How to connect your Poke Ball Plus to Pokemon Let's Go

Instead of using the Joy-Con controller to catch 'em all, you can connect the, much-cooler Poké Ball Plus to use as a controller with Pokémon Let's Go. The white button on top acts as a joystick and when you press it, it triggers the A button. The red button on top of the Poké Ball Plus launches your menu and exits out of windows. Here's how to set it up.

Products used in this guide

How to connect your Poké Ball Plus to Pokémon Let's Go

When you first start Pokémon Let's Go, you'll be asked which controller type you want to use. You can manually Switch to the Poké Ball Plus at any time.

  1. Launch Pokémon Let's Go on your Nintendo Switch.
  2. Press the X button on your Joy-Con.
  3. Press the Y button on your Joy-Con.
  4. Select Open Controller Settings.

Open the menu and select Options, then select Open Controller Settings

  1. Press the white button on the Poké Ball Plus. It may take a few seconds to connect.
  2. Press the white button on the Poké Ball Plus again after the icon turns red.
  3. Press the white button on the Poké Ball Plus again to confirm that you want to use it.

Select the Poké Ball Plus, then press the white button on the Poké Ball Plus to confirm

Once connected, your Poké Ball Plus can be used as a standard controller. Use the joystick to walk around. Press the white button on top of the joystick to select things. Press the red button on top of the Poké Ball Plus to open the menu or exit out of windows.

How to disconnect your Poké Ball Plus from Pokémon GO

If you didn't already know this, you can't have the Poké Ball Plus paired with two devices (like your iPhone and Nintendo Switch) at the same time. Luckily, it's easy to unpair your Poké Ball from Pokémon Let's Go. Here's how.

  1. Launch Pokémon Let's Go on your Nintendo Switch.
  2. Press the red button on the Poké Ball Plus to bring up the menu.
  3. Press the Y button on your Joy-Con.
  4. Select Open Controller Settings.

Open the menu and select Options, then select Open Controller Settings

  1. Press any button on your Joy-Con controllers.
  2. Press the A button on your Joy-Con controller to confirm that you want to use it.

Press any button on the Joy-Con, then press A to confirm

How to get the most out of Pokémon Let's Go

If you really want to play Pokémon Let's Go in style, you're going to want to pick up a Poké Ball Plus. It's really fun to use instead of those boring old Joy-Cons. Am I right?

The Poké Ball Plus connects to your Nintendo Switch specifically so you can play Pokémon Let's Go (it currently doesn't work with any other games). You can "throw" your Poké Ball Plus, just like a pro and catch 'em all. It also works with Pokémon GO on your phone, so you're getting two gadgets in one!

Nintendo has reinvented the Pokémon story all over again. This time, exclusively on Nintendo Switch. You can travel between towns, catching Pokémon, talking to townsfolk, battling other trainers, and even earning Gym Badges. You can also sync up your Pokémon GO game and transfer all of those Kanto Region Pokémon you've been collecting into Pokémon Let's Go.

Lory Gil

Lory is a renaissance woman, writing news, reviews, and how-to guides for iMore. She also fancies herself a bit of a rock star in her town and spends too much time reading comic books.  If she's not typing away at her keyboard, you can probably find her at Disneyland or watching Star Wars (or both).