Nintendo Switch 2 update improves the resolution of Nintendo Switch 1 games.
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A Nintendo announced an update to Nintendo Switch 2 this week with a series of increases, including the Enhanced Portable Mode, a setting that improves the graphics of older games developed for the Switch 1 to the highest quality. Full HD (1080p). 22.0.0 version It's already available, and Showmetech tells you all about the new update, plus a step-by-step guide on how to activate the new feature.
Discover Enhanced Portable Mode
Owners of the original Nintendo Switch who upgraded to the new generation console reported a graphical glitch: older games, previously designed for compatibility with the original Nintendo Switch, were now displaying... blurry graphics when they were initiated into Nintendo Switch 2.
The distortion occurred due to the difference in rendering capabilities that the console screens supported – while the original Switch displayed games on... HD resolution (1280×720)The Switch 2 has a screen with... FHD resolution (1920×1080)The difference in the number of pixels between the two models causes the image to be scaled, giving a "blurred" effect and loss of focus.
As a form of revision, the Nintendo Switch 2 update incorporates the “Enhanced Portable Mode”(Or "Handheld Mode Boost“, in the English version), a feature that It improves the performance and graphics of older generation games..
It's important to note that this mode does not natively render or update games designed for the Switch 1. In fact, the “Enhanced Portable Mode"Enables and instructs these games internally as if they were running in TV Mode, thus achieving the..." Full HD resolution.
Some videos are already circulating on social media around the world, showing a comparison between gameplays of Nintendo Switch 2 with and without activating the “Enhanced Portable ModeThe channels GVG e Nintendo Life They analyzed titles that were the target of the most criticism, such as "Xenoblade Chronicles 2," "Spyro Reignited Trilogy," "No More Heroes 3," and "Xenoblade Chronicles X." Check it out below:
According to an analysis by the portal EurogamerWhen the user enables the mode, the Joy-Con 2 controllers begin to connect in a way very similar to a standard controller. Pro Controller, disabling some extra features, such as motion controls and the touchscreen.
Games like “Super Mario Maker 2","Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee","Super Mario 3D All Stars","Skyward Sword HD","Clubhouse Games","Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun!"and "Pikmin” (1 and 2) would be harmed by the “Enhanced Portable Mode"Activated. A" Nintendo They have not yet commented on whether any games will be prohibited with the new update feature.
Step by step to configure
Interested in “Enhanced Portable Mode...and wants to set it up right now on your Nintendo Switch 2Read carefully the step by step Below, taken from the official Nintendo website, follow the instructions. First, you need to... update your machine – this happens automatic if the console is connected to the internetIf you haven't updated, follow these steps:
Step 01Go to “Console settings”, then click the “Menu” button;
Step 02Next, select the topic “ConsoleFrom the left sidebar menu, another field will open on the right with clickable shortcuts.
Step 03Select the first option – “Console Update”;
Step 04The Nintendo Switch 2 operating system will check for available updates and, if any are found, the download will begin automatically.
After your Nintendo Switch 2 must already be updated., follow these instructions to enable the “Enhanced Portable Mode"
Step 01: in the menu HomeThen, click on “Console Settings” again;
Step 02Within this section, click once more on the "Console" topic in the left-hand sidebar menu;
Step 03Scroll down the screen and find the option "How Nintendo Switch software works".
4. Finally, you will find the option to activate or deactivate Enhanced Portable Mode. Click the circle once to activate it and twice to deactivate it.
Other updates in version 22.0.0
The Nintendo Switch 2 update from March 2026 also included bug fixes and the addition of new features within the console.
Among the highlights are new supports for the GameChatNow, in version 22.0.0, you can Invite your friends to GameChat sessions. whichever you are participating in, even accounts that have completed the initial setupAccounts managed by parents and Nintendo Switch 1 users are not affected by this update. Aside from that, there were... Improved quality of the expanded screen for shared games..
Airplane Mode has gained new features: in this update, from now on, when Airplane Mode is enabled, previously defined Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or NFC settings will be saved and applied. Users can also individually enable or disable these settings in "Quick Settings" while Airplane Mode is on.
Other advances in this wave include a New animation and text when loading a new virtual game. on the Home page, Addition of Portuguese from Portugal to "Voice-to-text conversion in GameChat"view the distribution of storage capacity between memory and microSD card and sending a Notification about PIN connection to the parental control account on the registered mobile phone..
See also other features:
Sources: Eurogamer; Engadget; Nintendo
reviewed by Victor Pacheco in 19 / 03 / 2026
