The same people who originally brought Android to the Nintendo Switch are the Switchroot team, according to an Android 10 update XDA Developers. Although the mod is only available for certain Switch models, users who install it can run programs from the Google Play Store, such as games, emulators, and streaming services such as Netflix and Twitch.
The update also adds a bit more polish to the mod, which makes the Joy-Con sticks work like analog sticks instead of eight-way D-pads, deep sleep support that the developers say ‘can last for weeks’, over the air updates and better Wi-Fi support that promises fewer disconnections.
The real reason for adding Android to a switch is of course that you can play games is not Switch games, like the games playable by Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and PSP emulators in the Play Store. You can see how those perform on the Switch in the video below. Of course, you can also play other Play Store games such as Genshin Impact or programs like Spotify. But you also do not give up the ability to play Switch games, because Android is installed on a microSD card instead of flashing to the console itself.
It is noteworthy that Android on the switch is extremely unofficial. The LineageOS team does not officially support the port, and it is more or less a modified version of the operating system intended for Nvidia’s Shield TV. The use to get Android up and running also only works on Switches that came out before Nintendo’s chipset and battery upgrades, which completely excludes Switch Lite. Even if you own one of the moddable Switches, which you can check with an online tool, some of the guidelines on how to get into the Android bootloader say it’s possible to brick your Switch if you make a mistake. Be extremely careful.
There are also reservations, such as the fact that the games built for the Nvidia Shield are not according to the XDA forum post that serves as a guideline for installing the mod. However, the list of bummers is much smaller than the previous time when the version of Android was LineageOS 15.1, based on Android 8.1 Oreo. The new version is based on LineageOS 17.1, which is a compilation of Android 10.
It’s nice to see this Switch mod gain love and improve over the years. The change log below contains a hefty number of updates, so it’s worth checking out if you are using a previous version.
* Android 10 based on Lineage 17.1
* OTA updates.
* Full Joy-Con and Pro Controller support with analog sticks and rails.
* Support from Hori Joy-Con.
* Deep sleep that can last for weeks.
* An Android TV based building.
* Reworked fan profiles for quieter operation.
* Optimized document support with resolution scale.
* A rewritten charging driver that supports USB-PD and third-party docks.
* Optimized touch screen manager.
* Easier to install via the hecate partition tool.
* Reworked, simpler power profiles.
* Much improved WiFi driver with less downtime.
* Support for TV remote app screens for easy paired control.
* Restart for payload support.
* Improved support for Bluetooth accessories.
* Support for automatic rotation.