Fans of gaming consoles often ask how to connect the Nintendo Switch to a laptop. This interest is easy to explain because the use of portable console Switch has a number of features – the presence of a gyroscope, good responsiveness, and long operating time (up to 40 hours without stopping). The Nintendo Switch has a great screen as a mobile device and configurable wireless joysticks. It also has an extensive library of games, including many exclusive AAA games. But another significant aspect of its success has been the Nintendo Dock. The Nintendo Switch is a great choice to carry with you, take to work, events, etc. and have a great time on the go.
You can use The Dock to connect the Switch to your TV or monitor at home and enjoy games on the big screen in comfort. But many of you may not have a TV or monitor. In that case, you can try connecting your portable Nintendo Switch console to your laptop. Here is how to do this in different ways.
What do you need to connect Nintendo Switch to laptop
If you want to play the Nintendo Switch from your laptop screen, you first need to buy an HDMI video capture card. This is necessary because laptop models usually don’t support the HDMI In feature. It is quite possible that you have already used HDMI to mirror your computer screen on your monitor or TV. This port is called HDMI Out, and it cannot be used to import other media files onto your laptop screen as well. You can use any capture card if it has a USB-C port and an HDMI In port. There are many great capture cards out there, but Elgato cards are generally considered the best choice for gamers because of their affordability, build quality, and ease of use.
For these instructions, you will need an Elgato HD60 HDMI capture card and the free Elgato Game Capture HD software. You can purchase the capture card from Amazon, and the software can be downloaded for free from the official Elgato website. If you use a different capture card to connect Nintendo Switch to your laptop, the steps should be almost the same. Likewise, most game capture software works the same way. So, if you have another program that you prefer to use, you can use it instead of Game Capture HD.
How to connect Nintendo Switch to laptop
If you want to connect Nintendo Switch to your laptop, you have to follow these steps:
- First of all, connect your Nintendo Switch to the Dock. It is pretty simple, because you just have to plug in the cable of the Nintendo Dock to the Type-C port of the Nintendo Switch.
- After that, use an HDMI cable to connect the Nintendo Dock with the capture card. You have to ensure that you plug into the “HDMI In” port of the card.
- Next, go to your laptop and open the capture software.
- Turn on your Nintendo Switch while it in the Dock.
- Then, connect the Game Capture Card with your laptop using the USB cable.
- In a few seconds, you will see the Nintendo Switch home screen displayed directly on your laptop.
Once you have completed these steps, you can use the Joy-Con to control the Switch on your laptop. You can also switch to full-screen mode to enjoy the thrill of the game on the big screen, or broadcast it live. And of course, you can record gameplay, use the replay function, or even chat and comment on what is happening live.
