Good news and slightly annoying news: your old Joy-Cons do work with the Switch 2, but they won't attach to it. The new console switched to magnets for controller attachment, so your old Joy-Cons can only connect wirelessly.
They Work Fine, Just Differently
Pair your Joy-Cons through Bluetooth like any wireless controller, and they work great. Motion controls, HD Rumble, all the usual features. No problem there.
The annoying part? You can't charge them by snapping them onto the Switch 2. You'll need your old Switch, a charging grip, or a separate charging dock to juice them up.
Some Games Actually Need Your Old Joy-Cons
Here's a twist: for certain games, you have to use original Joy-Cons. The new Joy-Con 2 controllers are bigger and removed the IR sensor, which breaks compatibility with a handful of titles:
- Ring Fit Adventure: The Ring-Con and Leg Strap were made for the original Joy-Con size
- 1-2-Switch, WarioWare: Move It!, some Labo kits: These use the IR camera that Joy-Con 2 doesn't have
So don't get rid of your old Joy-Cons if you play any of these games. They're the only option.
Your Other Controllers Work Too
The Pro Controller and all those retro wireless controllers from Nintendo (NES, SNES, N64 ones) pair with Switch 2 just fine. Same with most third-party controllers. Everything connects wirelessly.
Bottom Line
Your Joy-Con investment isn't wasted. They work wirelessly, you just can't snap them on or charge them through the Switch 2. And for certain games, they're actually required.
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How we researched this
Where this comes from: this answer draws on the product's published specifications and the reviews ShopSavvy collected for it, alongside prices from 2 retailers in ShopSavvy's price data, most recently seen Sep 26, 2026.
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