Nintendo has announced by surprise that Bluetooth audio support has reached the Switch via a software update. The ability to use Bluetooth headphones to listen to the game’s audio has been a feature that has been missing since the console was launched in 2017, so it’s great to have them finally, though there are some limitations.
According to a Nintendo support article, you will be limited to using two wireless controllers if you have a Bluetooth headset connected. The system will also not support Bluetooth microphones, which isn’t necessarily surprising, as Nintendo’s own voice chat system depends on an app running on the phone. Still, it is a nuisance for people who play games with their own voice chat skills.
People have made great efforts to get wireless audio on their Switch (we even said it would be a great selling point for a Switch Pro): there have been accessories that made Bluetooth audio adapters and some headphones as SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless came with a dongle that took advantage of Switch support for USB wireless headphones.
Having built-in Bluetooth audio is a big issue, though (especially considering that Nintendo’s Pro driver, unlike many others, doesn’t include a headphone jack). Even with the limitations mentioned, the feature seems to be well supported: Nintendo says the Switch can save up to 10 connected devices and says it should work with both the normal Switch and the Switch Lite.
My partner Jay Peters was able to connect his AirPods Pro to the base switch (not a Lite) without much trouble. In the setup menu, there is a section for “Bluetooth Audio” and from there you can pair the headphones following the instructions.
The AirPods Pro worked well in a few rounds of WarioWare: Get it Together, without any noticeable delay, for which it is especially important From WarioWare fast-paced microgames. Jay also reports that after a cold boot, his AirPods Pro were paired almost instantly after being re-selected in the setup menu.
Still, Sean Hollister’s second-generation switch (which isn’t a Lite either) had trouble finding and connecting to any Bluetooth device. He tried an Arctis Pro Wireless, first-generation Amazon Echo Buds, the Wyze Buds Pro, a Bluetooth adapter for the Bose QC25, and even an LG TV, but none of them would match his Switch. The gaming system hears a “Cannot find Bluetooth audio devices” message even after several attempts and several reboots. We will let you know if it fixes it.
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