How to connect Nintendo Switch to laptop without capture card

This article explains how to connect the Nintendo Switch to a laptop and play games such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Animal Crossing New Horizons on your computer. Lacking an HDMI capture card, you also can play the PC versions of your favorite Nintendo Switch games on your laptop.

You may recall using an HDMI connection to mirror your computer’s screen on a monitor or TV screen. This is an HDMI Out port and can’t be used for importing other media onto your laptop’s screen.

How to Connect Nintendo Switch to a Laptop

To play your Nintendo Switch on your laptop, you basically use your laptop’s monitor as a TV screen, so you can leave your Nintendo Switch in its dock for the entirety of this setup process.

1. Disconnect the Nintendo Switch’s HDMI cable from your TV.

2. Plug the Nintendo Switch’s HDMI cable into the HDMI In port on your Elgato HD60 HDMI capture card.

   This entire process can be power-intensive, so it’s a good idea to plug both your laptop and Nintendo Switch dock into a power source.

3. On your laptop, open Game Capture HD.

   
   

4. Turn your Nintendo Switch console on by pressing the Home button on any connected controller.

5. Connect the USB cable that came with the Elgato HD60 to the capture card and your laptop.

6. After a few seconds, you should see your Nintendo Switch home screen within Game Capture HD.

   
   

   If Elgato's Game Capture HD software doesn't detect the Nintendo Switch, ensure the HDMI cable is plugged into the capture card's In port and not the Out port. It should be on the same side as the USB cable.

7. Select the fullscreen icon in the top-right corner of Game Capture HD. The program should fill the entire screen.

   
   

8. Be careful not to touch your mouse or keyboard. The Nintendo Switch footage should automatically expand to fill the entire screen by itself. You can now play your Nintendo Switch games on your laptop just as you would on a TV.

   
   

   This same technique can be used for viewing media from any other device that has an HDMI cable.

About Capture Cards

You can use any capture card for this process as long as it has a USB-C connection and an HDMI In port. There are several great capture cards to choose from, but gamers generally consider Elgato cards best because of their affordability, build quality, and ease of use.

We use an Elgato HD60 HDMI capture card and the free Elgato Game Capture HD software for these instructions. The capture card is available from Amazon and the free software from the official Elgato website.

If you’re using another capture card to connect your Switch to your laptop, the steps should be identical. Similarly, most game capture software works the same way, so if you have another program you prefer to use, you can use that instead of Game Capture HD.

The 6 Best TV Capture Cards and Video Capture Cards of 2022

This method does not apply to the Switch Lite.

Another Way to Play Nintendo Switch Games on Your Laptop

If you don’t have an HDMI capture card and can’t afford to buy one, a solid alternative is to play the PC versions of your favorite Nintendo Switch games on your laptop. Many Nintendo Switch controllers are also compatible with laptops or desktop computers, so you won’t need to learn new controls.

Except for first-party franchises such as Super Mario, Animal Crossing, and Pokemon, many of the video games available on the Nintendo Switch are also available from the Microsoft Store app store on Windows 10, Epic Games, or Steam. Some popular online games, such as Minecraft and Fortnite, even support cross-save between devices. That means you can continue a game you started on your Nintendo Switch on your laptop, then carry all of that progress back over to your Switch when you’re ready.

If you regularly buy console games for a PC and have an Xbox One console, check out Xbox Play Anywhere titles. These let you buy the console and PC versions of the game for the price of a single game.

FAQ

• How do I connect a Nintendo Switch to a TV?

  To hook up a Nintendo Switch to a TV, open the back cover of the Nintendo Switch dock and connect the AC adapter and HDMI cable. Plug the other ends of the AC adapter into a wall outlet and the HDMI cable into your TV. Detach the Joy-Cons, place your Nintendo Switch in the dock, and power it on.

• How do I connect a Nintendo Switch to hotel Wi-Fi?

  First, obtain the Wi-Fi password from the front desk. Open the Switch's Settings and select Internet > Internet Settings. Select the hotel's network and submit your login details when prompted. After you've entered the password, your Nintendo Switch will have access to the hotel Wi-Fi.

• How do I reset a Nintendo Switch?

  To reset a Nintendo Switch, press and hold the power button until the console resets, then release and press the power button again. To reset your Nintendo Switch without losing game saves, turn it off, press and hold the volume up and volume down buttons, and press the power button. When Maintenance Mode loads, choose Initialize Console Without Deleting Save Data.

  Can you connect Switch to PC without capture card?

  Method 1: Stream Labs Streaming Application. One of the best and most preferred methods to stream without a capture card is by using stream labs. Moreover, it is also one of the most popular streaming applications and it can work on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Discord, and Twitch.

  How do I capture a Nintendo Switch screen without capture card?

  The most regular way to record Switch gameplay without a capture card is using the pre-installed gameplay capturing tool. This is free and convenient for users who don't want to set up a capture card.

  How do you connect a Nintendo Switch to a laptop?

  On your laptop, open Game Capture HD. Turn your Nintendo Switch console on by pressing the Home button on any connected controller. Connect the USB cable that came with the Elgato HD60 to the capture card and your laptop. After a few seconds, you should see your Nintendo Switch home screen within Game Capture HD.