settings
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3: In the next menu, you can choose which controller you'd like to remap, then select Change on the right. Note that you can return to this screen and reset your controller to its default mapping at any time.

Switch button mapping menu
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 4: You can now change the mapping of each button on your controller to best suit your needs. When you've made your changes, click Done to apply them.

Switch button mapping menu
Nintendo
Billy Givens
Billy Givens is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience writing gaming, film, and tech content. He started as a…
The best Mario Kart World karts: find the right kart for your driving style
Various peach racers in Mario Kart World.

There was no better choice for a Switch 2 launch title than Mario Kart World. The last game was easily one of the best Switch games of all time, if not one of the best racing games ever made.

Mario Kart World has even more characters, more items, a vast open world to explore, but also new karts. Just like in Mario Kart 8, the kart you pick changes more than just the appearance.

Read more
How to unlock Rainbow Road in Mario Kart World
A pack of Yoshi race in Mario Kart World.

Ever since the first Mario Kart, Rainbow Road has stood as the ultimate test of your driving skills. Before release, Mario Kart World heavily teased this track's return, but upon starting this Switch 2 launch game you wouldn't find it on the track list. This time around, you need to unlock this special course before you can test your driving skills. The process isn't too complicated so buckle up as we guide you through the entire process for unlocking Rainbow Road in Mario Kart World.

Read more
You Asked: Your biggest Switch 2 questions, answered
You Asked Ep. 94: Best TV For Switch 2

On today’s episode of You Asked: What’s the best TV for your shiny new Switch 2 and how does the screen compare to the OLED model we loved? We break down the top TV picks, answer your biggest Switch 2 questions, and share early hands-on impressions from launch week.

Best TV for the Switch 2?

Read more