Nothing appears in my Bluetooth list.

Confirm the back slider matches your host (S/D/X) and that the LED is blinking fast. If it is solid, you are still connected to a previous host — hold PAIR for 3s to re-enter pairing.

It pairs but inputs do nothing.

You are likely in the wrong mode for the host (e.g. D-input on Windows). Switch the slider and re-pair.

8BitDo Pro 2 — Pairing

Quick answer

Button combo

STARTPAIR(hold 3s)

Steps

1Set the back slider to your platform — S = Switch, D = Android/D-input, X = Windows/X-input.
2Press START to power the controller on.
3Press and hold the PAIR button (next to the USB-C port) for 3 seconds.
4The bottom LED blinks rapidly — pairing mode is active.
5Open your host's Bluetooth menu and select “8BitDo Pro 2”.

LED states

Fast blink—Pairing mode
Solid—Connected
Slow blink—Low battery

Last verified: 2026-06-15Firmware: v1.39Source: support.8bitdo.com

The Pro 2 pairs over Bluetooth in whichever mode the back slider is set to. The slider is the single most common cause of “it won't pair”: a controller set to X (Windows) will never show up to a Switch. Set the slider first, power on with START, then hold PAIR until the bottom LED blinks fast. The controller stays discoverable for ~3 minutes.

FAQ

Nothing appears in my Bluetooth list.: Confirm the back slider matches your host (S/D/X) and that the LED is blinking fast. If it is solid, you are still connected to a previous host — hold PAIR for 3s to re-enter pairing.
It pairs but inputs do nothing.: You are likely in the wrong mode for the host (e.g. D-input on Windows). Switch the slider and re-pair.

8BitDo Pro 2 — Pairing

Button combo

Steps

LED states

FAQ

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