What is Citron Controller Setup? #
Citron is a Nintendo Switch emulator for PC that supports most modern USB and Bluetooth gamepads. Before jumping into a game, you need to configure your controller through the Input settings menu for proper controller configuration and input setup. The process takes only a few minutes and gives you full control over button mapping, stick sensitivity, dead zones, and motion controls.
Supported Controllers #
Citron supports most USB and Bluetooth gamepads without extra software. The main options are:
Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One controllers work instantly via USB or the Xbox Wireless Adapter on Windows. PlayStation DualSense and DualShock 4 connect via USB or Bluetooth, with touchpad click available as a mappable button, see the [DualSense API] reference for details on advanced features like haptic feedback and adaptive trigger support. The Nintendo Pro Controller is the closest match to real Switch hardware and supports gyroscope input. The keyboard and mouse are fully mappable and work best for games that do not need precise analog stick control.
How to Open Input Settings #
Launch Citron, click Settings in the top toolbar, then select the Input tab. You will see player slots listed as Player 1, Player 2, and so on. If you run into problems at this stage, the [controller connection guide] (#How to Setup and Connect Controllers to Citron and Fix Common Problems) walks through USB and Bluetooth pairing step by step. Make sure your controller is already connected before you open Citron, so it appears in the device list automatically.
Selecting a Controller and Creating a Profile #
Under the Input tab, go to the Player 1 section and choose your controller from the Input Device drop-down. The emulator should detect it automatically.
Rather than editing the default profile, create a new one. Click the profile drop-down, select New Profile, and give it a clear name like Xbox Layout or DualSense Layout. For more on saving, switching, and organizing layouts, see the [controller profiles documentation]. Then click Configure to open the button mapping screen.
Button Mapping #
Nintendo Switch uses a different face button layout than Xbox or PlayStation controllers. The A and B buttons are swapped compared to Xbox, and so are X and Y. Citron lets you remap everything to fix this.
For Xbox controllers, map Switch A to your Xbox A position, Switch B to your Xbox B position, and swap X and Y to match. L, R, ZL, and ZR map naturally to LB, RB, LT, and RT with no changes needed.
For DualSense or DualShock 4 controllers, remap the confirm and cancel buttons to match your preferred Western or Japanese layout. L1, R1, L2, and R2 need no adjustment.
The Nintendo Pro Controller requires no remapping at all. Select it as your input device and click Apply. Everything works correctly by default.
Always click Apply before closing the configuration screen, or your changes will not be saved.
Sticks, Dead Zones, and Triggers #
Move each analog stick in a full circle and watch the preview window in Citron. If a stick drifts when you are not touching it, raise the inner dead zone value to between 0.10 and 0.20. If movement feels sluggish near the center, lower it slightly.
Press each trigger fully and confirm Citron registers a complete press in the preview. Adjust the trigger threshold if ZL or ZR only partially registers. For outer dead zones, a value between 0.90 and 0.95 suits most setups. If your controller behaves unexpectedly after these adjustments, check the [troubleshooting hub] for common dead zone and drift issues.
Motion Controls #
Games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild use gyroscope input for certain mechanics. Citron supports motion controls with the Pro Controller, DualSense, and DualShock 4. Xbox controllers do not have gyroscopes and cannot use this feature.
To enable motion, go to the Input tab, scroll to the Motion Controls section for your player slot, enable the toggle, and select your controller as the motion source. Shake the controller once when prompted to calibrate. For a full walkthrough of sensitivity tuning and per-game gyro settings, refer to the [gyro controls setup guide]. If gyro is not available on your controller, check the in-game settings for a stick-based alternative.
Multiplayer Setup #
Connect all controllers before launching Citron. Under Settings and then Input, assign each controller to its player slot using the Input Device drop-down. Make sure each active player slot is toggled on, the game will ignore that player’s input entirely. Launch a multiplayer game to confirm all controllers are responding correctly. If a second controller is not being recognized, the controller connection guide covers multi-device Bluetooth and USB hub scenarios.
Quick Tips #
- Create separate profiles for different game genres rather than adjusting one profile repeatedly.
- Learn Citron’s [keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys] for pausing, saving states, and toggling fullscreen since many can be triggered through controller button combinations.
- If input lag appears, switch Citron’s render backend to Vulkan under Graphics settings for better performance on most hardware. For persistent performance or input issues, visit the [troubleshooting hub].
