Nintendo Switch finally supports Bluetooth audio—but beware the lag

Enlarge / Bluetooth on Switch, presented as an overly literal image translation of the concept. (credit: Sam Machkovech)

In an out-of-nowhere Tuesday evening update, Nintendo reversed course on one of the portable Switch console's biggest limitations: Bluetooth audio support. That functionality is now live on the system's 13.0 firmware, available for download across all Switch regions.

Until this update, Switch consoles had a portable-audio capability that was the exact opposite of smartphones like the iPhone, in that the Switch only worked with wired headphones via the console's built-in 3.5 mm headphone jack. In handheld mode, that limitation was more bearable because the system was in your hands, so a corded headset made a little more sense.

With the Nintendo Switch docked to a TV, on the other hand, headset options became more limited. Without Bluetooth audio support, Switch users needed to either run a 3.5 mm extension cord to their entertainment center or use a pair of wireless headphones that came with a Switch-compatible USB dongle, which would have to plug into one of the Switch dock's open ports. Modern Xbox and PlayStation consoles offer more options for both 3.5 mm jacks in their gamepads and built-in wireless functions in the consoles themselves.

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