How to Connect a Nintendo Switch to Your TV

Nintendo has released various consoles that have delighted generations of gamers, but the Switch is perhaps one of its best feats. The device outsold every at-home gaming console by combining its popular television screen format with the incredibly high-selling Nintendo DS and Game Boy. Even though you can easily take it with you anywhere for quick entertainment, learning how to connect your Nintendo Switch to a TV can bring it to another level.

Luckily, this process is quite easy since the company meant for customers to enjoy the Switch as a handheld console and on larger screens. Here’s how to connect your Nintendo Switch to a TV.

Connecting Your Switch to a TV

Once you open the box, you should have everything you need to connect your Switch to a television — the console, dock, AC adapter and HDMI cable. Before getting everything ready, check if the TV you’re trying to display the game or video on has an HDMI port. Most new ones have them, but you’re probably out of luck if you haven’t upgraded the device since the 90s.

The next step is to open the back of the dock and place the cords in the right ports. Nintendo kindly marked them as “AC Adapter” and “HDMI Out,” so even the most technology inept out there can make quick work of setting things up. The AC adapter is also the Switch’s charger, so you may want to charge it outside the dock if you want to start playing as soon as everything’s plugged in.

Then, it’s time to start hooking the dock up to your television. The HDMI ports should either be on the sides or the back of your screen. All you need to do here is plug the cable’s other end into the TV and take note of which number input you put it in. These numbers indicate which input you’ll need to change to once your Switch and TV are on.

The last thing you have to do is plug the AC adapter into an outlet near the television. The dock won’t work without plugging this cable in, so ensure you have an accessible outlet close by. If your Switch is fully charged, you should be ready to power it on, take the JoyCons out of the device and get to playing your new favorite games on the TV.

Can You Connect a Nintendo Switch Lite to a TV?

At first glance, the classic Switch and the Switch Lite are very different. The Lite comes in one solid color, while the standard console will have two colored JoyCons on either side of the screen. An original Switch is also larger than the Switch Lite and has a bit longer of a battery life.

The two devices have all of the same gaming capabilities except the ability to display on a television screen. The Nintendo Switch Lite cannot connect to a TV because it does not have the hardware necessary to do so. Additionally, the console won’t come with a dock — even if you get your hands on one, it won’t fit. So if you’re gift shopping for someone you love or making the purchase for yourself, make sure you get the classic Nintendo Switch if you want to use it on a television.

Learning How to Connect Your Nintendo Switch to a TV Is Easy

The Switch ushered in a new era of gaming for diehard Nintendo fans and casual gamers alike. Its ability to act as a handheld device and display on a screen allows for a combination of mobile and immersive gameplay. Learning how to connect your Nintendo Switch to a TV enables you to experience everything this fantastic console has to offer.