If your Nintendo Switch 2 prompts you to update right now, go ahead and hit confirm. System Update 22.5.0 dropped on June 15, 2026, and while it is not the most dramatic firmware release the console has seen, there are some genuinely useful additions buried in the patch notes.
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What changed on Switch 2
The headline addition for Switch 2 owners is accessibility-focused. Dutch and Russian have been added to the Text to Speech language options, and both languages are now supported for the "Change Speech to Text During GameChat" feature as well. For players who use GameChat regularly and prefer to communicate in either of those languages, this is a meaningful quality-of-life improvement that was previously missing.
Beyond the language support, Nintendo rounds out the Switch 2 notes with the standard general system stability improvements. No new modes, no hardware feature unlocks this time around.
For context, this is the first system update for either console since April 2026. The last major Switch 2 firmware release came in March 2026, when Nintendo added Handheld Mode Boost, expanded Game Chat functionality, and several other headline features. Version 22.5.0 is a much quieter release by comparison, which makes sense given how much ground the March update covered. If you want a sense of how other developers are handling their own patch cadences right now, the MLB The Show 26 Game Update 2 rundown breaks down a similarly focused round of fixes.
The original Switch got more than you might expect
Here is the thing: the original Nintendo Switch actually received a more feature-rich update with this same version number. The eShop layout has been redesigned, and the store's color scheme will now reflect your system theme if you have "Basic Dark" enabled in System Settings.
Two other additions are worth flagging. A User-Verification PIN can now be applied to eShop access and saved payment method confirmations, which is a solid parental control and security improvement. The other addition is more niche but genuinely handy: while watching a full-screen video in News or the eShop, pressing ZL rewinds 10 seconds and ZR skips forward 10 seconds.
Nintendo Music also updated today
Alongside the firmware push, Nintendo Music received a separate update adding new Free Roam tracks from the Mario Kart World soundtrack. The additions pull from the Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, and 3 playlists. Access requires either the Nintendo Music app or a web browser, plus an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
It is a busy day for Nintendo software updates across the board. The Switch 2 has been on a fairly consistent update schedule since launch, and with the console now a year into its life, the firmware is starting to feel mature. Smaller targeted updates like this one tend to follow the bigger feature drops, filling in gaps and addressing specific user groups rather than reshaping the experience entirely.
For players keeping track of what has changed across their Switch library since the hardware launched, the Balatro on Nintendo Switch 2 features guide is worth a read to see how third-party titles have adapted to the platform's capabilities. More gaming guides covering Switch 2 updates and game-specific changes are rolling in as the platform matures.
