How to connect Nintendo Switch Lite to TV


A Nintendo Switch Lite displaying Super Mario Odyssey.

Are you sitting there wondering how to connect a Nintendo Switch Lite to a TV? We've put together all the options you have to blow up your handheld on the big screen.

The Switch Lite was released as the smaller, lighter, even more portable sibling to the original Nintendo Switch. That, of course, has the option of being docked, so that you can play it on a TV. But the Switch Lite was never designed with that dual functionality in mind.

So, is it possible to connect the Nintendo Switch Lite To TV inputs? And if so, how do you do it? That's what we'll be exploring in this article. Read on below to find out how to connect Nintendo Switch Lite to TV and everything that goes along with that.

Can you connect the Nintendo Switch Lite to a TV without a dock?

The Switch Lite was never intended to be docked and connected to a television. So, the short answer is no. Nintendo, when designing this purely for handheld use, removed some of the essential components for connecting with a TV. Most essentially, the Switch Lite doesn't have any video output components, so it can't send data to an external screen in the way a Switch can.

Furthermore, the Switch Lite has been intentionally designed by Nintendo to be an exclusively handheld device. It won't for instance, fit into the Nintendo Switch dock. Nintendo already has a console designed for use with a television - the original Switch and its OLED variant.

But they also recognised that for people who want to play a portable console and don't intend to connect it to a TV, they might benefit from something slightly smaller and even more portable. Hence, the Switch Lite.

The USB-C port on the Switch Lite is only there for charging the device rather than for docking or plugging into a television. The lack of components is part of the reason Nintendo were able to make it smaller and cheaper than the original Switch. So that game of Mario Kart will have to stay on your Switch Lite.

How To Connect Nintendo Switch Lite To TV
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Credit: Nintendo

Are there any options to connect a Switch Lite to a TV?

Yes, you can connect your Nintendo Switch Lite to a TV. However, to do this you need to use various third-party cables or products to get the image from your handheld to the television, and the people who have done this generally don't recommend it.

The people out there who have found ways to project the image from their Switch Lite to their television, even by their own admission, say that the image quality isn't great, and there is considerable lag, which spoils the gaming experience. For the vast majority of people, the time and effort required to get this set-up to work could not be justified by the results.

Another way of connecting your Nintendo Switch Lite to the TV (technically) is by recording the hybrid console's screen with a gadget that can do that like a camera, laptop's webcam, or the easiest way: a smartphone. Simply prop up the smartphone onto the Nintendo Switch Lite's screen with a small tripod, connect the smartphone with the proper cable to a display, and fire it all up. There is no lag, and depending on the quality of the camera, the display would be quite good.

If you really want to play Nintendo Switch games on your television, then buy the original Nintendo Switch or the Switch OLED. These consoles are fully intended to be played on a TV as well as while you're on the go. The extra expense is more than worth it for the improved experience.

That's all we have for you on the Nintendo Switch Lite to TV issue. If you are looking for more guides, check out what is a Nintendo Network ID and how to fix a frozen Switch.

For more articles like this, take a look at our Gaming, How To, and Nintendo pages.