Nintendo Switch 2 Releases Brand-New Console Update for September 2026

Nintendo Switch 2 users have a new firmware update to download and install, as version 23.0.0 includes support for variable refresh rate (VRR) in docked mode along with other new features.

Periodically, Nintendo releases system firmware updates that improve the console’s security and stability while occasionally adding in new features. While some updates are more substantial, smaller updates can also add some quality-of-life changes for specific players. For example, the Switch 2’s 22.5.0 firmware update added Dutch and Russian language support for text-to-speech as an accessibility option, alongside using Dutch and Russian as speech-to-text options within GameChat. While the original Switch also had a 23.0.0 firmware update, its latest features were more limited in scope compared to what was changed on Switch 2.

Nintendo Switch 2 Finally Adds Docked VRR Support

Months after the previous version 22.5.0 firmware update was released, Switch 2 users have some new features waiting for them after downloading and installing the new 22.3.0 update. Although the Switch 2 did not initially support VRR in docked mode, version 23.0.0 has now made that possible in supported titles. As of this writing, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is the only Switch 2 title that supports VRR in docked mode, though that list will obviously grow over time. VRR support also requires a Switch 2 to be connected to a compatible display via HDMI, along with a separate Switch 2 dock update that can be done via the System Settings menu. Additionally, audio settings can now be saved separately for each connected display and Dock Output Information has been renamed to Video Output Information within the System Settings.

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Along with the addition of docked VRR support, the 23.0.0 firmware update made some changes to GameChat for players to consider. The chat list now shows which chats players have previously joined. Additionally, players do not need to invite any friends when starting a new chat and can use the C button during a chat to select a new option that changes the screen size. Version 23.0.0 now includes Brazilian Portuguese as a supported language that users can pick from when using text-to-speech or GameChat's speech-to-text.

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Additionally, the Virtual Game Cards option in the system's Home menu now has a Settings pane that will allow users to edit and review which systems can access virtual game cards. In a throwback to Nintendo's past consoles, the Switch 2's Mii Maker now has the option to play music that longtime Nintendo fans may recognize. These songs include the themes of the Mii Channel from the Wii, the Mii Maker app from the 3DS, and the Mii Maker app from the Wii U.

Alongside the new console firmware update, Nintendo unveiled an upcoming customer appreciation sale where users across the US can save up to 30% on various games and accessories from September 12 to 26. Nintendo stated that the sale was made possible due to tariff-related refunds the company received from the US government. It remains to be seen which Switch 2 games will be discounted during the customer appreciation campaign.

Nintendo Switch 2 Firmware Version 23.0.0 Patch Notes (September 10, 2026)

• The following updates have been made to GameChat:
  • The list of chats you can join now shows chats you have previously joined.
  • When starting a new chat, you can now enter without inviting any friends.
  • Added an option to the menu that appears when you press the C Button during a chat that lets you change the screen size.
• Added “Settings” to Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
  • You can review and edit which of your systems can use virtual game cards, among other options.
• Added support for VRR (Variable refresh rate) in TV mode.
  • When both the software and TV support it, video will be output at a refresh rate that matches the game’s processing.
  • A Nintendo Switch 2 dock update is required to enable this feature.
• Added ability to perform a system transfer from a Nintendo Switch 2 system to another Nintendo Switch 2 system.
• The following updates have been made in Accessibility in System Settings:
  • Added Portuguese (Brazil) to "Text to Speech" languages.
  • Added Portuguese (Brazil) to the GameChat "Display Speech as Text" languages.
• The following updates have been made in Audio in System Settings:
  • TV Sound settings will now be saved and applied automatically on up to 8 TVs.
• The following updates have been made in Display in System Settings:
  • Renamed "Dock Output Information" to "Video Output Information" which now includes details about the signals that the connected TV can display.
  • Added settings for VRR.
• The following updates have been made in Mii in System Settings:
  • Added a feature that lets you create a QR Code for a Mii and share it with other users.
• The following updates have been made in Sleep Mode in System Settings:
  • The level can now be checked when choosing the volume for Play Wake-Up Sound in TV Mode.
• Added the ability to enable or disable "Handheld Mode Boost" from the Quick Settings.
• System Transfer to Nintendo Switch 2 has been added under System Settings > System.
• When starting software, if a virtual game card cannot be ejected from another console because it is powered off or otherwise not connected to the internet, there will be a prompt to start the software using an online license.
  • Only the user who purchased the software can play it using the online license.
• Music can now be played while creating or editing a Mii.
  • You can change, or stop, the music using the Music Settings in the upper corner of the screen.
• You can now use other controllers with Handheld Boost Mode while Joy-Con 2 controllers are attached to the system.
• Play activity, found on My Page > Profile, now combines play time from the same software across multiple systems.
  • The play time of the software you've played since the update will be combined and displayed sequentially.
• General system stability improvements to enhance the user's experience.

Nintendo Switch Firmware Version 23.0.0 Patch Notes (September 10, 2026)

• Added “Settings” to Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
  • You can review and edit which of your systems can use virtual game cards, among other options.
• When starting software, if a virtual game card cannot be ejected from another console because it is powered off or otherwise not connected to the internet, there will be a prompt to start the software using an online license.
  • Only the user who purchased the software can play it using the online license.
• General system stability improvements to enhance the user's experience.

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