How to Connect Nintendo Switch to Laptop

Let me guess why you are here, and my guess is you are tired of playing games on your small screen of Nintendo and want to enjoy your favorite Nintendo games on a larger display.

You can do that by connecting your Nintendo Switch to your laptop. Linking a Nintendo Switch to the laptop is daunting, but don’t worry, I cover all the steps effortlessly that a non-techy person can also understand.

So read on to connect your Nintendo switch to your laptop and enjoy the gaming experience on the large screen.

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What will you need to Connect Nintendo Switch to your Laptop?

The first and most important step is to make sure you have everything that is needed to connect the Nintendo Switch to your laptop. This makes the further process very easy and you can do it in no time without facing any hassle.

Here are the things you should make sure you have:

1) Of course, a laptop

2) Nintendo dock

3) HDMI cable

4) Video Capturing card

5) Video capturing Software installed on your laptop

Out of the above-mentioned list, some things you will already have along with your Nintendo gaming console while you may have to purchase one or two components separately. However, all of them are equally necessary for connecting Nintendo switch to a laptop.

Let’s see how they work.

1) Nintendo Dock:

The Nintendo Switch dock already comes with your gaming console, so no need to worry. It is used to display games on the monitor screen that you are using, whether it is TV or laptop.

Hence it is an integral part that is required to display your Nintendo switch games. So, make sure your Nintendo dock is always in a working condition.

Last update on 2024-03-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

2) HDMI cable:

The main component that is used to connect the Nintendo dock, video capture card, and your laptop together is the HDMI cable.

Hence an HDMI cable is very important to make all the connections possible. You might find it along with your gaming console but if not, you can purchase it easily but opt for a braided HDMI cable as they last long

Last update on 2024-03-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

3) Video Capture Card:

The purpose of a capture card is to take images from the Nintendo dock and transfer it to your monitor screen through an HDMI cable.

You will have to purchase this separately. But make sure your video capture card has the HDMI in port and out port in order to use it for connection.

Last update on 2024-03-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

4) Video Capturing Software:

You have to install this software on your laptop to play Nintendo Switch games on the laptop screen. It is also available in free versions for example OBS studio, so the installation is not a big deal.

How to Connect Nintendo Switch to Laptop:

Here is the step-wise guide on how to connect the Nintendo Switch to your laptop.

STEP 1:

Firstly, if your Nintendo dock is previously connected to the TV or any other device, disconnect the HDMI cable from it.

STEP 2:

The second step is to make sure that your Nintendo Switch is connected to your Nintendo Dock. And in case if it’s not connected, just simply connect the dock cable with the type-C connector of your Nintendo Switch.

STEP 3:

By using the HDMI cable, connect the Nintendo Dock to the in-port of the video capture card.

STEP 4:

First, install the video capturing software on your laptop, and if you have already installed it, open the software ‘Game Capture HD’ on your laptop in this step.

STEP 5:

The next step is to turn your Nintendo Switch ‘on’ by using the home button present on your controller.

STEP 6:

The final and most important step to get started is to connect the video capture card to your laptop through a USB cable. As soon as everything is properly connected, a ‘Switch Console menu’ will appear on your laptop home screen. Pretty simple, isn’t it?

You can also full screen your gaming, by pressing the top right full-screen icon present on the home page of Switch Capture HD.

An Alternative Way to Play Nintendo Switch Games on Laptop:

In case if you don’t have a Nintendo Switch and wish to play Nintendo games on your laptop or without a Nintendo Switch, we got another way for you.

If you own a good laptop model, you can easily download Nintendo switch games or even buy them for your laptop as most Nintendo games are supported by windows.

FAQ Related to How to Connect Nintendo Switch to Laptop

Following are some most asked question related to connecting your Nintendo switch to laptop.

Conclusion:

So, by now you must have understood that connecting a Nintendo Switch to the laptop is quite an easy process.

Just make sure that you have all the required accessories and by properly following the stepwise guide, you are all set to play your favorite Nintendo games on the portable laptop screen.

The good news is that you already have majority of the accessories with the Nintendo Switch console so, most probably you only need to buy a high-quality and compatible capture card to enjoy the best Nintendo gaming experience on a big screen.