How to Watch Netflix on the Nintendo Switch

Can you download Netflix on your Nintendo Switch? This has been a long-standing question. It’s the year 2023, and you’d think by now the standard would be that any system or console would have Netflix installed on it from the moment it was purchased off the shelf. Sadly, that’s just not the case with Nintendo, and the inclusion of Netflix on their systems is still a future feature yet to happen. 

In fact, recently it was confirmed that all Nintendo systems, even those like the Wii that previously had the video streaming service, no longer have Netflix as an additional extra. They made it clear that gaming was the priority. Despite the setback, it seems that even though there’s no Netflix app on the Nintendo eShop, there is still a workaround for Switch console owners to watch Netflix on their devices. 

Can You Download & Watch Netflix on the Nintendo Switch?

The short and simple answer is no. No, you cannot download and install the Netflix app on your Nintendo Switch. Even going via the method of changing your DNS Settings to manual and using the hidden browser to get the Netflix browser version, you still cannot watch anything on there—making it a dead-end process. 

The other method by which you can download the Netflix app on your device, which comes with as many risks as there are rewards, is to have your console jailbroken and install Android OS on it. It’ll operate like a tablet, and you will be able to download apps, games, and more via the Google Play Store. 

This way of working around the no Netflix issue is not user-friendly and can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. So proceed at your own risk. The method for Windows users to install the Android OS and watch Netflix on their Switch can be found on the XDA-Developers’ forum post. The method for Mac OS is found in the NH Switch Guide. Follow the installation steps if you are ready to risk it all.  

A Couple of Risks You Run When Hacking Your Nintendo Switch

• If Nintendo catches you red-handed, you could be banned and unable to access the eShop, lose your online benefits, and
• You could lose your Switch altogether if you make a mistake.

The other untested method is to download the movies, convert them to MP4s, and watch them offline after installing the movies on an SD card. I write untested, as it’s not a road I’ve been down, and I cannot state whether it works better than the other solution. Until there is better news from the company that released 1-2-Switch, it’s one of the options given in this post.

Related: Everybody 1-2-Switch: We Played It So You Don’t Have 

With all the time and effort put into something that is Wii Sports 2.0, just worse, they could have been working on the plan to include Netflix as an app ready to install from the eShop. 

Is it A Problem That There’s No Netflix On a Switch?

It’s a matter of opinion, and in my opinion, it’s a pain that there’s no Netflix on a Nintendo Switch. Breaking between games could have been seamless, going from gaming and grinding to Netflix and chilling. 

Like the PlayStation 5 and other consoles, we want to go to one place that holds all our favorite apps and games. Hopefully, it will all change for the better, and soon we will get to watch Netflix on a Nintendo Switch without having to go through the back door. 

Did you know you can use Bluetooth Headphones on a Nintendo Switch? If not, read How to Connect Bluetooth Headphones to the Nintendo Switch.