Android Has (Unofficially) Made Its Way Onto the Nintendo Switch

Thanks to the Nintendo Switch’s hardware, it is actually sort of based on NVIDIA’s Tegra SHIELD tablets, which means that it can technically run on Android. This is why it wasn’t surprising to see some modders port Android to the console, and just last week, it was reported that an Android ROM for the Switch is in the works that could also be released soon.

If you have been looking forward to this, then you’ll be pleased to learn that over at the XDA forums, the unofficial Android ROM for the Switch has been released. This is a version of Android based on LineageOS 15.1, which in turn is based on Android 8.1 Oreo, so it is a relatively up to date version of Android.

Now, in terms of what you can actually do with it, given that the Switch features a touchscreen display, in a way it kind of functions like a smartphone/tablet. However, there have been reports that the current build is still a bit buggy with regards to battery life, auto-rotation, and with the touchscreen, so it’s not exactly perfect just yet.

We’re not sure we would recommend anyone doing this to their Switch unless they are serious about modding and don’t mind potentially sacrificing their console in the process. Nintendo has been known to crack down on modders, so that’s also a risk worth considering. If you’re interested, you can download the ROM and check out the instructions on how to install it at XDA.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Gaming
Tags: Android, Nintendo, nintendo switch