Nintendo has finally introduced variable refresh rate support in docked mode for the Nintendo Switch 2, delivering a feature that fans had been anticipating since before the console’s original launch. The addition arrives through firmware update version 23.0.0, released more than a year after Nintendo confirmed that VRR support would only be available in handheld mode, disappointing players who had expected the feature to work across both play modes based on earlier information.
The reversal followed a series of developments that kept fan interest in the feature alive despite Nintendo’s earlier confirmation that it had been dropped for launch. Independent testing later suggested that adding docked VRR support could be technically feasible, and a job listing that surfaced in July further hinted that Nintendo’s engineering teams were still actively working on implementing the capability. With today’s firmware update, Nintendo has now made the feature official, allowing supported games and televisions to output video at a refresh rate that matches the game’s processing speed rather than forcing developers to cap frame rates at fixed intervals such as 30 or 60 frames per second. Nintendo noted that enabling the feature in TV mode requires an update to the Nintendo Switch 2 Dock itself, meaning the improvement depends on compatible hardware alongside the software update.
Beyond the VRR addition, the update brings a range of other changes across the console’s system software. Nintendo added several enhancements to the game chat feature, including the ability to view previously joined chats in a list, join new chats without first selecting friends, and adjust screen size directly from the in chat menu. The update also introduces complete data transfer functionality between two Nintendo Switch 2 consoles, allowing users to move all of their data, including save files and screenshots, when switching to a new console. Additional changes include expanded accessibility support with Portuguese language options for text to speech and voice to text conversion, television specific audio settings that now save individually per connected display, and a renamed video output information menu that gives users more detailed insight into the signals their connected television can display.
The firmware update lands just days after Nintendo’s back to back Direct presentations, which included the reveal of Metroid Ravenous, a new entry in the Metroid series set for a January 2027 release, along with a detailed showcase of the previously announced Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2. Taken together, the string of announcements and this latest firmware update reflect a particularly active period for Nintendo’s Switch 2 platform, with the long awaited docked VRR support addressing one of the more persistent points of criticism players have raised since the console’s original launch.
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