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Including “Handheld Mode Boost” and a Switch update
Nintendo has released a new update for the Switch 2 and Switch this week, bumping the system firmware up to Version 22.0.0.
On the Switch 2, this update comes loaded with new GameChat features, language and accessibility updates, and multiple other improvements and updates. Most notably, though, it adds the new “Handheld Mode Boost“, which allows compatible Switch software to run as if it’s “in TV Mode” during portable play.
Nintendo has shared a guide on its official support page about how to access and use this new feature, which we’ve covered here on Nintendo Life in a separate post.
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Below are the official patch notes for Switch 2’s Version 22.0.0 update:
The updates for Switch Version 22.0.0 include some adjustments as well as general system stability improvements. Here’s what’s included:
Again, you can find out more about the handheld boost in our PSA. This update for the Switch and Switch 2 follows an update in January, which included some general stability improvements.
The Nintendo Switch App for mobile devices has also received an update today, bumping it up to Version 3.3.0. It allows you to now save notes about users on your friends list, to “help you keep track of who’s who” and also includes some other “small bug fixes and improvements”.
Enhance your experience with Switch 1 games
Every Switch system update since launch detailed
Have you downloaded this update yet? How are you finding it so far? Let us know in the comments.
[source en-americas-support.nintendo.com]
About Liam Doolan
Liam is a news writer and reviewer on Nintendo Life. He’s been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of many iconic video game characters.
Comments 90
Handheld Mode Boost is such an insane thing for Nintendo to drop out of nowhere. Super exciting stuff
…..and still no new themes.
Huh. That notes feature sounds interesting, I'll have to try it out later.
Anyway, someone has to say it: insert stability joke here
This sounds like a great update. Unpatched Switch 1 games no longer looking worse on the Switch 2 in handheld mode sounds awesome, I hope it works like you'd expect it to!
Honestly super cool to see this type of update! I feel like we haven't had such a major feature like this in a long while. Will definitely take advantage of this new mode if adds a lot of horsepower and/or doesn't suck the battery life a whole lot quicker
Wow, this is pretty hefty changelog — so much so that I worry my Switch 2 may not be stable enough to handle it!! The horror!
The Handheld Boost will certainly be nice for me, as I'm a primarily handheld gamer! The option to add notes for friends is great too — now I can mark how I met someone so if they change their name, I'll know who it was lol!
The Handheld Mode Boost is big news for me!
Gonna get a lot of use out of that.
Finally. My Switch 1 games without updates, won't look like blurry mush now in handheld mode.
Big W.
@Joeynator3000 we’ve been living without them since the end of the 3DS, I think we’re fine and the vast majority of Switch aren’t missing it. The Wii U never had them either.
OH MY GOD
This is a crazy update. I'm going to try out so many of my games lol
I'm not sure I fully understand Handheld Boost mode.
It makes the Switch software behave as if it was on the TV, while playing handheld? But only for Switch 1 games?
What does this affect?
…I know the new Virtual Boy NSO app for example doesn't function if it's docked, so will this setting make it impossible to play Virtual Boy even undocked?
Which other games detect whether you're docked and behave differently?
They’ve gone and done it Nintendo has hired this man, next they’ll include an option to uncap framerates.
@EarthboundBenjy I understood it as in TV mode definition and FPS
@EarthboundBenjy The basic idea is that it's a way to get Switch 1 games running above 720p handheld without being patched, at the cost of some potential quirks like touch screen compatibility being lost
Super Metroid got added to Nintendo Music this evening!
I love a sprinkle of handheld mode boost on my stability sundae!
How do you switch between handheld and tv mode for the switch games?
Edit:
Complete these steps
Select System Settings on the HOME Menu.
Scroll down through the System Settings menu and select System.
Scroll down on the right and select Nintendo Switch Software Handling.
Select Handheld Mode Boost to enable or disable this setting.
@SalvorHardin unfortunately this is only something that individual developers can do if its third party games.
@AG_Awesome it’s an option in the system settings. Under the “System” tab, select Nintendo Switch Software Handling, and turn on “Handheld Mode Boost”.
Tried this out on Mario +Rabbids Kingdom battle and its beautiful
@whiteshadows86 Thanks! Just came back to share what I found on another site. But accurate instructions 👍
Let's round up some more stability! 🤠
Nintendo just released Super Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Maker X Handheld!
This is bananzas.
Handheld boost is huge. Pretty much one of the essential features I expected from the Switch 2. Of course this could result in some unintended consequences (as implied), but this is still a very exciting development all the same. I suspect that local multiplayer games will probably give us the most grief in that regard.
And I wonder how this will affect Pokémon Let’s Go, Pikachu/Eevee?
This really is a gamechanger. You can toggle the boost freely even while a game is running, making it easy to compare things, and it's just so nice seeing games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Smash Ultimate looking crisp on Switch 2, as well as getting to play pixel art games without the wonky sprite scaling
@Kurusu also likely means there's no more free S1 updates coming either.
Would this handheld boost potentially fix how ugly totk looks on switch 2 without the paid upgrade? I never tried and likely will never buy the upgrade for botw but I'd assume that has the same issue totk did
I wonder what that means for free s2 editions also lol. But I'm curious to try 3 houses and mhgu with this
@Kurusu You would think that would be a Direct level reveal. I’m so used to “lol stability” and “we added more censored words”.
This can be huge for ugly games like XB2 on handheld
Wonder if this impacts the battery life and if it does by how much?
Oh geez, Handheld Mode Boost is gonna be causing me to test all my Sw1 games like it was the first few weeks of the Sw2's launch all over again!
Also being able to individually toggle stuff while in Airplane Mode is also a welcomed function! Feels like that'll buy a good few minutes on the less-than-ideal battery.
I tested Handheld Boost and I love it! So many Switch games now look fantastic on the Switch 2’s large display.
The rough quality on Switch games on Switch 2 was one of my only critiques of the system. Now give me themes!
I do wish I could toggle Handheld Boost in the quick menu rather than only through the system settings, so I could quickly turn it off to conserve power on or use touchscreen with games when needed.
I just tested on Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Ys 8.
In both case it's night and day. This is huge.
@Rice can confirm, it gets rid of all the nasty super pixelated stuff that would show up in the distance.
this plus the switch 2 making it run at 60 is so lovely.
Handheld boost mode, eh? Downloading the update now. I'll be curious to see how that impacts the Switch games im currently playing.
@EarthboundBenjy It impacts a lot of S1 games on handheld mode that was heavily downgraded compared to their TV mode counterpart.
Xenoblade 2 for example was one of the earlier infamous examples and one of the first games I’m gonna test later. Game was a blurry mess on handheld mode and was one of the top requests for getting a S2 version as a way to fix that.
@Deihnyx damn I’m at work now so can’t test. Got a lot of S1 games that had noticeably downgraded handheld modes compared to TV modes.
Between this and the PS5 Pro update this is a great week for console updates. That boost mode sounds really interesting.
@squiddu-real I may actually finish the 100%ing this game it looks lovely. Hype update got reason to possibly check out a few switch one games I missed
I'm very happy about handheld boost mode, but it seems strange Nintendo would just put it in a system update and not have a more significant announcement about it. Maybe a promotional video will come later.
Handheld boost is the type of QoL I’d expect from Sony but never Nintendo. What a great update. They should make a bigger deal about advertising this.
@Arawn93
Well you're in for a treat when you get back ! 
Gonna turn it on for unicorn overlord right away here. It’s already a beautiful game and runs great but it’s the switch 1 game I’m playing right now. Probably won’t be replaying xc2 anytime soon, but so rad if it improves that one, however, I still haven’t played torna. Might be a good time to play torna
@DonnieTACO
I wouldn't be so sure. Plenty of first party Switch games could still use framerate boosts (with The Thousand-Year Door even having evidence for one in its code) and there are even some that could use the improved resolution in handheld (like Pikmin 3 Deluxe, which was rated as having a proper upgrade earlier this year) – not to mention that the docked resolution is still capped at 1080p for games without upgrades, when many Switch 1 games can hit 1440p on Switch 2 if not higher.
An actual update, with features? I for one am shocked
Mario Kart 8 and Smash Bros. Ultimate finally look amazing in handheld. I just wish you could toggle it easier from the home screen or for specific games.
Way to go Nintendo 👏
oh heck yeah, now thats a great thing to hear as a solely handheld player
wwwoaah! Does this mean my Switch one games like Dread or Wonder will run @ 1080p in handheld? Ive got to try this ASAP.
Sea of stars on Switch 2 without poor scaling!? Count me in!
I am unstable after hearing the same joke all the time.
Big erect!! Super happy that boost!! 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
So excited to try out Switch games later after my sleep is over first lol
Thank you Nintendo so much. Themes will be nice like many of gamers want Themes include!!
Literally the biggest update in the Switch 2 lifecycle so far and you have to look online to find out Nintendo doesn't tell you on the console itself after doing the update they seriously need to fix this many people could have missed it. The Switch Boost mode that is 😉
Fair warning. Handheld Docked Mode disables touch screen. So for games like Picross and Civilization 6 it is a bit annoying. If I was to suggest a feature to Nintendo it would be to have the option available on a per game basis in the game menu.
You know what, it's rare to get a system update that adds anything anymore beyond stability, so I'll take it, even if most if not all of the update isn't really significant.
"The note content is not displayed to friends." Who would have thought this system update would be funny? XD
Icons still get hidden over the officially nonexistent limit (the latter's status being why I recurrently put my hopes into the memetic "stability improvements" rather than separate bullet points) – better luck next update, I suppose.😆
I hope VRR in tv mode gets added soon.
Literally a game changer!
Handheld boost sounds great. But, after nearly ten years, would it kill Nintendo to add the ability to delete multiple save files? The improved speed makes the S2 better in this respect but it's still a chore on a par with unblocking my toilet.
Great update! I am playing Switch2 in TV about 90% so it isn't for me but still for all the other people is fantastic!
Is it just me , or does the 'notes on friends they can't see' give off big stasi vibes?😅
@SillyG
An update for Pokemon Let‘s Go is pretty needed now. This weird idea to force people to play with motion controls in docked mode was always a bad idea in my opinion, because everyone knew from handheld mode that gamepad controls work just fine. This update (I guess it would remain a standard Switch 1 software) would also allow to play with classical gamepad controls on Switch 1.
But I suspect Gamefreak won’t touch this piece of software ever again.
I never played docked on Switch 1 and I still play plenty of S1 games on Switch 2 so this could be huge. Why they shadowdrop things like this is beyond me 😯
This boost feature could have been long implemented on the Switch 1 too.
There is no reason as to why it couldn’t run full throttle in handheld mode, when the console is either connected to power or a power bank?
Overheating has never been a concern, since both the Switch 1 and Switch 2 dock don’t actively cool the console. (The fan in the Switch 2 is to cool down the dock internal components)
So it’s nice that Nintendo finally saw the light in this and implemented it at least for the Switch 2.
@Max_the_German This also frustrated me to no end.
Motion controls should have always been optional, even if gamepad was at least added as Accessibility feature.
Pokemon Lets Go is such a great game, let down by the stupid motion controls. So I hated I was forced to play in handheld mode.
Oh wow this is a big update, while as mentioned the highlight is definitely Handheld Mode Boost there are so many great additions overall (those GameChat options, accessibility for those languages, individual Airplane Mode toggles etc.) – I've just downloaded it and I'm absolutely looking forward to seeing it in action myself!
@Joeynator3000 Yeah why is this so hard to give us lol
I was thinking about this the other day – switch2 simulating sw1 TV mode on handheld. Hopefully, the battery wont suffer too much.
I got an update for my joycons and pro controller as well
@EarthboundBenjy For one the game will be rendered at 1080p, native resolution of switch 2 screen, instead of default 720p. So it will be a whole lot crisper image. It's literally a game changer for blurry switch 1 games on switch 2 handheld mode.
@NinTyre Nah it's great, like I have "friends" that I don't really know, know, so I forget where they're from, favorite games to play together etc, now I'll know. I wouldn't want it to be seen by them though … It's a great feature. Wish some other manufacturers had it.
@DennisReynolds And dlss5 for PC hahaha no for real, that looks so bad…
@Droideka75 Can't believe DF are shilling for that crap.
I've been wishing for this and wondering if it's possible since launch. This is a game changer.
People have been begging for the handheld boost mode thing online ever since switched launched but few of us thought Nintendo would actually ever bother to implement it. It’s such a pleasant surprise that they did listen and include this feature. What a great update! 😁
Some of the other QoL changes are nice to have here too, such as aeroplane mode quick toggles and video playback shortcuts on eShop.
And honestly so refreshing not to be subjected to the same old horse related jokes for the 1000th time 😅
Still no themes or system music. 😮💨
A proper update! That is exciting. I know they had one a few months after launch, which was great too.
Very happy to see that and hope they launch these once every 6 months or so to keep this machine updated, unlike the Switch 1 that was pretty much abandoned after it released (apart from new games).
Would love to get system music like the Wii U.
I'm sure I'm geeking out over this new feature, but I absolutely LOVE that Nintendo has added this feature: "Added the ability to see the breakdown of storage capacity by data type for the system memory and microSD Express card." This is just the kind of additions I want in a modern system. Thank you, Nintendo!
@Jeronan
1. Nintendo rightfully doesn't assume that a Switch in handheld mode will be connected to power. Given that the whole point of handheld mode is to be handheld, and thus the reasonable assumption is that the user won't be tethered to an external power supply, nor will want to be.
2. Cooling is absolutely a concern. Passive cooling still has a finite ability to eliminate heat. Also, not only are you actually holding the device ( thus making the heat output a much bigger usability issue ), but running in a hacked "handheld docked" mode would have greater heat output than even normal docked mode ( because in addition to running the chips at full power, you are also running the screen and speakers, which generate their own heat ).
@Hwatt Metroid Dread will most likely run at 900p even with Boost Mode enabled, since the original Switch would run the game at that resolution when docked.
I must test this out soon – although I'm still looking for a Hori D-Pad or something as good as the Zelda themed one they had for Switch. I enjoy handheld mode that much better. Anyone with any good ideas till Hori move their ass on that one?
Ok so great update overall – but themes…Man themes…for the love of whatever is left holy in this world…."By the power of who gives an F…".. . Themes please. Even a colour other than black and white would be ok for a day or two.. Something different.
Who here can ask Nintendo this if they have any plans whatsoever to incorporate it.
@Hawkes142
Ah – Thanks for the clarification. Well, hopefully 900p scales in 1080p better than 720p 
That new boost feature sounds cool as hell. The PS5 had something similar with PS4 games, forcing them to run the PS4 Pro versions and having less dynamic resolution scaling in games that had that. This was also commonly requested when they announced the Switch 2.
The only downside I see to this is that I’m sure it’ll harm battery life with Switch 1 games in handheld. The only question is how much.
@metaphysician The switch 1 actually has an active fan, its not using passive cooling. It has heat vents in the top.
The Switch 2 also has a large air vent in the top.
@metaphysician 2 things here
No Switch unit which can be docked has passive cooling, any dockable switch has a fan at the back which vents out the top of the system
The Switch 2 running Switch software in docked mode resolution / perks will not run the Switch 2 CPU anywhere near as hard/fast as Switch 2 software running at normal handheld play.
@OrtadragoonX was playing Mario Kart 8 deluxe and Smash ultimate for about an hour and a half today and used 17% of a charge from full so… it's not really a battery killer to have boost mode enabled.
Was definitely worth it like…. DAMN is all I can say to how crisp MK8D and Smash looks in handheld now. Also played a small bit of Metroid Prime remastered in handheld, equally impressed with the smoothness of it on that panel now.
Ok I REALLY like the addition of a notes section, but GOD i just wish it was more than 20 characters. I need enough room to fit funny quotes from my friends and 20 characters is never gonna do it for me. Hopefully they update it to like. 50 or something.
@Hwatt I think it will. The same will probably go for games like Metroid Prime Remastered, as well. Both Dread and Prime Remastered really deserve Switch 2 Editions, and it makes me sad to see that Nintendo just doesn't seem to care about Metroid in general.
What does this update do for the Switch 1.
I still have the "Stop Charging Around 80-90%" option selected, yet the battery now says 100%. There must have also been an update that adjusts the percentage visibly while stopping short behind the scenes, for those of us that are bothered by it not showing 100 when done charging.
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