How to play your Nintendo Switch on the big screen

ONE of the biggest features of the Nintendo Switch is the ability to turn the system from a handheld console to a TV console.

With the provided dock, a Nintendo Switch can seamlessly switch between handheld play and docked play, without any interruptions.

If your Switch model came with a dock, you can quickly connect it to your TVCredit: Nintendo

Not every Switch model can be played on the TV, however, and some issues can arise when trying to dock the console.

Here’s everything you need to know about connecting and playing your Nintendo Switch console on your TV.

How do I connect my Nintendo Switch to my TV wirelessly?

There is currently no way to connect your Nintendo Switch console to your TV wirelessly, as Nintendo has not made this feature available on any model of the Switch.

Most Nintendo Switch consoles can only connect to the TV via the included dock, although some third-party docks exist.

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Third-party docks are typically seen as less reliable and less safe than the official dock, and have fallen out of favour in recent years.

Nintendo recommends only using the official Nintendo Switch dock when connecting to a TV, along with the included power supply.

Why isn’t my Nintendo Switch connecting to my TV?

If your Nintendo Switch isn’t connecting to your TV, there are a number of steps you can take to fix the issue.

First, make sure the HDMI cable is connected to the back of the Nintendo Switch dock, behind the door that also houses the USB power connection.

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Make sure the HDMI cable is also connected to the TV, and that the TV is on the right input channel for the HDMI port you’re using.

Also ensure that the USB power supply provided with the Nintendo Switch is connected to the back of the dock, and that it’s plugged into the wall and switched on.

Can any Nintendo Switch connect to TV?

Not every model of the Nintendo Switch can connect to a TV, with some being designed only for handheld play.

Regular Nintendo Switch models, as well as Nintendo Switch OLED models, can be docked for play on the TV, or played in handheld mode.

The Nintendo Switch Lite cannot be played on the TV, as it was designed as a low cost option with handheld play as the only method of play.

The Nintendo Switch Lite will not fit in a Nintendo Switch dock, and while it can be placed in some third-party docks, it still is not able to be played on a TV.

Can I connect my Nintendo Switch to my TV using USB?

It’s not possible to connect a Nintendo Switch to a TV using a USB cable, unlike some other devices which use the USB-C connector.

If you want to connect your Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch OLED model to your TV, you must use the dock that came with the system.

It’s also possible to connect the Nintendo Switch dock to a PC monitor, or any other display device that has an HDMI input.

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However, if your display doesn’t have speakers, you may not be able to hear the sound from the Nintendo Switch without plugging headphones into the console’s headphone port.

Written by Oliver Brandt on behalf of GLHF.