Alex Ruben
How To Manually Update Games on Nintendo Switch 2
If you’ve been fighting with your Nintendo Switch 2 to keep games updated, you’re not alone. Sometimes, the system just refuses to grab the latest patches, or you forget to turn on auto-update and suddenly find yourself missing out on new features. Doing manual updates can help fix bugs or compatibility issues, but it can also be kinda confusing if you don’t know where all the menus are. This guide breaks down how to check for updates, manually update games, and set things to auto so you don’t have to think about it next time.
How to Update Games on Nintendo Switch 2
Access the Home Screen and Find Your Game
First, power on your Switch and head straight to the Home Screen. It’s the hub where all your games and apps live. If you’re trying to update a specific game, scroll through the list until you see it. Sometimes, games hide behind folders or in different pages, so be patient. On some setups, the update button isn’t obvious, so just highlighting the game and checking closely will help.
Open the Game’s Options and Check for Updates
Once you’ve got the game highlighted, press the + button on your controller — that’s the menu button for most of us. It opens the options menu for that game. Inside there, look for Software Update — if you don’t see it right away, you might need to scroll through options or select Other Options. Choosing Via the Internet forces the system to check for an update. If it finds a newer version, it’ll ask if you want to download and install. Sometimes, it just says “Up to date,” even if you suspect otherwise. That could mean your cache is holding onto old info, so a reboot might fix that if needed.
Enable Automatic Updates for Peace of Mind
If you’re tired of manually checking, it’s worth turning on automatic software updates. Here’s how:
– Return to the Home Screen
– Go to System Settings (gear icon at the bottom)
– Scroll down and select System
– Find the option labeled Automatic Software Updates and flip it on.
This way, your Switch will handle the updates itself when it’s connected online. Not perfectly reliable every time, but better than nothing — especially if you’re not always checking manually.
Extra Tips & Troubleshooting
Sometimes updates just won’t download, and that’s super frustrating. Here are some quick things to try:
– Make sure your Wi-Fi is solid. Switches are picky, and a weak connection kills download speeds or causes failures.
– Restart the console — not just sleep mode, a full shutdown, then turn it on again. Sometimes, little glitches need a fresh start.
– Check for system updates first; maybe your firmware needs updating before the game can update.
– If stuck, deleting and redownloading the game isn’t ideal but can sometimes kickstart the update process.
On one machine, this kind of stuff tends to be straightforward; on another, not so much. Not sure why, but messing with the network or system settings sometimes helps.
What Else Might Help?
In some cases, plugging your Switch directly into a router with an Ethernet connector (using a dock Ethernet adapter) can make updates more reliable, especially if your Wi-Fi connection is sketchy. Also, double-check that auto-update settings stay enabled after system updates — sometimes they reset after patches.
Wrap-up
Getting your games the latest updates can be a bit more involved than it should, but following these steps usually sorts it out. Setting up auto-updates is a good move, so you don’t have to think about it, even if it’s not perfect. If nothing works, a factory reset of network settings or even the console might be the last resort. Overall, just messing around with the update menu and toggles does the trick most of the time.
Summary
- Find the game on your Home Screen and press + for options
- Select Software Update and choose Via the Internet
- Check your network connection if updates fail
- Turn on Automatic Software Updates in System Settings
Final thoughts
Hopefully, these tips help to keep your games fresh without too much fuss. Update delays are annoying, but once you get the hang of manually checking or auto-updating, it’s less of a pain. Nothing beats having the latest patch fixes and cool new features right at your fingertips. Fingers crossed this helps and makes your Switch life a little easier.