It’s time to toss that third-party adapter to the side — the Nintendo Switch finally supports Bluetooth headphones. That means your AirPods, Bose headphones or any other Bluetooth-enabled headsets can be paired directly to your Switch for hassle-free wireless audio while you battle Bowser or explore Hyrule on the go.
If you’re looking to figure out how to pair your Bluetooth headphones to your Switch, we’ve got you covered. And now that our favorite earbuds and headphones also double as Nintendo Switch headsets, we’ve got some excellent recommendations for getting lost in your favorite Switch games without fumbling with adapters or wires.
How to pair Bluetooth headphones to Nintendo Switch
Pairing Bluetooth headphones to the Switch is a pretty painless process, and we were up and running with a few of our favorite earbuds after just a few seconds of fiddling. Here’s what to do.
- Put your headphones of choice in pairing mode. This varies by device — for example, on the AirPods or AirPods Pro, you’ll just need to hold down on the button the charging case until you see flashing white lights.
- From the Switch home screen, go to System Settings.
- Select Bluetooth Audio.
- Select Pair Device.
- Select your headphones of choice to get connected.
We were able to pair our AirPods, AirPods Pro and Jabra Elite Active 75t to our Switch without issue, and we didn’t notice any latency or interference when playing games. However, there are a few caveats to keep in mind here.
While you can use your Bluetooth headphones to hear game audio, you can’t use them to chat with friends — that feature is still exclusive to headsets connected via the USB port on the Switch dock or the headphone jack on the system itself. If chatting is a priority, you can use a dual-pairing headset like the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 to connect to your Switch via USB while connecting to your phone via Bluetooth for talking on Discord or the Switch Online app. You can only connect up to two wireless controllers when using a Bluetooth headset, and the feature will be disabled during local wireless play with another Nintendo Switch system.
The best Bluetooth headphones for Nintendo Switch
The AirPods Pro are our pick for the best wireless earbuds for Apple users, and also make a great fit for the Nintendo Switch. They sound great, feel great and last up to five hours on a charge, plus you can take advantage of their active noise cancellation and Transparency modes for blocking out or letting in outside noise while gaming.
If you’re looking for a cheap pair of buds for your next flight or road trip but don’t want to skimp too much on quality, the EarFun Air are the best budget earbuds we’ve used. These buds can hold their own against the AirPods Pro’s sound quality in certain conditions, and their seven hours of continuous battery life is perfect for plane rides.
Our pick for the best over-ear headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM4 stand out with stellar audio quality, a comfortable fit, up to 30 hours of battery life and some of the best active noise cancellation out there.
If on-ear headphones are more your thing, the Beats Solo 3 are the best we’ve tested, thanks to their great overall sound, handy controls and stellar 40-hour battery life. And if you want a pair of headphones that’s just as vibrant as your Switch, the Solo 3 come in nine attractive color options.
Our favorite wireless gaming headset was already compatible with Nintendo Switch via a USB connection, but now you have the option of also connecting to them via Bluetooth when you’re on the go. This means you can enjoy the Stealth 700’s comfortable ear cups and great sound quality wherever you go, or even stay paired to both your Switch and PlayStation at the same time, thanks to the headset’s dual connection capabilities.