Nintendo Switch 2 Firmware 23.0.0 Adds VRR in Docked Mode Alongside Switch 2 to Switch 2 System Transfers

Nintendo has released Switch 2 system firmware version 23.0.0, a sizable update that finally delivers on the company's long-standing promise of variable refresh rate (VRR) support while the console is docked. The same patch also introduces full Switch 2 to Switch 2 system transfers, expands the Mii editor with background music, and brings a long list of GameChat, Virtual Game Card, and accessibility refinements.

The headline change is VRR output in TV mode. Once both the game and the connected television support the standard, the dock will dynamically match its refresh rate to the software's actual rendering speed, smoothing out judder and frame-rate dips that would otherwise be visible on a fixed-refresh display. At launch, the Switch 2 only offered VRR in handheld mode, so games that fluctuated between 40 and 60 fps on a 60 Hz panel still produced visible tearing. Nintendo notes that a separate dock firmware update is required to unlock the feature, and that it can be enabled from a new "VRR Settings" entry inside the Display section of System Settings.

The second marquee addition is complete data transfer between two Switch 2 consoles. Players moving from one Switch 2 to another can now move save data, screenshots, user profiles, and system settings wholesale, a workflow that until now required going through the original Switch as an intermediary. The original Switch also receives its own firmware bump with the same version number, including a partial Switch to Switch 2 transfer path that has been expanded in this release.

Beyond the two flagship items, version 23.0.0 ships a sizable grab bag of smaller changes. GameChat now shows previously joined chats in the join list, lets users start a new chat without inviting friends, and adds a screen-size shortcut via the C button. Virtual Game Cards gain a dedicated Settings entry on the Home Menu, and a new "Play with Online License" prompt appears when a card cannot be ejected from an offline console. The Mii editor can now play background music while you build a character and can export a Mii as a shareable QR code. Accessibility gains Brazilian Portuguese text-to-speech and GameChat speech-to-text options, audio settings are now saved per connected TV, and Sleep Mode wake-up sounds preview at the chosen volume.

The rollout landed on September 10, 2026. Early adopters have already flagged that the new VRR toggle does not appear when the Switch 2 is connected through certain third-party docks, suggesting that VRR activation is gated to first-party hardware until accessory makers ship their own firmware updates.

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour has also been updated to version 1.1.0 on the same day, with its built-in VRR Slider tech demo finally playable in TV mode for owners of compatible displays who have applied the dock firmware update.

The complete system update 23.0.0 patch notes are published on Nintendo's official support site at System Update Information for Nintendo Switch 2, and the separate Nintendo Switch 2 dock firmware update guide walks owners through the additional step required to enable VRR output.