If you own a Nintendo Switch and an Android smartphone, did you know that the two can be paired for photography? It turns out the Joy-Con controller can be used as a remote shutter release for triggering photos without having to touch your phone.
A Reddit user named Byotan recently shared this neat fact in this video showing the Joy-Con shutter release in action.
To do this yourself, you’ll first need to pair your Joy-Con with your Android phone over Bluetooth. Press and hold the Joy-Con’s “Sync” button until the light indicators on the side turn on. Next, open your phone’s Bluetooth menu and you should see a new Joy-Con entry. Select this entry to pair your phone with the Joy-Con.
Once the controller is paired, how you use it as a shutter release will vary depending on what device you have, and you may need to fiddle around to see what works for you (and if the left Joy-Con doesn’t work, try the right one, and vice versa).
9to5Google notes that on Google Pixel phones, you take a photo by tapping the “A” button, though whether or not this works may depend on what app you’re using. On Samsung smartphones, you can use the “X” and “Y” buttons to zoom in and out (in increments of 0.1x per press), and the “B” button is used to snap a photo.
Outside of camera apps, the “A” button should also act as a home button and the “Y” button should allow you to select the upper-left app on your home screen.
From what others are reporting online, whether or not this system works for you may be hit and miss. But if you’re in a jam and need a quick way to trigger some photos remotely (like if you’re taking a group photo with your phone on a tripod), you may want to try giving the Joy-Con a shot.
Image credits: Header illustration: phone stock photo licensed from Depositphotos and Joy-Con photo by Nintendo.