New Nintendo Switch System Update Released, Patch Notes Revealed

Nintendo has today let loose firmware version 18.0.0 for Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED platforms. To this point in 2024, a new patch for Switch systems had yet to be released. This is likely due to the fact that the Switch itself is now over seven years old, which means that Nintendo has largely finished adding new bells and whistles to the platform. Fortunately, for those still looking for new revisions of the hardware to come about, Nintendo has now made a couple of small tweaks to the platform.

Downloadable at this very moment, Nintendo Switch update 18.0.0 doesn't do a whole lot in the grand scheme of things. The main addition with this patch is the ability to select an option for the Switch to go into Sleep Mode after 15 minutes when playing the console on a TV or monitor. This setting can now be chosen in the Sleep Mode Settings of the Nintendo Switch. Other than this, Nintendo has added Korean language support to the Parental Controls opening video alongside "general system stability improvements".

If you're looking to download this patch for yourself, there's a good chance that your Nintendo Switch console of choice could have already installed the update if it was connected to the internet while in Sleep Mode. Otherwise, if you still don't see the firmware installed, you can select the "System Update" option from the Switch's System tab of the Settings menu. If for some reason patch 18.0.0 still isn't appearing, Nintendo advises users to do a full reboot of their Switch, at which point the firmware should become available. 

You can get a look at the full patch notes for this new Nintendo Switch update courtesy of Nintendo itself below. 

Nintendo Switch Update Version 18.0.0 Patch Notes

• Added "15 Minutes" as an option for "Auto-sleep when playing on TV" in Sleep Mode Settings.
• Added Korean as a supported language for "Nintendo Switch Parental Controls" introductory video.
  • When the console language is set to Korean, the video can be accessed from Settings > Parental Controls.
• General system stability improvements to enhance the user's experience.