The Nintendo Switch is such a portable device that it’s easy to wonder if it has Bluetooth or not. It is still somewhat of a new piece of hardware after all and most current hardware has Bluetooth in it. But isn’t always clear. So is there a Nintendo Switch Bluetooth option?
Is there a Nintendo Switch Bluetooth option?
The Nintendo Switch does not currently support Bluetooth devices natively. Your headphones can’t naturally connect to it nor can any other sort of speaker system. Searching through the options won’t yield any sort of Bluetooth options. This is odd since it appears as though the Joy-Cons connect to the system via Bluetooth.
However, that doesn’t mean the system is completely locked off from accessing Bluetooth objects. Players will just need to buy another attachment to enable it. There are multiple types of accessories and dongles that help enable Bluetooth on the system. The Genki adapter is one of the better ones and is only around $50. There are other cheaper alternatives as well. HomeSpot has one for around $35 while DRILI has a much cheaper one for around $24. These can be used for other devices, too, but their main functionality seems to revolve around the Switch. Be aware of lag though as some of the non-gaming adapters are more for music and not for gaming.
These are easy to set up as well. Each may bit a little different but users just have to plug them into the Switch, hold down a pairing button or two on the devices, and then they should all be good to go.
It is very unlikely that Nintendo introduces accessible Bluetooth for the Switch. The rumored Switch Pro probably won’t have this feature either, but nothing has been announced about this mysterious console. It is therefore probably safe to buy an adapter now and use it for the years to come.
Of course, audio is only some of the package as many controllers use Bluetooth. The DualShock is one of those controllers, but, like the audio, they aren’t inherently compatible. They also require an adapter. 8bitdo has a popular one for only around $21. This makes the Switch a bit less portable but it does open it up to other controllers. It is not clear if this adapter works with audio but it probably isn’t the best way to use headphones because of the cable that protrudes from the bottom of the Switch.
