10 Life Hacks Every Nintendo Switch (or Switch 2) Owner Should Know.
The Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 are fairly user-friendly devices, but sometimes this can be more of a hindrance than a help. It’s easy to start playing games right away, but if you want to enable features like dark mode or even create a Mii, you’ll have to navigate a ton of hoops in the settings menu.
It’s a shame, because if you’re willing to learn all the intricacies, there’s a lot you can do on these systems, regardless of which Switch version you have. I’ve spent more time in the Switch ecosystem than I should have over the past few years, and in that time, I’ve picked up a few tips, tricks, and life hacks that every Nintendo gamer would benefit from knowing.
Enable dark mode on your Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo may favor a bright and playful aesthetic, but if you’re more in the mood for style, both the original Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 feature a dark mode. On either system, you can enable it by going to System Settings (the gear icon on the taskbar that you can tap or select with a controller), then scrolling down to the Themes section and selecting Basic Dark . This will turn your home screen and menu pages black, which can even save battery life if you have an OLED Nintendo Switch. (Note that the games themselves will remain unaffected.)
Remap the buttons on your Joy-Con controllers.
Whether it’s for ease of use or simply personal preference, you can completely change the button functions on both the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, though the way you change these functions varies between systems.
Remapping buttons on the original Nintendo Switch
On the original Switch, go to System Settings > Controllers & Sensors > Change Button Assignments . From there, select the connected controller (you can remap both Joy-Con and Nintendo Switch Pro Controller buttons, as well as some third-party options) and begin remapping the buttons as desired. Assign the B button to the right trigger. Assign the up button to the down button. Get creative!
Remapping buttons on the Nintendo Switch 2
On the Nintendo Switch 2, you can do the same thing in System Settings > Accessibility > Button Assignments . Here, you can remap buttons for the Joy-Con 2 controllers, the Nintendo Switch Pro or Pro Controller 2, and Joy-Con 2 controllers connected via the charging dock. Some third-party controllers may also work.
But that’s not all. Back in the Accessibility menu, you can also enable the Button Assignments feature in Quick Settings to edit button assignments on the fly by holding down the physical Home button and selecting Edit Assignment .
Finally, the Switch 2 offers additional button customization options, which can be found under System Settings > Controllers & Accessories . Here, if you have a Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller or a Joy-Con 2 charging grip, you can customize the functions of the extra GL/GR buttons using the “GL/GR Button Settings” section . Or, scrolling down the page a bit, you can also disable or enable Joy-Con 2 mouse controls , as well as set their sensitivity. Finally, if you’re tired of Nintendo using a different A and B button layout than Xbox, you can select “Swap A and B” and enable the toggle on the next page. This will remap only those two buttons.
Use GameShare to share Switch games locally and GameChat to share them online.
This game has two features, both of which allow you to play multiplayer games with your friends using just one copy of the game.
Using GameShare
Let’s start with GameShare. It’s a feature of the Nintendo Switch 2 , but it also affects the original Switch. Essentially, GameShare allows Switch 2 owners to share copies of their games with nearby Switch 2 and original Switch owners for local multiplayer. If you’ve ever used Nintendo DS Download Play , it’s pretty much the same thing, except the games are streamed from the host system.
This is convenient, but there’s a catch: GameShare is only available in certain games ( a list of compatible games can be found here ). The method for accessing it also varies from game to game. For example, in Super Mario Odyssey , GameShare is available when starting or resuming a two-player game, where you can start a session by selecting GameShare + Local Play .
You’ll then have to wait for other players to join your GameShare session, after which you can start playing by selecting “Start” in the on-screen menu. This step is the same for all GameShare-compatible games, at least. To join a GameShare session started by someone else, open the main menu on your Switch or Switch 2, then select GameShare in the taskbar (the icon that looks like a TV receiving a wireless signal), and under “Join GameShare, ” find your friend’s session.
Please note that even if a game is exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2, original Switch consoles may still support GameShare. For example, Donkey Kong Bananza supports GameShare.
Using GameChat
Now let’s talk about sharing games via GameChat. It’s very similar to GameShare, but only available for the Nintendo Switch 2 and works online. It’s also limited to certain games and requires a bit more setup. To share a game via GameChat, you first need to be in a GameChat session with someone on your friends list. You can start a session by pressing the physical C button on the controller or the C icon in the console’s main menu. This will allow you to chat with each other online, see each other’s gameplay, and, if you have cameras, also stream from them. Now you can open your game and start sharing it with people in the chat from the game menu. In Super Mario Odyssey, this option is also available when starting or resuming a two-player game. Everyone in your chat will be able to start playing with you right away, without having to join the session from a separate menu, as with GameShare.
Please note that GameChat is free for Nintendo Switch 2 owners until March 31, 2026, after which a Nintendo Switch Online subscription will be required to use it.
Save Nintendo Switch games you don’t play to save space, or move them to a microSD card.
Neither the original Switch nor the Switch 2 boasts a large amount of storage, and downloading high-quality AAA games can quickly deplete it. Fortunately, both consoles allow you to quickly delete games from the internal storage or any inserted microSD cards to save space while preserving your library games and save data.
Archiving games on the original Nintendo Switch
On the original Switch, you can uninstall a game by hovering over it in the main menu or library, pressing the physical “+” button , and selecting “Manage Programs” > “Archive Programs.” Alternatively, you can select “Uninstall Programs,” which will essentially accomplish the same thing, but redownloading the game will be a bit more difficult, as it will be removed from the main menu and you’ll have to go to the eShop.
To delete games faster, go to System Preferences > Data Management > Quick Backup . Here you can see how much space each game is taking up and how much space you’ll save by deleting it. You can also delete saved screenshots and videos for games by selecting a game in Quick Backup and pressing the physical “X” button , or by selecting “Manage screenshots and videos” under Data Management . For more granular control over game deletion, you can also select “Manage software” under Data Management , but Quick Backup is faster and has most of the same controls.
Archiving games on Nintendo Switch 2
On the Switch 2, the steps are largely the same as on the original Switch, except that deleting now defaults to archiving (you can uncheck “Keep HOME Menu Icon ” if you don’t really need it), so the separate archiving option has been removed. However, neither console will delete your save data during these steps, as the space it takes up is typically quite small. However, if you really want to delete your save data, on either console, go to System Settings > Data Management > Delete Save Data and select that option from the list.
To restore a game after deleting it, simply redownload it. If you still have the game icon in your main menu, you can do this either from the main menu or from your library. If not, you’ll need to go to the game’s eShop page to download it again.
In the “Data Management” section, you can also move games from the internal storage to the microSD card or vice versa. This can be found in “System Settings” > “Data Management” > “Move data between system and microSD card.” On the Switch 2, the final step is called “Move data between system and microSD Express card” because that console requires a special type of microSD card.
Send screenshots of Switch gameplay to your phone.
Like most modern consoles, the Switch and Switch 2 can take screenshots and record videos that can be shared online. Before Twitter became X and started charging for its API , sharing content directly from the console was easier. Now, to share screenshots and videos to most social networks, you’ll likely need to transfer them from the console to a Nintendo app.
Sending screenshots on the original Nintendo Switch
On the original Switch, this must be done manually. First, go to your album in the taskbar of the console’s main menu (the picture-shaped icon). Then , select the screenshot or video you want to send to the app and press the physical A button to open the “Share and Edit” menu. Select “Send to Smartphone,” then select “Just this” to send just this photo or video to the app, or select “Batch Send” to send multiple files or videos.
Sending screenshots to Nintendo Switch 2
On Switch 2, you can upload screenshots and videos to the app automatically or manually.
To download manually, select “Album” again from the taskbar in the console’s main menu. Then, to download just one item, select it , press the physical A button , and select “Download to Smart Device.” To bulk download, select “Quick Actions” in the left sidebar, select “Download to Smart Device,” and select the desired number of items before continuing.
To enable automatic downloads, open the Album section of the taskbar in the main console menu, select Download Settings in the left sidebar and enable the Automatic Downloads option.
To view your downloaded files, open the Nintendo Switch app on your phone and tap the “Album” icon in the bottom right corner. Then simply upload them to share on your favorite social media platforms as usual. Please note that downloaded files do not actually take up space on your phone; they are stored on Nintendo servers. You can store up to 100 downloaded files for 30 days each, and any new files beyond this limit will be deleted first, followed by the oldest ones. In this case, your original screenshot or video will remain on your console.
Transfer your Nintendo Switch game data between systems.
There are several ways to transfer save data between systems on both the original Switch and Switch 2. This is especially useful when upgrading from the original Switch to Switch 2, although the easiest way to transfer data when upgrading is by transferring the system.
System transfer is only available during Switch 2 setup and will appear on a screen labeled ” For Nintendo Switch console owners.” For ease of use, select “Start System Transfer” on this page and make sure your original Switch and Switch 2 are nearby. You’ll be able to transfer your games and saves, while keeping the games installed on your original console (you may need to delete some games to transfer, but the console will warn you about this, and you can restore them later). If necessary, you can also perform a system transfer without your original Switch present , but this is not recommended, as it will reset the device to factory settings. Note that you’ll also need to do some setup on your original Switch first, so if you already have a Switch 1 and Switch 2, you may want to choose the simpler option described above.
If transferring data between systems isn’t possible, you can also transfer games and save data on a case-by-case basis. This can be useful if you plan to play on your original Switch occasionally. To transfer physical copies of games, simply eject them from one console and insert them into the other. To transfer digital games, select the “Virtual Game Cards” icon in the main menu of your Switch or Switch 2 (the icon looks like a game card), then select the game and choose “Download to Another System” to transfer it to another system on your account. You can transfer virtual game cards between systems as often as you like.
To transfer your save data to your Switch or Switch 2, go to System Settings > Data Management > Transfer Save Data . You can transfer it to another nearby console for free from this menu, but you’ll need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to send your save data online. If that’s not an issue, you can manage your cloud save data in System Settings > Data Management > Cloud Save Data . Or, if a game already has cloud save data, you can download it by simply hovering over its icon , pressing the physical “+” button , and selecting the data under Cloud Save Data .
Create Miis on Nintendo Switch
Mii characters didn’t disappear with the Nintendo Wii! You can still create your own Mii on both the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, and it’s as easy as going to System Settings > Mii > Create/Edit Mii . On the original Switch, this takes you directly to the Mii creation menu, but on the Switch 2, you can also choose whether to start with a preset character or create a Mii based on an amiibo. Either way, make your choice, and you’ll be taken to the familiar Mii creation menu.
Further customization of your Mii is almost identical to what it was on the Wii, except that you can now choose any hair color you like.
As for why you need a Mii if it doesn’t appear on the main menu at all, aside from the fact that it’s fun in itself, some games allow you to use your Mii. For example, in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate , you can fight using your Mii.
Prevent your friends from seeing when you’re online on your Nintendo Switch.
Sometimes you want to play without anyone knowing what you’re doing. This can be done on both the original Switch and the Switch 2.
On Switch or Switch 2, from the main menu, select your profile icon in the upper-left corner. Then, in the left sidebar, scroll down to “User Settings.” From there, scroll to “Friend Settings” under “Friend Features.” Then, on Switch 1, select “Nobody” under “Display online status for:. ” On Switch 2, “Display online status for:” will say “Display online status,” but changing this setting to “Nobody” will achieve the same result.
This will hide your online status from your friends list, but your friends will still be able to see your recently played games. To prevent them from seeing this, on any console, exit Friends Settings and scroll up to the “Game Activity Settings” section (under your profile icon > User Settings > Profile Settings ). In the first option on this screen, the name of which may vary depending on the console, select “Nobody.”
Take full advantage of Switch 2’s mouse mode (including using a USB-C mouse).
One of the Nintendo Switch 2’s coolest new features is mouse control , which allows you to remove the Joy-Con 2 controller and use it sideways as a mouse. Typically, this only works with one controller, but some games may require using both Joy-Con 2 controllers as mice simultaneously. Mouse control allows you to navigate the main menu, just like on a PC, and in some games, it even unlocks new game modes. For example, in Cyberpunk 2077, you can use mouse control to aim, just like in a PC first-person shooter.
This is all pretty obvious, but did you know you can use a USB-C mouse instead of the Joy-Con 2? Not every mouse is suitable for every game, but if the Joy-Con 2 lying on its side isn’t comfortable enough for you, it’s worth trying out the mice you already own. Alternatively, you can purchase a special Joy-Con 2 case for a better grip.
Finally, it’s worth noting that some games on the original Switch also support mouse controls, although the selection is more limited than on the Switch 2, and you can’t use the Joy-Con as a mouse. Instead, you’ll need to connect a USB-C mouse .
Check the connection with lost Switch controllers.
Want to play, but your Joy-Con, Joy-Con 2, or Pro Controller is stuck somewhere under the couch cushion? The Switch or Switch 2 can vibrate them to help you find them. From the main menu, select “Controllers” in the taskbar (the icon that looks like a Joy-Con). Then, select the second option from the top, which on the original Switch is called “Find Controllers” and on the Switch 2 is called “Searching for Controllers.” Select the connected controller to make it vibrate.