New Nintendo Switch users might be confused and wonder if it has a browser. Nintendo’s previous two generations of consoles, including the Wii, Wii U, DS, and 3DS, all had web browsers, so where is the one on the Switch? We’ll take a look at the Switch’s apparent lack of a browser below.
How to use the Nintendo Switch web browser
At first glance, the Nintendo Switch doesn’t have a web browser. For whatever reason, Nintendo has declined to add very much non-gaming functionality to the system. So, you won’t find a browser or many streaming apps.
However, suppose you’ve visited a hotel. In that case, you’ll know that the Switch does actually have a browser, but it only appears under certain circumstances. When you connect to a Wi-Fi network at a hotel, you often have to input a user name and password and agree to terms and conditions. Since the Switch can be used as a handheld, it would be a major omission if users couldn’t connect to Wi-Fi on the go. So, when this happens, you’ll see the system’s secret web browser appear.
Unfortunately, unless you have custom firmware, there’s no way to access the browser under normal conditions. However, there’s a pretty easy way to trick the system into letting you use the browser by changing a few settings.
SwitchBru is a third-party DNS service that tricks the Switch into thinking it needs to open the browser so you can register on the network. To use it, you just have to go into your network settings and set your DNS manually to 045.055.142.122. Once you save the settings and connect to the network, the registration prompt will appear, and at the next screen, you’ll be taken to the SwitchBru DNS launch page. From there, you can head to Google or enter a URL directly.
One thing to note is that any traffic that passes through the SwitchBru DNS isn’t private. Whoever controls the DNS could sniff your traffic and lift any unencrypted information. So, when you’re done browsing, you should set your DNS back to auto (or whatever you were using before).
