Easy Guide to Streaming Nintendo Switch to Discord

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Easily set up your Switch on Discord using OBS Studio or VLC

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: January 21, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Connecting Your Switch to a Video Card
|
• Setting Up OBS
|
• Setting Up VLC
|
• Streaming on Discord
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• Tips

|Show more |Show less

Discord is a great way to form communities and chat with other people, as well as stream games. However, if you want to stream a Nintendo Switch (or Switch 2) on Discord, you’ll need to get a few things first—namely, a capture card, as well as a program to stream that capture card into Discord. This wikiHow article teaches you to stream Nintendo Switch gameplay on Discord.

Streaming a Nintendo Switch on Discord

Connect a capture card to a high-speed USB port on your computer and connect your Nintendo Switch to the capture card using an HDMI cable. Set up VLC or OBS Studio to capture your Nintendo Switch and start a virtual camera (OBS only). Share your screen in a Discord voice chat and select VLC or your OBS virtual camera.

Steps

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Connecting Your Switch to a Video Card

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1. 
   1
   Insert your Switch into the Dock. You'll need to connect the USB-C ports on the Switch to the Dock to make a solid connection.

   • Disconnect any monitors or TVs you have connected to your Dock so the signal isn't accidentally sent somewhere else.
2. 
   2
   Connect your capture card to your PC. Most capture cards connect with a USB cable. Connect your capture card to your computer using a high-speed USB cable. Make sure you connect it to a 3.0 USB port or higher, or a USB-C port.

   • Refer to your capture card's manual if it's not working.
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3. 
   3
   Connect the HDMI from your Dock to the capture card. Since your Dock only offers an HDMI Out port, make sure you're plugging the other end of the HDMI cable into the "In" port on the capture card to allow the information to transmit to your computer.

   • You can purchase a capture card from Amazon or an electronics store starting at around $15. More expensive capture cards will usually provide a better quality game capture.
4. 
   4
   Open the video capture card software if it has it. Some capture cards come with specific software you want to use. However, not all require specified software. Many capture cards will work directly with OBS.

   • If you need to download specific software for your capture card, you can generally do so from the manufacturer’s website.
5. 
   5
   Turn on your Switch. The POWER button is in the top left corner.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Setting Up OBS Studio (Method 1)

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1. 
   1
   Open OBS Studio. OBS Studio is a free and open-source program used for live streaming and recording. It is available for Windows and Mac. It has the ability to capture video sources, such as capture cards and webcams. The OBS icon resembles a black circle with three curved blades. Click the OBS icon to launch OBS.

   • If you don’t have OBS, you can download it for free from obsproject.com.
   • The first time you open OBS Studio, it will guide you through the process of setting it up and optimizing it for either streaming or recording. Be sure to select “Streaming” when asked how you want to optimize it.
2. 
   2
   Add your capture card as a source. Use the following steps to do so:

   • Click the plus (+) icon below the “Sources” window.
   • Click Video Capture Device.
   • Use the drop-down menu next to “Device” to select your capture card.
   • Select Custom next to “Resolution/FPS Type.”
   • Select 1920x1080 next to “Resolution.”
     • Alternatively, you can select 1280x720.
   • Select 60 or Match Output next ot “FPS.”
   • Click Ok.
3. 
   3
   Check your audio properties. You’ll want to make sure the audio properties from your capture card are set right. Use the following steps to do so:

   • Click Edit in the menu bar at the top.
   • Click Advanced Audio Properties.
   • Ensure Monitor and Output is selected below “Audio monitoring” for your capture card.
   • Lower the volume on your capture card by about 3-6 dB below your mic.
   • Click Close.
4. 
   4
   Add a webcam capture (optional). If you want your audience to be able to see you while you play, use the following steps to add a webcam capture:

   • Click the plus (+) icon below the “Sources” window.
   • Click Video Capture Device.
   • Select your webcam.
   • Click Activate.
   • Click Ok.
   • Click and drag the corners of the webcam view to change the size.
     • Hold Ctrl or Command to keep the webcam view proportional.
   • Click and drag the webcam view to where you want to place it.
5. 
   5
   Click Start Virtual Camera. It’s in the menu bar to the left. This will allow Discord to discover your webcam.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Setting Up VLC (Method 2)

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1. 
   1
   Open Notepad, TextEdit, or any word processing software. You'll need to be able to copy and paste code so you can create a VLC shortcut on your Desktop that will automatically open your capture card.

   • You can use another kind of video player (other than VLC) that lets you display the audio/video source in a window; some capture cards may come with software that will do this.
2. 
   2
   Paste the code into your text editor. The quotation marks are important, so make sure they aren't deleted from the code as you copy and paste. Copy and paste the following code into your text editor:

   • "C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" dshow:// :dshow-vdev="Game Capture HD60 S (Video) (#01)" :dshow-adev="Game Capture HD60 S (Audio) (#01)" :dshow-aspect-ratio="16:9" :dshow-audio-samplerate=48000 :dshow-audio-channels=2 :live-caching=0 :dshow-fps=60
   • The information you have in "C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" may be different if your VLC was installed in a different location, so make sure you change it if you need to.
3. 
   3
   Open VLC. If you don't have VLC, you can download it at www.videolan.org.

   • You can use another kind of video player that lets you choose the audio/video source if you're familiar with the settings.
4. 
   4
   Click Media. It’s the first option in the menu bar at the top.
5. 
   5
   Click Open Capture Device. It's near the middle of the menu.
6. 
   6
   Make sure DirectShow is selected. If not, click the "Capture Mode" listed and change it to "DirectShow".
7. 
   7
   Select your capture card in the drop-downs next to "Video Device Name" and "Audio Device Name." They should be the name of your capture card, like Game Capture or Elgato.
8. 
   8
   Select the box next to "Show more options." The window will expand to show you more like the MRL and Start Time.
9. 
   9
   Edit the code as needed. Copy the video card name in the "Edit Options" field. You'll find this after ":dshow-vdev=". Paste this copied video card name into the code you have written in Notepad, TextEdit, etc, between the quotation marks.

   • Repeat this process for the audio card name. Make sure you overwrite everything between the quotation marks if there is a difference. If your video capture card does not contain "(Video) (#01)" in the name, delete that information.
10. 
    10
    Close the window and VLC. Click Cancel in the "Open Media" window and then you'll be able to click the X to close VLC.

    • If you don't want to create a shortcut that will do all this automatically, you can click Play instead. You will have to change these settings every time you want to stream from VLC and Discord, though.
11. 
    11
    Right-click the VLC shortcut on your Desktop. This app icon looks like an orange safety cone.
12. 
    12
    Click Properties. It's at the bottom of the menu.
13. 
    13
    Paste the code from your word processing software into the text field next to "Target." This tells the shortcut to open with the coded settings every time it's used.

    • If you want to use VLC without the capture card, open it from another shortcut (like in your Start menu or Applications folder).
14. 
    14
    Click Ok. Your changes to the shortcut will be applied.
15. 
    15
    Double-click the VLC shortcut. Your capture card should open in a new display window that Discord will be able to show on live stream.
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Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Streaming on Discord

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1. 
   1
   Open Discord and join a server. If you haven't already joined a server, click the server you want to join in the left column. Once you join the server, a list of its channels will appear in the column on the left side of the window.
2. 
   2
   Join a voice channel. You can do so by double-clicking a channel with a speaker icon next to it. Voice channels are listed under the header "Voice Channels."
3. 
   3
   Click the “Share your screen” icon. You'll see this with the icon of a monitor with a sharing arrow at the bottom of the channels list.

   • A list of all your applications and screens will appear.
4. 
   4
   Click the Applications or Devices tab. If you're using VLC, click Applications. If you are using OBS, click Devices.
5. 
   5
   Select your VLC display or OBS virtual camera. This will allow you to share your OBS display or your screen capture from OBS.

   • You'll see some of your streaming settings, such as which channel you're sharing with, what you're sharing, the frame rate, and the resolution.
6. 
   6
   Click Stream. It’s the blue button at the bottom of the screen. This will start streaming your gameplay capture in the voice chat channel you are currently in.
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Tips

• If your audio is laggy, try adjusting the audio sample rate to 48,000.
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• Always use headphones to monitor your game audio to avoid streaming any echoes.
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• If your internet connection is unstable or you are using too much bandwidth, try streaming at a resolution of 1280x720 instead of 1900x1080.
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