Switch 2 GameChat Beginner Guide: Requirements, Setup, and Limits

Check what you need before you use GameChat

A Switch 2 console. GameChat doesn’t work on the original Switch.
A Nintendo Switch Online membership and a Nintendo Account.
A steady internet connection. Setup runs a connection test.
A phone number on your Nintendo Account, for text message verification.
Friends on your Friend List who approved you for chatting. You must approve them too.
For video only: a compatible USB camera, sold separately.

The Nintendo Switch 2 camera plugs into the USB-C port. Third-party cameras should also work, but they aren’t guaranteed. A standard USB camera plugs into the dock.

Players under 16 need a parent or guardian to set things up first. The parent links the Parental Controls app and registers a phone number on their own account.

Set up GameChat for the first time

Press the C Button on the right Joy-Con 2 to open the GameChat menu.
Select your user. Link a Nintendo Account if the console asks.
Wait for the server connection test to finish.
Select Start. Read the information, then select Next.
Read the Terms of Use.
Select “Consent to GameChat Data Processing,” tick the box, and select Next.
Verify your phone number by text message, or register a number.
Read the friend approval information, then select Next.
Approve your friends, then select OK. Your friends must approve you too.
Read the reminders. Select Next after each page.

Setup is now complete. The C Button also works on the Switch 2 Pro Controller and the GameCube controller.

Start a GameChat session

Press the C Button.
Select your user.
Select Create New Chat.
Select up to 11 friends. A chat holds 12 people in all.
Select Start Chat.

When a friend invites you, an on-screen notice appears. Respond with the C Button or the HOME Button.

Join or leave a chat

Press the C Button.
Select your user.
Select the chat from the list. Past chats show here too.
Select Join Chat.

You won’t see a chat that includes a friend you haven’t approved or a blocked user.

Press the C Button during a chat.
Move to the red X icon.
Select it to leave.

You can rejoin at any time, even when nobody is in the chat.

Mute your microphone

Press the C Button during a chat.
Select the microphone icon to turn your mute on or off.

The built-in microphone works in TV, tabletop, and handheld mode. It filters out game sound.

Share your screen or camera

Press the C Button during a chat.
Select the screen icon with an arrow to share your game.

Only four people can share video or a screen at once. Sharing may turn off by itself when you enter a password or payment details.

Press the C Button during a chat.
Select the video camera icon.
Open the settings and pick face only, face and body without background, or the full camera view.

To watch a friend’s screen, press the C Button and select their shared screen to enlarge it. Your own controls are off while their screen is in focus.

Two friends sitting on a couch playing a console game with controllers — Image Credit: Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Know the GameChat limits

Chat size: up to 12 people. Only four can share video or a screen at once.
Players under 16: GameChat stays off until a parent sets it up. They can chat only with parent-approved friends. Each new video session needs parent approval in the Parental Controls app.
Parental Controls PIN: when Parental Controls are on, the PIN is needed each time you select a user.
Captures: screenshots and videos record only your gameplay. Chat audio isn’t recorded.
GameShare: in select modes, friends in your chat can play without owning the game.
Safety: you can report a user, remove a friend, or block someone. Reporting during a chat ends the session for you.

Some games add more with a camera. In Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV, you and up to three friends can appear on screen with CameraPlay. Which game would you try it in first?

Image Credit: Kamil Switalski on Unsplash