When it first came out, the Nintendo Switch was a groundbreaking device. It combined the mobility of a handheld with the power to provide a full console experience when hooked up to a television. That said, many were unhappy because they couldn’t connect Bluetooth headphones to their Nintendo Switch out of the box. That begs the question—does the Nintendo Switch have Bluetooth?
Read more: Nintendo Switch buying guide: Everything you need to know
QUICK ANSWER
To connect Bluetooth headphones to your Nintendo Switch, go to Home > System Settings > Bluetooth® Audio. Select Pair Device, and make sure your Bluetooth headphones are in pairing mode. When the name of your headphones appears on your Nintendo Switch, press A on them to finish pairing them.
The Switch has always—remarkably—been able to hold onto its place as one of the top gaming devices without Bluetooth. Though it hasn’t been able to compete with the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 on a hardware level, its expansive library of titles has given many a gamer reason to pick it up.
Late in 2021, Nintendo breathed new life into the Nintendo Switch by adding Bluetooth compatibility in a software update.
How to connect Bluetooth headphones to a Nintendo Switch
Go to the Home screen on your Nintendo Switch. You can do this by pressing the house-shaped button on the right side of your controller. From the Home screen, navigate to System Settings by pressing A on the gear-shaped icon.
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In the System Settings menu, scroll down to the tab marked Bluetooth® Audio. Press A on the tab, then press A again on Pair Device.
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Make sure your Bluetooth headphones are in pairing mode. This typically requires you to hold down the power button on your headphones for a certain amount of time, but this differs from pair to pair.
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When your Bluetooth headphones are detected by the Nintendo Switch, they will appear on the Pair Bluetooth Audio Device screen. Press the A button on the name of your headphones.
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It may take a little while to connect. If you are wondering, the Nintendo Switch OLED model uses Bluetooth version 4.1.
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When your Bluetooth headphones connect, you will receive a Connected to Bluetooth audio pop-up confirmation. Press A on OK.
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Your Bluetooth headphones are now connected to your Nintendo Switch. Make sure there is a green checkmark next to them to be able to hear your device playback.
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You can connect non-Nintendo branded controllers to a Nintendo Switch. However, they must be made specifically for the Nintendo Switch.
You cannot connect an Xbox or PlayStation controller to the Nintendo Switch natively; you must purchase an adapter to be able to do that.
