How to Play with 2 Players on the Nintendo Switch

Last Updated: August 8, 2018 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to play a 2-player game on Nintendo Switch. You can play a two player game using the joy-con controllers turned sideways, or one player can use the joy-con controller, and another use the pro-controller.

Steps

1
Detach the joy-con controllers. To detach the joy-con controllers, pick up the Nintendo Switch and turn it over. Press and hold the round button on the back of the joy-con controller next to the ZL and ZR buttons. Slide the joy-con up to detach it. Do the same for the joy-con controller on the other side.
2
Attach the joy-con straps. The straps are the thin pieces with two buttons and a wrist strap attached. The joy-con straps have a "+" or "-" engraved on the top. Line it up with the "+" and "-" buttons on the joy-con controller. Slide the opening at the bottom of the strap over the track on the side of the joy-con controller until it snaps in place.
- To remove the joy-con straps, pull the grey tab at the bottom of the strap and slide it up to remove it.
- If one player is using the pro controller, the other player can place both joy-cons in the joy-con controller holder that turns the joy-cons into a single controller.
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3
Select the joy-con icon. The icon on the home screen that resembles a joy-con is the controller settings menu. This is where you can set up the controllers for two players.
- You can select items on the Nintendo Switch by tapping them on the screen, or navigating to them with the controller and press "A".
4
Select Change Grip/Order. It's the first option in the controller settings menu.
5
Press R+L on both controllers. If you are using the joy-cons to play two players, turn both joy-cons sideways with the analog stick to the left. Press the two buttons (R & L) on the top of the strap. If you are using a pro controller or other controller setup, press R & L on both controllers that you want to use.
6
Select a two player game. There are a variety of two player games on Nintendo Switch. You can purchase games from the Nintendo eShop or from a store. Check the information on the back, or on the information page of the Nintendo eShop to see how many players a game supports.
7
Select two player mode. When you get to the title screen of the game, select the multiplayer/two player mode option to start a two player game.

Community Q&A

Question

One of my controllers broke. Two of the buttons do not work. What should I do?

Community Answer

You should contact Nintendo's customer service. They can probably fix your controller.
Question

How do I keep it on 2 players on the Nintendo Switch when it keeps switching back to one player?

Community Answer

Your controller might be broken or it is a new glitch.
Question

How can I connect two players to Minecraft on my Nintendo Switch if I only have one joystick?

Community Answer

Simply, you cannot. You may want to invest in another joycon or other Nintendo controller.