The Nintendo Switch has been a phenomenally successful console since it's launch in March 2017. Since that time, a staggering 80 million consoles have been sold by the Japanese gaming behemoth. One of the reasons behind this success is the fact that the Switch seamlessly blends home gaming and handheld consoles. Additionally, Nintendo have allowed a much greater range of third-party developed games onto this console, creating a much wider audience than they might previously have expected.
While we love the Nintendo Switch, there are certain occasions where you might prefer to use alternative controls to the Joy-Con that is made for the console. Today, we'll be considering the possibility of connecting a keyboard and mouse to the Switch. Is it possible? Are there any drawbacks? And what might you need to do? Here's all you need to know.
Can you actually use a keyboard and mouse with the Nintendo Switch?
This is not as straightforward a question as it first appears. The summary is that yes, you can use a keyboard and mouse with the Switch. However, the support is quite limited, which means you won't automatically be able to use it in the same way as you would for PC Gaming, for example.
The good news, is that you can plug any USB keyboard and mouse into your Switch - you don't need a specific make and model. In this set-up, you can use it for basic text inputting, such as entering passwords, much faster than using the on-screen keyboard. You can probably use it for playing Fortnite. The bad news, is that this is pretty much the full extent of what you can do with your keyboard when you plug it in.
But is there anything else you might be able to do, to enable you to use a keyboard and mouse for playing games, or uses other than typing? We have some tips below, to help you on your way.
What are the options for using a keyboard and mouse?
If you are looking to use your keyboard and mouse for more than just text input, there are some options to help with this. Crucially, you need an adapter, to make the mouse and keyboard compatible for playing games. But even with this, there are a couple of caveats.
The first thing to note, is that games on the Switch are not primarily designed with keyboards in mind. This means that you may not be able to change your joypad mapping. If you try, you might end up with scrambled controls. Beyond this though, you really don't need any special keyboard or mouse, as long as it is USB compatible with your adapter.
There are lots of examples of compatible systems, here are a couple to get you started:
- The GameSir VX AimSwitch. Compatible with the Nintendo Switch, it comes with a wireless dongle that you just need to plug into the dock on the Switch, and it connects with the keyboard and mouse.
- Another option is the Hycarus keyboard and mouse adapter. This supports both wired and wireless mouse and keyboards, as well as allowing you to plug in a headset. You then connect the adapter to the Switch.
These are just two popular adapters, there are many others to choose from. The fundamentals remain the same though; plug the adapter into your Switch, connect your keyboard and mouse to the adapter, and away you go.
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