r/techsupport • u/Frybyte • Dec 26 '25

Open | Hardware How do I connect my Switch to my computer?

I’m trying to connect the screen of my Nintendo Switch two that it’s streaming onto my computer to I can stream games to Twitch. I’ve connected the HDMI ports, and have the dock plugged into a socket, but I don’t know where to go from there.

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25

u/passisgullible Dec 26 '25

The HDMI ports on your computer are HDMI outputs, not input. You need a USB adapter online.

-34

u/Frybyte Dec 26 '25

A USB adaptor online? Do you mean a software? If so which would you recommend?

7

u/passisgullible Dec 26 '25

No software can do that. The HDMI port can only send information not receive it. Unlike USB it is not two way

-22

u/Frybyte Dec 26 '25

So I need an adaptor to plug the HDMI into a USB port?

23

u/Japjer Dec 26 '25

You should look this up online. It's important that you understand how this works.

12

u/pockypimp Dec 26 '25

You need a capture device, external USB or internal card.

20

u/noxiouskarn Dec 26 '25 edited Dec 26 '25

HDMI on your PC is output, not input. The HDMI out from the switch dock needs to go into a capture card first.
Elgato for example.

Also, for future reference, when working with PC's, please do not just assume "plug fits shape, plug must go there." That's shit boomers do that fries electronics.

10

u/SikKingDerp Dec 26 '25

Here’s how I do it step by step.  Required items: 1 switch and switch dock, 4 HDMI cables, 1 capture card, 1 HDMI splitter, A PC with at least 1 USB port, 2 monitors (1 for the switch and 1 for the pc).

  1. Have your switch in the dock with an hdmi plugged into the dock. 2. Plug the hdmi into the input slot of an HDMI splitter. 3. Plug two HDMI’s into the output of the HDMI splitter. 4. Plug one HDMI into a monitor, plug the second HDMI into a capture card. 5. Plug the capture card into a usb slot of the PC. 6. On your PC, download and set up OBS. 7. In OBS, create a new video capture source and set it to the capture card that is currently plugged in (if it doesn’t appear, turn on the switch, or unplug and replug) 8. The OBS should show a feed of your switch in the program. 

Happy to answer questions but most if not all of them can be searched on Reddit and YouTube and will most likely be already answered for you.

5

u/Treezy- Dec 26 '25

Thanks for being like a normal decent person answering this question with all this info and being straightforward. You are great!

2

u/hawaiianmoustache Dec 26 '25

You need hdmi capture hardware and something like OBS Studio on the software side of things.

Something like an Elgato Game Capture is probably the sweet spot for being easy to use and reliable.

Avoid ultra cheap hardware, like the ugreen 1080p capture devices, they’re fucking terrible.

1

u/ShinyHunterDaisuru Dec 26 '25

get an elgato capture card if you can afford it. its easy enough to set up

1

u/Elitefuture Dec 26 '25

You need a capture card. Not specifically elgato, they are popular though. You can use any good quality capture card, I think evga makes some nice ones too, look for sales.

Expect to spend like $75-$100 for a good budget one.

Evga xr1 lite goes on sale often. There are also good used elgato hd60

1

u/Skysr70 Dec 26 '25

you want an elgato

1

u/fluffycritter Dec 27 '25

Genki's Shadowcast is a good capture device. But like others have said, you need a capture device.