Nintendo Switch gets unofficial Android 10 port w/ LineageOS 17.1

Damien Wilde | Feb 10 2021 - 2:07 am PT

After the mobile OS unofficially arrived on the portable console in mid-2019, Android 10 is now on the Nintendo Switch courtesy of another unofficial LineageOS 17.1 port.

This version of Android 10 for Nintendo Switch is actually based upon the LineageOS 17.1 build for the popular Nvidia Shield TV. Naturally, this is a hacky method to get Android running on the games console, which has seen an explosion in popularity driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, XDA’s Adam Conway has managed to get the system to boot directly into Android 10 — in turn opening up even more gaming options with both native Android and cloud-gaming platforms now playable on Switch. With this unofficial LineageOS 17.1 support, the Nintendo Switch has gained a ton of Android 10 features including (but not limited to):

OTA updates
Full Joy-Con and Pro Controller support with analog sticks and rails
Hori Joy-Con support
Deep sleep that can last for weeks
An Android TV-based build
Reworked fan profiles for quieter operation
Optimized dock support with resolution scaling
A rewritten charger driver supporting USB-PD and third-party docks

Optimized touchscreen driver
Easier install via Hekate partition tool
Reworked, simpler power profiles
Much improved Wi-Fi driver with less dropouts
Shield TV remote app support for easy docked control
Reboot to payload support
Improved Bluetooth accessory support
Autorotation support

There are actually a couple of options for those interested in this ROM. It can be run in a tablet build, which offers a pretty standard Android experience. But there is also a dedicated Android TV build — based upon Android 10 — that supports the Nintendo Switch dock although it comes with limited app support.

nintendo switch android 10 — image: Adam Conway / XDA

Naturally, because Android 10 and LineageOS 17.1 are being shoehorned onto the Nintendo Switch, there are quite a few bugs and portions that simply don’t work as intended. Certain titles that have been optimized or built for the Nvidia Shield aren’t supported, plus Bluetooth audio can be choppy. It’s also worth noting that Joy-Con d-pad support is not particularly great.

No matter which version you intend to install, you’ll need some extra hardware including USB-C cable, FAT32 formatted microSD card, and a PC. For those already running Android 8.1 Oreo on their Nintendo Switch, the upgrade to Android 10 is relatively straightforward. Flashing LineageOS 17.1 will remove any and all data from the Switch, so it’s wise to backup beforehand. You’ll still need to sideload a few other bits and pieces including the Google Apps package and an Alarm Disable zip file for full functionality.

If you really, really want to try running Android 10 and LineageOS 17.1 on your Nintendo Switch, then you can find full instructions plus all the precursors in this dedicated XDA Forum post.