Nintendo Switch 2 System Update 23.0.0 Is Now Live, Here Are The Full Patch Notes

Developed over time first seen 2 months ago

Nintendo Life · 2 months ago

Nintendo has released Switch 2 System Update 23.0.0, a wide-ranging firmware update that also brings changes to the original Switch. The headline feature is support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) output in TV mode, which synchronises a compatible television's refresh rate with a game's performance to reduce screen tearing and judder, though this requires a separate dock firmware update to activate. The update also introduces system transfer functionality between two Switch 2 consoles, which will be useful for anyone moving to new hardware.

Beyond these headline additions, players can now toggle Handheld Mode Boost on or off directly from Quick Settings, and the Mii editor has gained multiple background music tracks drawn from previous Mii Maker versions across Wii, 3DS and Wii U. Nintendo also pushed accompanying updates this week for the Switch mobile app, Mario Kart World, Welcome Tour (which adds a "VRR Slider Demo" in TV mode) and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. Reaction from players has been largely positive, with particular enthusiasm for docked VRR support and the return of Mii Maker music.

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In short

Switch 2 update 23.0.0 adds docked TV mode VRR support
New feature lets users system-transfer between two Switch 2 consoles
Mii editor gains music tracks; Handheld Boost now toggleable in Quick Settings

How this story developed

2 months ago Nintendo has published the full patch notes for Switch 2 System Update 23.0.0, confirming a wider range of changes than initially reported, including numerous GameChat improvements, new Virtual Game Card management settings, and the ability to create and share a Mii via QR code.
2 months ago Nintendo has released Switch 2 System Update 23.0.0, a wide-ranging firmware update that also brings changes to the original Switch.
2 months ago Nintendo has released System Update 23.0.0 for Switch 2, finally adding Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support in TV mode after previously confirming this docked feature would not ship.
2 months ago Nintendo has released System Update 23.0.0 for the Switch 2, finally adding Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support in TV mode after announcing the feature ahead of launch and then quietly dropping it.
2 months ago Nintendo has rolled out System Update 23.0.0 for the Switch 2, headlined by the addition of Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support for TV Mode.
2 months ago Nintendo has released System Update 23.0.0 for the Switch 2, also updating the original Switch's firmware, in a release notable for adding Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support in TV Mode.

10 Sep, 09:17The Verge Nintendo’s latest Switch 2 update adds VRR support in TV mode
10 Sep, 09:17Eurogamer Nintendo adds VRR support to docked Nintendo Switch 2 in latest console update
10 Sep, 09:18Nintendo Life Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour Updated To Ver. 1.1.0, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
10 Sep, 10:57Engadget Nintendo's Switch 2 will now sync its refresh rate to your TV for smoother motion
10 Sep, 11:01IGN Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 System Update 23.0.0 Released — Here Are the Full Patch Notes
10 Sep, 16:13Polygon Nintendo Switch 2's New Official Update Brings Back the Wii’s Best Feature
10 Sep, 18:15GameSpot Nintendo Adds VRR To Docked Nintendo Switch 2 Play In The Most Annoying Way
10 Sep, 18:42Nintendo Life Nintendo Switch 2 System Update 23.0.0 Is Now Live, Here Are The Full Patch Notes

Full account

Nintendo has released system software update 23.0.0 for the Switch 2, delivering a firmware feature that many owners had been waiting on since the console's launch: variable refresh rate (VRR) support while docked and connected to a television. Nintendo had originally billed VRR as a core capability of the Switch 2 hardware, but it was absent when the console shipped, leaving the feature to arrive later via software.

VRR works by dynamically syncing a display's refresh rate to the frame rate a game is actually producing, rather than forcing the game to hit a fixed output. This helps smooth out motion and cuts down on visual artefacts such as screen tearing and stuttering, problems that are more likely to crop up in titles with inconsistent frame rates. The feature brings the Switch 2 into line with rival consoles such as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, which have supported VRR for some time. To take advantage of it, players need a television that itself supports VRR, a compatible game, and an updated dock; the option can then be switched on from the Display settings menu.

Beyond VRR, the update introduces several smaller but welcome changes. A new toggle has been added to the quick settings menu for handheld boost mode, giving players faster access to that performance option. The Mii creator has also been refreshed with the ability to play background music while editing, including tracks with a nostalgic nod to the Wii, 3DS and Wii U eras, which can be changed or muted via a button in the corner of the screen. Perhaps most practically, Nintendo has enabled a full "Complete Data Transfer" between two Switch 2 units, making it straightforward to move saves and data across to a new console.

The data transfer tool is likely to prove useful in the coming weeks, with a Zelda-themed Switch 2 console reportedly due next month. The update also lands in a busy stretch for Nintendo, coming just after a pair of Nintendo Direct presentations: one dedicated to The Legend of Zelda, which included a gameplay reveal for the Ocarina of Time remake, and a broader showcase the following day that featured other announcements, among them a reveal for Metroid Prime spin-off Ravenous.

Where outlets differ

From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:

Both accounts cover the same core patch notes, but one framing leans more heavily into the technical mechanics and setup requirements for VRR (dock firmware update, Display settings toggle, need for both TV and game support), while the other keeps the VRR explanation brief and spends more time on tone, including a joking aside about save transfers after console-smashing frustration in Elden Ring.

One account ties the new data-transfer feature directly to the upcoming Zelda-themed Switch 2 hardware as the likely motivation, whereas the other simply presents it as a general upgrade/preservation convenience without linking it to a specific upcoming release.

One account gives more detail on the recent Nintendo Direct broadcasts (specifically naming the Ocarina of Time remake and Metroid Prime spin-off Ravenous reveals) as surrounding context, while the other only references these Nintendo announcements in passing.

Explained simply

Nintendo regularly issues system updates for its consoles, and the Switch 2 (released alongside continued support for the original Switch) receives these periodically to add features, fix bugs and improve performance. Update 23.0.0 is the latest such release, and it stands out for introducing Variable Refresh Rate support, a display technology already common on PCs and other consoles that helps games run more smoothly on compatible televisions.

Nintendo is the key player here, as the sole maker of the console and the one issuing the update, though its effectiveness also depends on third parties: games need to support the feature, and televisions need to be compatible for players to notice any difference. The update matters because it touches on how the hardware performs during everyday play, and because Nintendo continues to roll out meaningful changes to the Switch 2 well after its initial launch, shaping how the console evolves over time.

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