Can you use a keyboard and mouse with the Nintendo Switch?

The Nintendo Switch is one of the best consoles on the market, with a huge range of high-quality games with that signature Nintendo charm.

The thing is, those Joy-Con controllers were made for smaller hands. What can you do if you can’t get to grips with the Joy-Cons?

You could buy the Pro controller, and get a similar experience to when you use your Xbox, but then you still have to rely on the virtual keyboard for typing in things like passwords. Isn’t there an easier way?

With the USB ports on the dock, can you just plug in a keyboard and use it with your Nintendo Switch? What about using a mouse to control your games?

So, can you use a keyboard and mouse with your Nintendo Switch?

Short answer: Yes, but you need some accessories to use them in the same way you would on your computer

If all you want is to be able to use a physical keyboard to type in passwords or captions for the screenshots you upload to social media from your console, all you have to do is plug a USB keyboard into one of the USB ports on the Nintendo Switch dock. It’ll get detected by your Switch, and you’ll be able to type in text boxes.

If you want to play games with a keyboard and mouse though, you’ll need to spend a little bit more effort (and money!). We like the GameSir VX Aimswitch, which comes with a dongle and a keyboard and mouse all created to work with every console. Already got a favorite keyboard and mouse? Then you can get the same functionality with the Hycarus Keyboard and Mouse adapter, which also lets you plug in a headset. Either way will let you use your keyboard and mouse to play games.

What do you think? Interested in playing your Nintendo Switch with mouse and keyboard? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

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• Can the Switch play games from Nintendo’s other consoles?

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere. His hobbies include photography, animation, and hoarding Reddit gold.