Update 20.1.0 prepares the Switch 2 transfer
Nintendo has released a new firmware update for the Switch. Version 20.1.0 brings visual changes, new sounds for Nintendo Switch Online and prepares the console for the data transfer to Switch 2. The update is now available.
What version 20.1.0 brings for the Switch
Nintendo has released a new firmware update for the Nintendo Switch. Version 20.1.0 is now available for download worldwide and brings some smaller but still significant changes. According to the official patch notes, the update includes three main points: First, visual changes to the settings for child lock were made. How Gamespot reported, the color of the child safety button in the home screen was changed to red. Second, the sound that is played online from the home menu was adjusted when starting Nintendo Switch. Nintendo presents the Switch 2 in detail in the overview trailer
Nintendo Switch: Patch Notes Ver. 20.1.0
- The attitudes of child locking have been updated visually.
- The sound that is played when Nintendo Switch is started online via the home menu has been changed.
- General improvements in system stability to improve the user experience.
As usual, the update contains general system stability improvements to improve the user experience – a wording that Nintendo fans have been seen with almost every update for years. This standardized description is typical of Nintendo and is often jokingly commented on in the community because it gives hardly any insight into the technical changes.
Preparation for the Switch 2
A note in the update notes is particularly important: Anyone who plans to carry out a system transfer from the Nintendo Switch to Switch 2 via “Local Communication” must update their switch to this latest system version. The Nintendo Switch 2 will come onto the market worldwide on June 5, 2025, cost 470 euros and are difficult to have in the first few months. With the current update, Nintendo is again preparing the existing consoles for the generation change. This follows Nintendo’s tradition to enable the most smooth as possible transition between consoles generations.
When changing from the Wii to Wii U and from the Nintendo 3DS to the New Nintendo 3DS, the company offered similar transfer options. The update is followed by version 20.0.1 from the beginning of May, which made an error code error that some players had experienced after the large 20.0.0 update. Version 20.0.0 was published at the end of April and had added virtual game cards, gameshaare functions and much more.
Automatic installation or manual update
In most cases, the Nintendo Switch automatically downloads the latest system update when connected to the Internet. Users can also check their current menu version and start the update manually using the system settings menu if necessary. In parallel to the Switch update, Nintendo has also released an update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Version 2.0.7 improves compatibility for multiplayer meetings between Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch. It is the first update that the game has received since November 2022.
