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Even though the Nintendo Switch is so popular among its owners, there are still a lot of things that not everyone knows about this console. It’s able to do a lot more than just play video games! There are some really awesome features on the Nintendo Switch that many owners have no idea about.
To see 10 things you had no idea the Nintendo Switch could do, keep reading!
10 Get Multiple Save Slots
On the Nintendo Switch, saves are tied to the profile that played them, not to the game cartridge itself. And on most games, there’s no option to have multiple saves. So, if you wanted to start a new game without losing all your past progress, you’re kind of out of luck… Right?
Nope! If you go into the settings on your Nintendo Switch and click the “Users” tab, you’re able to add more profiles. This is typically used for a family that all shares the same Switch, but one person can make themselves multiple profiles to get multiple save slots on their games.
9 Get Some Fun Lock Screen Sounds
Many of the secret features on the Nintendo Switch are really handy and helpful. But then, there are some that are just for fun and are plain silly. Not many owners know that you’re able to make your Switch play some fun sounds while the screen is locked. Most people just press the same button a few times to unlock the screen and have never pressed the right buttons to hear these sounds!
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ZR, ZL, and each of the joysticks make a different sound when they’re pressed in if the Nintendo Switch is locked. Next time you’re unlocking the screen so you can play your favorite game, try pressing these buttons so you can hear the funny noises!
8 Use A USB Keyboard
Typing on the Nintendo Switch’s on-screen keyboard can be pretty irritating. If you’re trying to enter your payment information to buy a game, type out a message, or search for a game, it can be annoying to use that keyboard. But luckily, there’s a solution for this.
The Nintendo Switch is able to use various different accessories, including an external keyboard! GameXplain discovered in 2017 that, as long as the Switch isn’t docked, you can plug in a USB keyboard and use it to type. This is pretty handy for people that don’t like using the on-screen one!
7 Check Your Playtime
Ever wondered exactly how much time you’ve put into Breath of The Wild? Honestly, that statistic might be something that we don’t want to know. Completing all the shrines and finding all those Korok seeds takes a long time! And then the amount of time it takes to defeat Calamity Ganon? Breath of the Wild is an easy game to sink a lot of time into.
If you’ve ever wondered how long you’ve played Breath of the Wild or any other game you own on your Nintendo Switch, you can see it on your profile! This can be super interesting to see, especially if you’ve played a game a lot and want to know how long it’s been.
6 Find Your Lost Joy-Cons
The fact that the Joy-Cons detach from the Nintendo Switch is pretty handy! It means that you can play with your Nintendo Switch docked to your TV while you’re across the room or you can play multiplayer games with a friend. But it also means they can become misplaced and lost fairly easily. Yikes!
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If you lose one of your Joy-Cons, your switch can actually find it for you! Go to the “Controllers” section of your homescreen and select the Joy-Con that you lost. Hold down the shoulder button on the Joy-Con you still have and the missing one will vibrate loudly until you manage to locate it.
5 Charge Your Phone
Technology is great but let’s be honest, the battery life on our devices isn’t always that amazing. Luckily, your Nintendo Switch can actually be used as a power bank to charge your other devices! As long as you have a cable that can plug into both your phone and your Nintendo Switch, you can get a little charge on your phone using your Nintendo Switch’s battery life.
Pretty cool, right? This is definitely not the most reliable way to keep your phone charged if it you’re on the go, considering the low battery life of the Nintendo Switch, but it can be helpful in a pinch.
4 Change Regions To Save Cash
One really cool thing about the Nintendo Switch is that the console isn’t region locked and neither are most of the games on it. That means that anyone living anywhere can buy a console and the same games without worrying about what region they’re from the way we’ve had to on other consoles.
But every now and then, a certain region will set a game’s price to be lower than others. If you find out that a game you’ve been wanting costs a little less in another region, you can set your console to that region via the Nintendo website to access the eShop there. Normally, the games will be the same price everywhere, but this is handy for when they’re not.
3 Use Other Console’s Controllers
While the Joy-Cons and the Pro Controller are great for a lot of games, there are some things that they just don’t do perfectly. There are some players that prefer to use third party controllers that they buy from other manufacturers that make them just for the Nintendo Switch.
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But if you’re not a fan of the Joy-Cons and you’re not looking to shell out the cash to get a third party controller, you’ve still got options. If you have a GameCube controller or a DualShock 4 from your PlayStation 4, you can use them on your Nintendo Switch!
2 Lock Your Console
Having a friend or family member potentially take your Switch and play on the saves of your games is something that is a concern for many people. Luckily, the Switch does have a built in way to lock the console so that it will require a pass code in order to get past the lock screen.
Through the use of the Switch’s parental controls, you can set your Switch to need a code to unlock it. When only you know the code, no one else will be able to play your games or purchase anything from the eShop on your account.
1 Turn Your TV On
The fact that the Joy-Cons can turn on the Nintendo Switch is pretty awesome. This is really handy for when your Switch is already docked into your TV and you want to get playing as soon as you sit down and relax. But what if the remote is across the room and you have to get back up to turn it on? Ugh, that’s the worst!
Luckily, the Nintendo Switch has an option in its settings to allow players to turn their TV on when they turn their Nintendo Switch on. No more having to get back up to turn the TV on after you hit the power button on your Switch!
NEXT: Nintendo Switch: The Top 5 Must-Own Exclusives (And 5 You Should Skip)
