Nintendo Switch Online app just made it easier than ever to make friends

It’s a miracle

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Nintendo Switch Online’s mobile app just made it significantly easier to send friend requests to your pals.

Updating to the latest version of theNintendo Switch Onlineapp enables you to copy your lengthy friend code as a URL. By sending that URL to a friend, they can tap it to open their app and instantly send you a friend request. So there’s no longer a need to manually copy and paste the friend code itself into the app’s friend request section (thanks,The Verge).

Alternatively, you can now save yourNintendo Switchfriend code as a QR code. When shared with others, they can scan the QR code to send you a friend request, essentially bypassing the need to interact with Nintendo’s cumbersome friend code system.

How to update the Nintendo Switch Online app

The Nintendo Switch Online app is free to download from theApp Store on iOSand thePlay Store on Android. But if you already have the app downloaded, it might not update automatically.

To fix this, simply head to the Nintendo Switch Online app’s store page and tap ‘Update.’ This will download the latest version of the app (Ver. 2.2.0), adding the new friend code features in the process.

Nintendo embraces modernity

Prior to this update, I always saw the Nintendo Switch Online app as a damp squib. It lets you browse your friends list and start (aggravatingly low-quality) voice chats. Some specific services for a handful of thebest Nintendo Switch gamesare also available to browse. But that’s about it.

Now, though, the app’s ability to share friend codes has dramatically improved. Before the update, your only option for sharing friend codes was tocopy them as plain text. A shockingly half-baked implementation, then, but at least it’s now ready to come out of the oven thanks to these improvements.

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Having a variety of ways to send friend requests is obviously nothing new on rival platforms. But Nintendo has always been hamstrung in this regard due to its frustrating commitment to the clunky friend code system we’ve had to deal with since the days of theWii.

In the grand scheme of things, then, these friend request improvements aren’t a hug deal. But for Nintendo, it’s a step away from its archaic friend code sharing trappings. Even if it’s more of a slight tiptoe than a full stride.

Rhys is TRG’s Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.

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