How I Finally Got My 8BitDo Controller to Work with My Switch — With a Little Help from AI
When WhatsApp group chat fails, AI comes to the rescue.
A while ago, my younger brother—who, ironically, is taller than me—bought an 8BitDo Ultimate 2.4G Wireless Controller. It’s a sleek purple beauty—compatible with Windows, Android, and Apple. The one thing we really wanted? To get it working with the Nintendo Switch.
We tried everything. I mean everything.
There we were: three brothers in a WhatsApp conversation, throwing out ideas, links, videos, and half-baked tech advice like it was a family tech support group. My brother followed every suggestion we gave him. Nothing worked. After a while, he gave up on it—figuring if it couldn’t work with the Switch, at least it could still be used for PC gaming.
And since he knew I did a bit of that, he passed it on to me.
But here’s the thing—I hate giving up on stuff like this. If the box says it supports Bluetooth and 2.4G, there has to be a way. I just couldn’t shake the feeling that we were missing something obvious.
So I turned to ChatGPT.
I uploaded some photos—box, back, manual—and simply asked:
“I want to use the 8BitDo remote on my Switch.”
ChatGPT replied with a very fair clarifying question:
“To assist you effectively, could you please specify what you're trying to achieve with your Nintendo Switch?”
I explained I wanted to use the controller directly on the Switch console—not through a PC, not for cloud gaming, just old-school couch play.
That’s when the magic happened. ChatGPT listed the possible ways to connect the controller—and the second one was gold:
“Enable Pro Controller Wired Communication in the Switch settings, plug the 2.4G receiver into the dock, and set the controller to 2.4G mode.”
I did it.
And it worked. Just like that.
This Is Why AI Matters
This wasn’t a hardware issue. It was an information fog issue. There’s no shortage of people out there writing about how to get things working—but when you’re trying to find the right answer in a sea of outdated guides, unverified YouTube videos, and scattered Reddit comments, it can feel impossible to know where to start.
That’s where AI like ChatGPT really shines. It’s not just spitting out answers—it’s cutting through the clutter and surfacing the useful stuff. Like a tech-savvy friend who already did the research and just hands you the shortcut.
ChatGPT even included links to where the info came from:
Final Thoughts
What started as a hand-me-down controller and a failed WhatsApp troubleshooting saga became a reminder of how much AI can enhance everyday tech.
My brother may have given up on the controller, but I didn’t. Sometimes a little persistence and the right tools make all the difference.
And now? That controller is fully functional on my Switch—and it feels great.
— Prof. Rock
Still stubborn. Still winning.