Nintendo has released system update 23.5.0 for the Switch 2, and the biggest change is groundwork for a feature that is not live yet: gifting eShop games and add-ons to a member of your Nintendo Account family group.
The gifting itself arrives with an eShop update that Nintendo has scheduled for 17 November 2026. The firmware only makes the console ready for it, so the feature will not appear in menus until that date. The original Switch gets the same version number, 23.5.0, with the same gifting preparation and general fixes.
On the Switch 2, Nintendo’s update notes list two more changes. First-time setup now lets owners configure accessibility settings straight away, instead of digging through System Settings afterwards. Portuguese (Portugal) has also been added to the Text to Speech languages in System Settings, and to the Text to Speech conversion language list in GameChat.
The remaining line is a catch-all about minor tweaks, with no specifics. The notes carry no mention of new games, performance changes or security fixes.
Both versions were released on 9 November. The notes do not say whether gifting will have limits, such as price caps or restrictions by country, so those details will have to wait for the eShop update itself. Until then, the only visible difference after installing is the longer first-time setup flow on a freshly reset console, and the extra text-to-speech language.
Consoles normally download the update by themselves when they are online. To fetch it manually, open System Settings on the HOME Menu, go to System and choose System Update.
