Joy-Con and the Pro Controller use HD Rumble, one of the most precise vibration systems in gaming. Massage Controller connects them to your iPhone over Bluetooth and puts it under your control.
Nintendo controllers work on iPhone. On Android, use a PlayStation or Xbox controller instead.
A quick look at Massage Controller driving a Nintendo Switch controller.
Instead of spinning weights, Nintendo uses linear actuators that can be tuned very finely, from a soft buzz to a firm, deep pulse.
Each Joy-Con has its own, and the Pro Controller has one in each grip.
A Joy-Con fits in the palm of your hand, far easier to hold than a full-size pad.
Set intensity and frequency independently. Slow and deep, or fast and sharp, and anything in between.
The controller does the vibrating, not your phone. Your battery stays where it is, and nothing gets warm in your pocket.
Nintendo controllers are supported on iPhone. On Android the app can't use them, so pick a PlayStation or Xbox pad instead.
| Controller | iPhone | Android |
|---|---|---|
| Joy-Con (L) | Yes | No |
| Joy-Con (R) | Yes | No |
| Nintendo Switch Pro Controller | Yes | No |
On Android? The app works with a PS5 DualSense, a PS4 DualShock 4 or one of the Xbox controllers. Third-party Switch-style controllers may pair with an iPhone, but vibration support varies from model to model.
HD Rumble only fires when a game tells it to, and the Switch has no setting to leave it running. Massage Controller pairs with your Joy-Con or Pro Controller directly and hands the controls to you.
Free to start, on the App Store.
Joy-Con: detach it from the console, then press and hold the small sync button on the rail, between the SL and SR buttons, until the green lights start flashing.
Pro Controller: press and hold the sync button on the top edge, next to the USB-C port, until the green lights start flashing.
Open Bluetooth settings and tap Joy-Con (L), Joy-Con (R) or Pro Controller when it appears.
Open the pattern list, choose Continuous or any of the other 20+ patterns, set your force and speed, and hit play. It keeps running until you stop it, including in the background. There's more on sustained vibration in our guide to making a controller vibrate constantly.
Create a session, share the link, and whoever opens it controls your controller's vibrations in real time from their own phone, anywhere in the world. No account, no name, no profile, and you can stop the session instantly.
Pair it with Massage Controller, choose the Continuous pattern, set your force and speed, and press play. It keeps running until you stop it, even in the background. The Switch's own settings can't do this. There's more detail in our guide to making a controller vibrate constantly.
Not with Nintendo controllers. On Android the app supports PS5, PS4 and Xbox pads, so any of those will work: see the PS5 DualSense, PS4 DualShock 4 and Xbox controllers pages.
Yes. Slide a Joy-Con back onto the console and it pairs back automatically. For the Pro Controller, open Controllers > Change Grip/Order on the Switch and press the sync button.
Not as long as you keep using it with your phone: turn on Bluetooth, press any button on the controller and it reconnects on its own. If you pair it back to your Switch in between, just repeat the pairing steps above.
The app also works with the PS5 DualSense, the PS4 DualShock 4 and Xbox controllers. With no controller connected at all it falls back to your phone's built-in motor, which is noticeably weaker.