How To Record Nintendo Switch Gameplay

Switch and Switch Lite are undoubtedly some of the most popular and successful gaming consoles that have ever been designed by Nintendo. Since its release, the company has sold nearly 92.8 million units of Switch and Switch Lite which has been sold over 13 million units worldwide (at the time of writing this article) and the legend is going on.   

Both the consoles allow users to take screenshots and capture gameplay with just a press of a button. Additionally, it even helps users to share them on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The only downside is, it supports screen recording for up to 30 seconds only at a time on the fly and further uses a video editor to stick multiple fragments of recordings together into a longer video. In case you wish to record longer gameplays on Switch/Switch Lite, then you need to use a dedicated Capture Card and a good screen recording software simultaneously. 

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at How to capture Nintendo Switch Gameplay using both the in-built method and via Capture Card. 

You might want to read: How To Record PS3 Gameplay Using A PC/Laptop (2022) 

2 Best Ways To Record Gameplay On Switch/Switch Lite (2023)

Let’s start with the freeway to capture Switch Gameplay using built-in screenshots & video capturing functionality. 

METHOD 1: Record Nintendo Switch Gameplay For Free

Follow the instructions below to learn how to use the built-in screen recording feature that comes with Nintendo Switch/Switch Lite. 

STEP 1 – Get started by loading up the Switch Game and playing it. 

STEP 2 – When the moment appears that you wish to capture, simply press and hold the Capture button as shown in the image below. 

STEP 3 – Once the 30-seconds recording is completed, a spinning saving icon will appear on your screen, just like in the screenshot attached below. 

You will see the message ‘Successfully Saved’ when Switch/Switch Lite is done screen recording gameplay on Nintendo. 

Nintendo Switch/Switch Lite offers a plethora of options to trim, copy, delete, capture screenshots, share recordings on different platforms, and send videos on your smartphone for hassle-free sharing. 

You might want to read: How To Add Friends On Nintendo Switch 

METHOD 2: Record Switch Gameplay Without Any Limitations

To be honest, recording gameplays using Switch Console is undoubtedly a straightforward and less time-consuming process. But there are a variety of problems with it, which makes users turn to the second method for recording Switch Gameplays using the Capture Card & Screen Recorder Tool. 

If you’ve decided to bypass the aforementioned limitations, then you require a dedicated Capture Card that can be connected to your computer/laptop. 

What Exactly Is Capture Card?

Well, a Capture Card is a reliable device that relays the screen from Nintendo Switch to another device that will record your screen. Some of the big names in video game capture cards include Elgato HD60 S, Razer Ripsaw, AVerMedia Live Gamer Mini, etc. You can find and purchase the Best Capture Cards from an electronic store, BestBuy near you, or from Amazon/eBay. 

Once you are ready with the aforementioned items, follow the instructions provided below to connect the Switch to your laptop. 

STEP 1 – Attach one end of an HDMI cable into the HDMI OUT port of the Nintendo Switch. Now, plug the other end of the cable into the HDMI IN port of the Capture Card you are using. Similarly, you need to connect your desktop PC/laptop with the Capture Card. 

STEP 2 – At this step, you need to connect your gaming console to your system. Make sure the output ports are connected to the computer/laptop and the input port is connected to your Nintendo Switch console. 

STEP 3 – Now we are all set to use  screen recording software to initiate the video capturing process. Here we take the TweakShot Screen Recorder as an example. It’s a top-notch solution that allows users to record Switch Gameplay on your Windows PC/Laptop for the unlimited duration in HD quality. Besides this, the screen capturing tool supports starting and stopping screen recording automatically as well. Hence, you can schedule the task for screen capturing according to your convenience. Additionally, TweakShot Screen Recorder supports recording via Webcam and audio as well. 

Here are the System Requirements for running the TweakShot Screen Recorder: 

STEP 4 – Now that you’ve successfully installed the screen recorder software on your computer , launch the same and you will be greeted with the following welcome screen. You need to hit the Start Now button to proceed. 

STEP 5 – On the net screen, you will see a simple tutorial that will help you understand how the TweakShot Screen Recorder program works. 

STEP 6 – Now you will see the straightforward dashboard with multiple options to record Full Screen, Select Region, Select Window, and Webcam. 

STEP 7 – At this step, you need to launch the game you wish to record on Switch. 

STEP 8 – Select Full Screen Mode to record gameplay on Switch and hit the Record button. 

STEP 9 – You will be asked to set the Microphone Settings to manage recording system sound. 

STEP 10 – Once you are done making the adjustments, a countdown alongside a floating toolbar will appear on your screen indicating the recording has been initiated. You can manage settings like Pause, Stop, grab Screenshot. 

Hit the Stop button and save the recorded gameplay on the computer as per your choice. So, this was all about how to record switch gameplay on PC. 

Bottom Line

Nintendo Switch offers convenient methods for gameplay recordings: Free & Paid. With the Free method, you can use the built-in Capture button and through the Paid method, you need to invest in a Capture Card and Screen Recording Software. Do let us know which method would be feasible for you and share your experience in the comments section below. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1. How do you record more than 30 seconds on Nintendo switch?

Consider taking the help of a professional Game Capture Card with Screen Recording Software to capture Switch gameplays for more than 30 seconds in HD quality. 

Q2. Can you record switch gameplay without a capture card?

Yes, using the console’s in-built screenshot capturing and screen recording functionality you can easily record gameplays on Switch without using a Capture Card. 

Q3. How to record gameplay on Nintendo Switch?

Follow the instructions provided below to record gameplay on Nintendo Switch: 

STEP 1 = Get started by loading up the Switch Game and playing it. 

STEP 2 = When the moment appears that you wish to capture, press and hold the Capture button. 

STEP 3 = Once the 30-seconds recording is completed, a spinning saving icon will appear on your screen, indicating the screen recording has been saved. 

Q4. Can I upload my Nintendo Switch gameplay videos to YouTube?

Yes! Once you’ve downloaded your Switch gameplay clip, simply navigate to your YouTube account and hit the Upload button. 

Q5. How to record gameplay on PC?

The market has tons of screen capturing software that allows users to screen record gameplays on a desktop. Alternatively, you can take the help of the in-built Game Bar on the Windows system. You can follow the complete guide here on How to record gameplay on PC. 

Q6. How to edit video on Nintendo Switch?

You need to take help from Best Video Editing Software to merge, trim, crop, split, and make other alterations to the recorded gameplays from Nintendo Switch. 

Must-Read: 

• 8 Best Laptop Screen Recorder Tools To Capture Video & Audio (2022) 
• Nintendo Switch Tips, Tricks, and Hacks for Gaming Junkies 
• Top 10 Nintendo Switch Games of 2022 (Free and Paid) 
• Getting Television Audio Lag On Nintendo Switch? Here’s the fix!