Hardware Requirements
- Nintendo Switch 2 (No way!)
- PC
- Video capture card
Software Requirements
- Parsec
- reWASD*
- OBS
\This software allows you to emulate a Switch Pro Controller\. It is not freeware, you need to pay for it. I’ll just mention this and won’t discuss it further. Maybe there is version available "for free" somewhere. If you know any real free alternative that accomplishes the same thing, feel free to name it.*
SETUP
1) On your host PC (near your Nintendo Switch 2, download Parsec and create an account.
2) Download and install OBS and connect your capture card to your Nintendo Switch 2
3) Open OBS. Under "Sources", click the "+" symbol and add a "Video Capture Device" your capture card should appear there. You can customize resolution, aspect ratio, FPS, and other settings. If everything works, close OBS.
4) Open reWASD and connect a gamepad to your PC (PS4, Xbox, generic, or even rare ones like a Google Stadia controller work).
Note: This is also useful when your Joy-Cons start drifting (because you know they will).
5) There are profiles, select "Nintendo Switch".
6) Click the Nintendo Switch icon and choose "Virtual Switch Pro".
7) Click the Bluetooth icon, select "Local Bluetooth Adapter", and press "Save".
8) Click "Apply to Slot 1"
9) Turn on your Nintendo Switch 2. Instead of pairing a real controller, we will pair the emulated one. If it doesn’t connect, press the pairing button again.
Congratulations! Your controller should now work.
Note: USB adapters can also work.
10) On your client PC, install Parsec, log in, and connect to the host PC.
11) In reWASD, select your gamepad. (Parsec creates a virtual Xbox controller by default.)
12) Repeat steps 4–9 to pair the controller. Next time, you’ll only need to press the pairing button (step 9).
13) Open OBS, right click the video feed, and select "Fullscreen Projector (Preview)".
Now you have a full screen Nintendo Switch 2 feed and a working gamepad.
14) Time to play!
FAQs
How can I turn on the PC remotely?
Use Wake on LAN (outside your network). If that doesn’t work, enable a BIOS setting (found in most motherboards) that controls PC behavior after power loss. Pair it with a smart outlet when you turn on the outlet, the PC will turn on and boot automatically.
Which capture card should I use?
Get one with the lowest latency possible. I use a 50ms card, which is fine. Parsec adds ~10–17ms of latency. For best results, use Ethernet (not Wi-Fi) on both host and client.
How do I turn on the console remotely?
According to u/twiggums you can wake up the console using a smart outlet. (I haven’t tested this.)
Do I really need reWASD.
No. You can use any software or hardware that emulates a Switch Pro Controller. I find reWASD the simplest option. Parsec also has a guide using Titan One Turner, but I won’t cover that.
Image quality looks poor.
Increase Parsec’s bitrate. Raise resolution and switch to H.265 codec. Use ethernet. Experiment with these settings.
Why even do this? The console is portable!
- You won’t always have the console with you.
- I travel between two houses and carrying a brand new console in a third-world city is risky for me and maybe even for you depending on where you live.
- There’s convenience in playing anywhere with just a PC, internet, and a gamepad.
- You can also play with friends remotely, even if they don’t own a Switch 2.
by NPC_invader
8 Comments
Way too much work…especially considering you can literally just pick up the Switch 2 and take it with you.
Jesus Christ who wants to bother with this lol
Man at first thought you meant streaming PC to Switch. Respect this is still useful for your situation. But PC to Switch 2 would be amazing
Would rather not play at all at this point.
I was hoping this would be a browser exploit or similar. This isn’t worth the work at all.
Is this actually a thing ? For a handheld console?
People giving you grief for this need to chill. This is a cool little hack. Who cares if it’s not useful to most of us. Way to go OP.
The switch is a handheld…