Photo: 8BitDo
The 8BitDo Ultimate lineup is an excellent option for a high-quality gaming experience. These controllers provide versatility and outstanding performance for PC gaming, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and smartphones. If you enjoy gaming on your PC, it’s important to know how to connect these controllers to your Windows computer.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps to connect your 8BitDo Ultimate controller to a Windows PC. You can also watch our YouTube video to help you connect the 8BitDo Ultimate Controller to your PC.
You have three main options for connecting: a wired connection, a 2.4 GHz wireless connection, or Bluetooth. Some of these methods are more suitable than others, and we’ll explain that as we discuss each one individually.
So, in brief, we’ll cover these three topics:
Connecting via USB cable (wired mode)
This is the simplest way to connect your 8BitDo controller to a Windows 10 or 11 PC. All you need is a USB-C cable and then plug it into the controller’s charging port. Now, connect the other end of the cable to your PC and it will be instantly recognised. Thereafter, you can use it immediately.
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Connecting via 2.4 GHz wireless
For a wireless and clutter-free experience with low latency, the controller is equipped with a 2.4 GHz USB receiver, which is stored in the charging dock. Here’s how to set it up:
Step 1: First, remove the USB receiver from the dock’s base.
Step 2: Plug the receiver into a USB port on your PC.
After you have connected the dock to the PC, place the controller on the dock to charge it. To pair it with the PC, just remove the controller from the dock and you’re good to go. Alternatively, you can just remove the dongle out of the dock and connect it to the PC directly.
Once paired, your controller is ready for use without any noticeable performance difference between using the dock or directly plugging in the receiver.
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Connecting via Bluetooth
The third way to connect the 8BitDo Ultimate controller to a Windows PC is through Bluetooth. However, we do not recommend this method; instead, try the previous two options. This is because Windows doesn’t fully support all its features and you can see a slew of issues that can hamper the gaming experience.
Note: Before using Bluetooth, switch the mode of the back of the controller from X (XInput) to D (DInput) for compatibility. Take a look at the screenshot below:
In any case, if you want to connect the controller using Bluetooth, here’s how you can do it:
Step 1: Start by turning on the controller by pressing the Home button.
Step 2: Next, press and hold the Star button for 3 seconds to enter the pairing mode.
Step 3: Open Bluetooth and other device settings on our Windows PC and then select Add Device.
You’ll find the 8BitDo controller in the list and select it, and the controller will be paired automatically.
As we have explained earlier, Bluetooth mode will likely cause some errors due to potential compatibility issues. If we were to rank these three methods, we would keep the wired method at the top, followed by wireless and Bluetooth.
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