1. Prepare the console and one controller

Return to the Wii U Menu before starting. Hold only the controller you want to pair so its player light and response are easy to identify. A controller previously used on another Wii or Wii U needs to be synchronised with this console.

Find the small SYNC button, which is separate from POWER. On a Wii Remote it is on the back, normally inside the battery compartment. Some covers have an opening that lets you reach it with the tool provided on the wrist strap without removing the cover. Nintendo’s HOME-menu guide shows these variants.

2. Pair using the SYNC buttons

• From the Wii U Menu, press SYNC on the console once to open the pairing screen.
• Check the controller type shown. For a Wii U Pro Controller, Nintendo says to press console SYNC again if needed until the correct type appears.
• Press SYNC on the controller and follow the television’s instructions. Allow pairing to finish.
• Check that a player light remains on. It shows the assigned player number; blinking alone does not establish success.

Nintendo documents this sequence for the Wii U Pro Controller. If the screen asks for GamePad symbols, you are in the other pairing procedure: return to the screen for the controllers covered here.

Alternative: use the HOME Menu

For a Wii Remote, you can also open HOME on the GamePad and enter Controller Settings. In the Wii Remote and other controller section, select the pairing option, then press SYNC on the Remote you want to add.

When pairing finishes, leave that screen and return to the Wii U Menu. Some screens or software do not allow HOME to open, so return to the main menu first. This method serves the same purpose; there is no need to repeat button pairing if the Remote is already recognised.

3. Check the connection before playing

Expected result: one player light stays on and a control responds in a screen or game that supports the controller. Try this before starting a long session.

Pairing does not make every game support every accessory. If the controller works in the menu but not in a game, check that game’s supported controllers. Keep the GamePad available for functions that require it.

For a Wii Remote, distinguish button input from pointing. The Sensor Bar must be connected, placed above or below the television and unobstructed. The French Wii U manual, pages 104–106, describes installation. A steady player light with no pointer calls for checking this setup, rather than automatically pairing again.

If the controller still does not respond

• No lights after SYNC: replace the Remote batteries or charge the Pro Controller, then retry. Nintendo notes that a fault remains possible if no indicator responds despite adequate power.
• Lights blink and then go out: reopen pairing on the correct console and repeat with that one controller. Note whether registration is confirmed.
• Buttons work but pointing does not: check the Sensor Bar and anything obstructing it. This symptom alone is not a reason to replace the Remote.
• The GamePad will not turn on: diagnose its power or charging separately; that is a different issue from pairing a Remote.

Nintendo’s controller registration guidance covers power and indicator checks. Keep those observations if pairing still fails so you can distinguish a controller, Sensor Bar or console issue. This guide does not claim to diagnose an electronic fault remotely.

Sources and scope

Translated from the French guide based on official documentation checked on 2026-10-15. This guide does not claim physical testing on your equipment. LODEX’s preparation and result checks are practical advice; follow any warnings shown by your device.

• Nintendo — Wii U operations manual (French), pages 104–106
• Nintendo — pair a Wii U Pro Controller
• Nintendo — pair a Wii Remote from HOME
• Nintendo Japan — controller registration