Switch 2 finally lets you play Switch 1 games in docked mode while playing on handheld

Switch 2 has received a system update which adds one of the most requested features.

Players can now turn on a new Handheld Mode Boost setting in the Switch 2 options, which enables original Switch games to run better when played in handheld.

When the original Switch plays games while docked to a TV, it renders them at 1080p to provide the best possible image the system can process.

However, when the Switch is played in handheld mode, the processing power is decreased to save on battery life, and the output resolution is changed to only 720p to match the resolution of the Switch’s display.

When it was announced that Switch 2 would have a 1080p display, players were hopeful that they would have the option to turn ‘docked’ mode on while playing original Switch games in handheld mode, to make the most of the extra processing power and increased resolution.

However, this wasn’t the case, meaning until today anyone who plays a Switch game on their Switch 2 in handheld mode was forced to play in the lower power, 720p mode.

The new version 22.0.0 system update for Switch 2 finally changes this – by turning on Handheld Mode Boost, players can essentially tell their Switch 2 to run Switch games in docked mode, even when played in handheld, ensuring the full 1080p output and processing power.

Nintendo notes that certain functionality could be affected because of this – one example could be Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu / Eevee, which forces the player to use detached Joy-Cons as their controller when the game is docked mode. For situations like this, players may have to turn off Handheld Mode Boost, but the vast majority of games will now run better in handheld.

Other new features added in version 22.0.0 include the ability to save notes about members of your Friends list (to remind you who they are, for example) and the ability to individually enable or disable Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC in the Quick Settings while in Airplane Mode.

The full patch notes are as follows:

Nintendo Switch 2 – Version 22.0.0 update

• Changed the on-screen text and animations when you load a virtual game card in the HOME Menu.
• Added the ability to save notes about friends on your Friend List. The note content is not displayed to friends.
  • Added the ability to see and edit these notes from the Nintendo Switch App. The app must be on version 3.3.0 or higher to use this feature.
• The following features were added to support GameChat:
  • Added the ability to invite friends to GameChat rooms you’re participating in. Some friends may not be able to be invited, such as supervised accounts.
  • Friends that haven’t finished GameChat initial setup can now be invited to GameChat. Some friends may not be able to be invited, such as supervised accounts or those who haven’t used a Nintendo Switch 2.
    • It may take a while for this change to be reflected after updating your console to system version 22.0.0.
  • Improvements were made to the quality of the game screen shared in a GameChat when expanded.
• Added the ability to rewind 10 seconds/advance 10 seconds with the ZL and ZR Buttons when watching a full screen video in News or Nintendo eShop.
• Added the option to add the following data to “Automatic Uploads” from Album.
  • Clip Video, Video saved as a screenshot, and screenshot with added text.
• Added Portuguese (Portugal) and Russian to “GameChat Voice ⇔ Speech to Text” languages in Accessibility.
• Text-to-Speech, under Accessibility, can now read the text in Album and during first-time setup.
  • Please see Nintendo Switch 2 First-Time Setup and Connection for instructions on how to turn text-to-speech on in the first-time setup.
• Added the ability to see the breakdown of storage capacity by data type for the system memory and microSD Express card.
• Added the ability to perform an audio test when “Linear PCM 5.1 Surround” is selected for TV Sound in Audio.
• Changed the “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea” region to “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea/South East Asia” in Device.
• Added “Handheld Mode Boost” to Nintendo Switch Software Handling in System.
  • Handheld Mode Boost will cause compatible Switch software to run as if in TV Mode, so certain functionality may be affected. Please see the on-device description for more details.
• The following features were added to Airplane Mode:
  • When Airplane Mode is activated, the previously set preferences for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or NFC while in Airplane Mode will be saved and applied.
  • Added the ability to individually enable or disable Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or NFC during Airplane Mode from the Quick Settings.
• Added the ability to see a notification in the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls smart device application when the Parental Controls PIN is input successfully on the console. This can also be set up to be a push notification to your smart device.
  • The app must be on version 2.4.0 or higher to use this functionality.
• General system stability improvements to enhance the user’s experience.

Nintendo Switch – Version 22.0.0 update

• Changed the on-screen text and animations when you load a virtual game card in the HOME Menu.
• Added the ability to save notes about friends on your Friend List. The note content is not displayed to friends.
  • Added the ability to see and edit these notes from the Nintendo Switch App. The app must be on version 3.3.0 or higher to use this feature.
• Added the ability to see a notification in the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls smart device application when the Parental Controls PIN is input successfully on the console. This can also be set up to be a push notification to your smart device.
  • The app must be on version 2.4.0 or higher to use this functionality.
• General system stability improvements to enhance the user’s experience.