How to connect external speakers to your Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch (Image credit: iMore)

The Nintendo Switch is a big deal, being a hybrid device that goes from a dedicated console to a dedicated handheld with ease. Taking your games on the go is always a pleasure, but nothing beats playing on a big screen with high-quality audio. If you want the best audio possible when playing games on your Nintendo Switch, consider going for a dedicated hookup.

This means that to make the most of your docked Nintendo Switch experience, you'll need to pair it with high-quality speakers. Thankfully, connecting external speakers to your Nintendo Switch is super easy. All you need is one of the best HDMI cords and you're good to go. Here's what you need to do!

How to connect external speakers to Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch (Image credit: iMore)

If you're going to connect your Nintendo Switch to a TV with external speakers, just follow these simple steps. Bear in mind that this only works if your Nintendo Switch is docked, so you won't be able to use it with speakers in portable mode.

  1. Ensure that the audio output connections are correct between your TV and your external speakers.
  2. Plug an HDMI cable into your Switch dock and connect it to an HDMI input on your TV.
  3. Once connected, go to System Settings and then TV Settings.
  4. In the TV Settings tab, scroll down to TV sound and select Surround Sound.

From here, you should be good to go. If you run into any issues, double-check the connections on the HDMI ports, as a loose connection can degrade the quality of your games' audio.

Turn it up!

You should have no problem getting the best sound quality when connecting some of the best external speakers to your Nintendo Switch. These steps work for basically any home theater setup, so you should be good to go, no matter what your setup is. You may need some extra equipment, like an HDMI passthrough, if you don't have an HDMI port to spare, so keep that in mind before you start.

Every TV is also different, with a different number of HDMI ports. As a result, if you're also currently using the latest consoles from Microsoft and Sony, such as the Xbox Series X and PS5, then you'll need to make sure you have enough HDMI ports to connect all your consoles. If you can't, then it may be time to upgrade your entertainment setup.

The Nintendo Switch may not have the powerful hardware of other consoles, but it's still an entertaining experience every time. Some of the best evergreen titles that benefit from being hooked up to speakers include The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing: New Horzions, and Pokemon Sword & Shield, which will really allow you to enjoy the music and audio design in a way you can't through the built-in speakers.

Now that you have your sound set up, you'll want to check out these great accessories to enhance your gaming experience fully. Then you can crank up the volume and put your console to the test with the best Nintendo Switch games.

Zackery Cuevas

Zackery Cuevas is a writer for Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore. He likes playing video games, talking about video games, writing about video games, and most importantly, complaining about video games. If you're cool, you can follow me on Twitter @Zackzackzackery.