You Can Watch YouTube On Switch 2, But It Isn't Pretty

What a workaround. I don't mind YouTube not being part of the Switch 2 software line-up. I use my Switch 2 as a dedicated gaming machine, which it really is meant to be. But I hope it comes for those who really want to have YouTube available on it!

You can also access the entire unrestricted internet with the DNS method. Not sure why this isn't talked about so much more over dated workarounds like this that can load YouTube but then block out external websites accessed through stuff like description links.

"Switchbru" is the place you're looking for the DNS method btw.

Thats pretty funny, if im being honest. It feels like that could affect the game's rating though. If you can watch YouTube videos, does that mean other, more provocative video sites work?

I remember I found a way to access the Nintendo website through the Mario Odyssey snapshot competition news stories. I think this was before YouTube launched so it was pretty weird to watch trailers for random old games on the Switch! Unfortunately I forgot to bookmark the news stories and I’m pretty sure they’ve been deleted now.

You can also play Doom through Super Animal Royale.

@Divide_and_Wander : "Online interactivity" (or similar) is the all-encompassing disclaimer for online material that cannot feasibly be classified.

Want to watch YouTube? Let's go ahead and accept this random EULA first.

Yeah, I'm still waiting for a native YouTube app for Switch 2

Holy jank. Neat there’s a way but 360p is abysmal so will pray that the YouTube app comes sooner rather than later

And here I was expecting some tricks involving the official Switch application to get around whatever difficulties are leading to the "unsupported" listing in the compatability information...

(No, really, I was. And that's because the official application's compatability information is listed as "unsupported" and not outright "incompatible"--the Crunchyroll listing is a good example for that label--and it would have taken an "incompatible" label to get me to suspect a browser trick.)

Sounds like what it used to be like trying to watch them on the Wii's browser. I don't miss that

unfortunately, this trick requires you to download super animal royale, something no sane person should ever do

When Wii U gave us YouTube, not every TV was online, so getting YouTube (and Netflix) to your TV through your console was kind of groundbreaking. A lot has changed in the 14(!) years since. If I want to see something on Youtube, I can pull it up on my big TV with a couple button clicks, or just reach into my pocket. (An option back then, but not for everyone just yet.)

Shame, still looks really nice on the OLED.

YouTube on the phone app without Premium isn't pretty either. They default the resolution to 720p, and you need to change it manually every time. At least that's my experience with app. I switched to using the website in Firefox.

lol ... as if that's something anybody could need XD I was surprised that they'd actually come up with a Youtube app for Switch 2 ... what is the point...

This reminds me of one time when I posted a screenshot to Twitter from my Switch, and there was some sort of glitch which allowed me to actually access my logged-in Twitter feed on the Switch. Not something I had much reason to do (and it wouldn't be possible now of course, not that I use Twitter any more) but it was a fun novelty.

Genuinely baffling that the Switch 2 doesn't have a functional YouTube app. The system presumably could show off that 120 FPS in 1080p on some videos (perhaps even in 4k when docked).

I wish they would just bring back the web browser as a standard Home Menu app, like it was on the Wii U and 3DS. I feel it would add a lot of value to the system and even alleviate some folks' reasons for wanting to "jailbreak" the devices. Alas, I can think of many reasons why Nintendo will never do so.

Who is using their Switch to watch YouTube in the first place?

I'm aware the Switch is a tablet (with a built-in gamepad) yet I still think that a console doing only console things is not bad.

Remember the Xbox One being all about "TV" to the point people came to mock Microsoft for that shoehorning? Remember when the Wii U's marketing was about how you could still play your game on the tablet gamepad even if the TV was no longer available to use and ended up being one of Nintendo's biggest flop?

@saanaito Sorry but the Switch 2 is a video game console and we're basically in an era where anyone could see a video on the palm of their hand. The 3DS web browser was quite awful (and couldn't even read videos) and I'd rather have Nintendo worry about making games than implementing that app.

Also sorry but why would somebody jailbreaking a Switch just so they could watch youtube videos? I assumed that it was to play games without paying (and more rarely cheating online).

YouTube is disgusting, both the app and its policies. I'd rather they bring Dailymotion, Odyssey, or even Bitchute to S2 than YouTube.

I can't imagine being desperate enough to do this. Or to watch YouTube on switch at all

Someone's getting fired for missing that one.

Love my Nintendo Switch 2 so much. 😍😍😍😍 I don't mind if proper YouTube app not on Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo Switch 2 is all about gaming like Nintendo Switch did. Sony and Microsoft can have inmate through TV apps and TV stream apps while Nintendo only gaming. I wish Sony and Microsoft stop TV ***** and only gaming focus system that what video games is about in my opinion.

Nintendo Switch 2 better then PS5 and Xbox Series right now since Nintendo Switch 2 launched. That's my opinion and how I feel about own all.

Just use your phone or computer at this point...

@Johnny_Arthur The best would be the ability to share video clips to your friends directly without the need to have Youtube nor Facebook.

@Smackosynthesis I know that it was usually kids too young to have a computer or a phone who had to use the Switch for Youtube yet I think that if a kid is not ready for a phone or a computer they should not be ready to use Youtube either.

That sounds like wayyyy to much effort to do something I can very easily already do on more or less every other device I already own.

In fact I'd even go as far as to say that even if the Switch 2 had an actual dedicated You Tube app, I probably still wouldn't use it because it's just quicker and easier to use my phone or TV

My kids and I loves Animal Royal, super addictive game!!

These are the sorts of reasons I’m still waiting to buy a switch 2

Fair I guess. I only have Shining Resonance Refrain's e-manual aka it's website it directs to that I know of for Switch 1.

I do wonder if the game happens to be particular with memory usable or other things but otherwise if this game/app works by all means they are getting a lot of weird users jumping into it and hour counts for the game. XD

Loophole games whether for hackers or not yeah, I assume they may patch this out.

You can use YT on anything at this point but sure. I get it.

I haven't even launched YT on my Switch 1 yet. I waited a while to use it on my Wii U even till it became awkward to use of hardware limits and discontinued.

At least PS4/Xbox One 8GB of RAM and more are fair for web browsing still.

No idea how Switch 1 holds up with it. But yeah whenever companies can make their apps available on consoles is anyone's guess.

Xbox One/Series you can use Edge while the other platforms yeah they hide it on purpose for other use cases with Minecraft marketplace or websites with the manuals for 3rd party developers or whatever the case for accessing particular content.

I think Sony/Nintendo got sick and tired of the 'particular searches' on their web browsers.

I can't find the link to the article or the info but the top particular searches were hilarious to read that's for sure. I just can't find that article or any that covered the search terms used.

Either way.

@Gryffin does your phone support widevine L1, required for full hd and above on streaming sites. I don't pay and get the full range of resolutions that a video was uploaded in.

I remember at least once I watched one of the Let's Players I was regularly watching back in the day on YouTube on my Wii. I don't recall if it was a dedicated app or if I had to watch through the web browser Nintendo released.
I want to say my PC monitor died and that was a workaround until I could get to the store to buy a new one.

I want to say I also once bought a few SNES games through eBay through the 3DS web browser just to say I did.
That brief time when browsers on Nintendo consoles were up-to-date with modern browser technology before Nintendo lets them wither and become outdated. (though I was still able to use gmail in a pinch some years later due to Google running in a mode supporting outdated browsers)

This is far from the first time.
There is a PSP game called Gripshift that sounded kind of interesting when I read a magazine review. But the real reason the game's price briefly skyrocketed in the mid 2000s was because of an exploit to access a built-in web browser before the official PSP web browser was released, as I recall how it went.
Still have the game I picked up after the prices settled back down but it's in the forever backlog.

I lived inside the YouTube application on Switch 1. My understanding is that the only reason it isn't on Switch 2 is because it didn't run properly, and that they are planning on releasing it. I hope that's still the case!

@G_and_Thomas Even in this day and age, not everyone can afford multiple devices. and/or they may not want their children to have a regular smartphone/tablet/laptop yet. For those situations, having an app for one of the most popular video streaming platforms and/or having a basic web browser would still allow someone who sunk money into a Switch/2 to get value out of it beyond games. (Also, if a parent doesn't want their kids to use those features: that's what parental controls are for.)

And clearly, there's a desire for it! Nobody would go out their way to discover (and spread the word about) a workaround like this if nobody wanted the result.

Many gaming systems have had web browsers built in (and exposed to the user) or available as an official, downloadable app. On Nintendo's side: the original DS, the DSi, the 3DS, the New 3DS (it got its own version); and the Wii and Wii U. Even Sony's PSP had a browser! (and the Vita, and the PS3 and PS4) The problem with the handheld browsers is that they all have extremely limited memory and compute power; and the modern web is filled with demanding, resource-intensive websites (especially the scripting and resource load for ads and tracking!). In spite of these and other problems, web browsers persisted on game consoles for quite some time, and technically persist today!

As for hacking/"jailbreaking" Switches: not everyone is a pirate or a cheater. I'll admit that I'd probably copy my own Game Cards to my Switch's microSD card if I could unlock mine (and delete them if I sell the Game Card), but other than that, I'd like to test out a Linux distro on it, or maybe just load it up with homebrew. (A save file manager (for offline backups) and a copy of RetroArch would be plenty for me. And, yes, a web browser. Because my Switch 2's screen is bigger than my phone's, and my eyes are already not the best.)

@saanaito "Even in this day and age, not everyone can afford multiple devices."
Then it means your life priority should be for actually vital things (like food, shelter and hygiene). There are cheap second hand phones and laptops for online job hunting but this is more important than buying a video game console.

I couldn't care less of the "to get value out of it beyond games" because a video game console is made for that. I do think that retro game consoles were great because you turned them on, inserted the cartridge/disc and voila no need to update the firmware nor being distracted by ads (like on the Xbox since that one update).

The original DS required a separate app (which used the GBA port on the DS Lite). In 2026 the need for those on handhelds is lessened.

@KingMike
Haha, I had forgotten about Gripshift. I had gotten it for that exact reason. When we lost the internet one summer. I used my neighbor's internet for a few days that way. That was before there were so many ways to go online.