Most Nintendo Switch owners know that the console has themes that can be changed in the console’s System Settings. However, by default, the Switch only has two themes available, white and black. Users thought that the Switch would eventually receive downloadable themes, like those seen on the 3DS. However, four years after release, we still only have what is essentially a light and dark mode.
Will Nintendo add more themes to the Switch?
Nintendo hasn’t made any comment on whether it’ll add more themes to the Switch or not. The console’s UI hasn’t received any significant updates since it was released in 2017. Users still can’t even add a backdrop image or make folders to arrange their games.
More themes may be released for the Switch, if only because there’s the option to set them at all. Nintendo could have easily made the two themes available right now Light Mode and Dark Mode. The fact they’re called themes seems to indicate that there is (or at least was at one point) plans to expand the number available.
Can you download more Switch themes?
As stated above, the only two themes available are Basic White and Basic Black. Users can’t download more of these off the eShop. However, that ability might come at some point. The Nintendo 3DS didn’t get theme support until almost four years after its release. So, it’s entirely possible that new themes may drop at any time.
One might think that Nintendo hasn’t released new themes because it may slow down the UI or other technical reasons. However, custom themes are available via Custom Firmware (CFW) that can completely change the look of the Switch’s UI with no performance issues. It’s possible Nintendo just doesn’t see adding more options as an important use of development time. Ideally, users are spending much more time in games than they are on the system menu, so the hardware team may be focused on general performance and functionality more so than cosmetics.
