The Switch 2 is Nintendo’s most powerful game system yet, and the first capable of running games at 4K resolution and in high dynamic range (HDR). Its 6.8-inch LCD screen is big and bright, but it’s only 1080p, which means you need to dock it and connect it to a TV if you want to see every single pixel it’s capable of pushing.

Ideally, the new console will do most of the work of making that happen, but that’s not always a certainty. Fortunately, I’m not only PCMag’s resident Nintendo system reviewer, I’m also its home theater expert and a certified TV calibrator. Follow these steps to make sure you’re getting everything you can out of your Switch when you’re playing it on your TV.

1. Are You Using the Correct HDMI Port?

Not all HDMI ports are created equal. They’re classified under different standards that enable different features like higher resolutions, faster refresh rates, and HDR. The most current standard is HDMI 2.1, which supports 4K video at 120Hz. The Switch 2 can’t go quite that far, but it can output 4K video at 60Hz or, optionally, lower-resolution 1080p (HD) or 1440p (QHD) video at 120Hz. You’ll probably want to use the sharpest 4K60 video most of the time, and for that, you need an HDMI 2.0 port.

HDMI 2.0 is very common now and can be found on almost all 4K TVs made in the last several years. If your TV is older, though, it might only have HDMI 1.4b, which will accept 4K video but only at up to 30Hz. It also might mix and match the HDMI port standards between those three. 

(Credit: Will Greenwald)

Look at the ports on the back of your TV and check if there are any identifiers beyond “HDMI.” Most TVs mark their ports clearly as resolution and refresh rate combinations like 4K60, 4K120, 4K144, or as the HDMI standards themselves. Make sure your Switch 2 is plugged into a 4K60/HDMI 2.0 port or better. That will let you get the most out of the system. If you have other game consoles or a gaming PC, consider saving any 4K120/HDMI 2.1 ports for them since they are capable of outputting at higher refresh rates.

2. What to Do If You Lose the Included HDMI Cable

Like HDMI ports, HDMI cables also have different capacities. Fortunately, Nintendo has you covered here: The Switch 2 comes with a cable that supports the system’s output (4K60 and 1080p/1440p120). You should use it.

If you lose the included cable, make sure you replace it with a Premium High Speed HDMI cable. This type of cable has a bandwidth of 18Gbps, which is required for 4K60. These cables will be clearly marked as Premium High Speed and should have a fancy sticker on the box showing that they’re certified as such.

3. Check If You’re Getting 4K HDR on Your TV

(Credit: Nintendo)

The Switch 2 should automatically output at 4K and enable HDR once you connect it to your TV, but check to make sure. Go into the system menu and scroll down to Display, then select Dock Output Information. This will bring up a screen showing what the dock is currently sending to your TV. 

If it says 3,840 x 2,160 under Resolution and HDR under Outputting, you’re all clear. You can start playing Switch 2 games at 4K60 in HDR. Have fun! 

If it doesn’t say that, or if you want to use a higher refresh rate at a lower resolution, read on. 

4. How to Enable 4K

(Credit: Nintendo)

In the same Display menu, right above Dock Output Information, there’s a TV Resolution option. When set to the default Automatic, it should output at 4K, but if not, you can try to force it to output at 4K by selecting 2160p (4K) from the dropdown menu. If the screen blacks out and doesn’t come back after a few seconds, double-check the HDMI cable and port to see if there’s a bottleneck there. 

5. How to Enable HDR

The Switch 2 should detect HDR support and walk you through enabling it when you first set it up, but if that isn’t the case, you can fix it in the Display menu. First, make sure the RGB Range option is set to Full Range. Next, scroll all the way down through the TV settings to HDR Output and make sure it’s set to For All Software or Compatible Software Only. After that, you can choose Adjust HDR below it and follow the instructions to adjust HDR brightness to best fit your TV.

If you don’t have HDR after that? Check the cable and port to make sure the signal is getting to your TV properly.

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6. Did It Get Dimmer? You Might Have to Turn HDR Off

(Credit: Nintendo)

After all that, you might actually want to turn HDR off to get the best picture on your TV. HDR should let the Switch 2 tell your TV to get brighter and more colorful than a standard dynamic range does because that’s the point of the technology: It increases the range of light each pixel displays. However, some TVs will actually show a dimmer and more washed-out picture when the Switch 2 is outputting in HDR. I encountered this on my Hisense TV and have seen several reports of users experiencing the same issue.

If the Switch 2 doesn’t look quite right on your TV despite all the settings seeming correct, go back into the Display menu, scroll down to TV settings, and set HDR Output to Off. The TV should blackout for a few seconds and then look better than it did with HDR.

Note: Don’t disable the HDR Output option at the top of the Display menu. That setting is for the Switch 2’s screen itself, not your TV, and that screen should automatically and consistently look good.

7. Optional: Use a Lower Resolution for 120Hz

(Credit: Nintendo)

The Automatic resolution setting will default to outputting at 4K60 if your TV can handle it. If you’re willing to compromise sharpness on the chance that the game you play can push past a 60fps frame rate, you can manually set the output to 1080p or 1440p (QHD). With that set, scroll down the Display menu again and make sure 120Hz Output is checked. If the game you’re playing supports it, you can then play at a lower resolution and higher refresh rate.

This is a big if, depending on both the game and your TV. I’ve found that TVs handle video signals that combine lower-than-4K resolutions with higher-than-60Hz refresh rates very inconsistently, especially when the source device doesn’t have variable refresh rate (VRR). VRR is a feature that synchronizes the refresh rate of the signal and the TV even if it changes, and it’s very helpful for games where frame rates can change wildly based on what’s being rendered. While the Switch 2 has VRR for its own 1080p120 screen, its HDMI output is locked to 60Hz or 120Hz.

In other words, if you really want the smoothest gameplay possible, you might want to just take the system out of the dock and play it in your hands instead of on your TV, and save the docked mode for nice, sharp 4K games at a more modest 60Hz.

8. Are You Using the Right TV Settings?

Even if the right signal is being sent out from your Switch 2, your TV has to know how to best handle it. This should be automatic, especially if your TV is fairly new. The Switch 2 supports Auto Low-Latency Mode (ALLM), which tells your ALLM-equipped TV to automatically switch to its Game mode to reduce input lag when you’re playing on it. If your TV doesn’t have ALLM, though, you should manually switch its picture mode to Game or Gaming. Doing so can be the difference between your game feeling like it’s responding to you instantly and feeling like you’re playing a bathtub full of pudding.

9. Only for NSO GameCube Classics: Use Widescreen Mode When Available

F-Zero GX’s widescreen option. (Credit: Nintendo)

Most TVs from the ’90s and early 2000s had a 4:3 aspect ratio instead of the 16:9 widescreen we’re all used to today. Nintendo was forward-thinking at the time, though, and so the N64 and GameCube both support outputting widescreen video. Most games were still released in 4:3, but a few were programmed to take advantage of their systems’ 16:9 capabilities.

Today, when you play an N64 or GameCube game on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, you’ll be greeted with a 4:3 picture with black bars on the side. You’ll probably want to fix that, and for games that support widescreen, you can. You just need to manually enable it in each game as you play it.

In some games, like F-Zero GX, the option is in the Settings menu off of the main menu. In Goldeneye 007, it’s hidden in a sub-menu in the pause menu. You might need to dig, but it’s worth finding the setting, whether you’re playing on your 16:9 TV or the Switch 2’s own 16:9 screen.

About Will Greenwald

Lead Analyst, Consumer Electronics

I’ve been PCMag’s home entertainment expert for over 10 years, covering both TVs and everything you might want to connect to them. I’ve reviewed more than a thousand different consumer electronics products including headphones, speakers, TVs, and every major game system and VR headset of the last decade. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and a THX-certified home theater professional, and I’m here to help you understand 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and even 8K (and to reassure you that you don’t need to worry about 8K at all for at least a few more years).

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