Best headset for Nintendo Switch 2 - with a mic for GameChat

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Best headset for Nintendo Switch 2? USB-C receiver or 3.5 mm cable

For gaming with sound and chat in GameChat, choose a wireless headset with its own 2.4 GHz receiver that plugs into USB-C, or a regular wired headset with a 3.5 mm jack. Both options carry audio and the microphone, so your friends can hear you.

Regular Bluetooth headsets will also play sound, but their microphone won't work in GameChat. Use Bluetooth for listening only.

GameChat is the voice and video chat built into the Nintendo Switch 2, which launched in June 2025. If you plan to use it, this choice matters right from the purchase.

Why Bluetooth isn't enough for GameChat

According to Nintendo support, a microphone over Bluetooth is not supported on the Switch 2. A Bluetooth headset will connect to the console and play the game audio, but the people you're chatting with won't hear anything from you.

A common mistake goes like this: you buy a good Bluetooth headset, pair it with the console, and in GameChat you find out you're muted. The problem isn't the headset, but what the console doesn't support.

Nintendo Life and SoundGuys both point to two options: wired headsets, or wireless ones with a 2.4 GHz receiver plugged into the console's USB-C port. With such a receiver, the console sees the headset as a wired device, so the microphone works.

We chose the headsets based on how they connect to the console: a USB-C receiver or a 3.5 mm jack, with a microphone that works in GameChat.

The Nintendo Switch 2 headsets we recommend

USB-C receiver or cable: handheld mode, dock and controller

A USB-C receiver means convenience with no cable by your face. You plug it into the console's port, and the headset connects to it on its own. SteelSeries describes such sets as compatible with Switch 2, and with Bluetooth models you switch the headset to your phone with a single button. The receiver is for gaming, while Bluetooth is left for your phone.

You can also plug the receiver into the dock, so one headset will handle gaming on the couch and at the TV.

A 3.5 mm cable is the simplest option. You plug the connector into the jack on the console or into the jack on the Switch 2 Pro Controller, with no pairing and no receiver. You plug in a wired headset with a microphone and can talk in GameChat right away.

Fun fact: the new Switch 2 Pro Controller also has a headphone jack, so you can plug a wired headset into the controller. When you play on the couch, the cable then runs to the controller rather than to the console sitting in the dock.

We cover the Switch 2 controller itself in a separate article.

How to choose the audio output in the settings

After plugging in the USB-C receiver, open the system settings and select the headset as the audio output. This is what the Audeze Maxwell manual for Switch 2 recommends, among others. Without it, sound may keep coming from the console's speakers or the TV.

It's worth repeating this step when you change how you play, for example when you move the console from the dock to handheld mode. If nobody can hear you in GameChat, first check that the right headset is selected rather than the speakers.

With a 3.5 mm cable, it's usually enough to push the connector in all the way. If the headset has a microphone mute switch, make sure it's off.

Frequently asked questions about Switch 2 headsets

Which headset for Nintendo Switch 2?

Choose a headset with a 2.4 GHz USB-C receiver or a wired one with a 3.5 mm connector. Both types carry sound and the microphone, so they work in GameChat. Standard Bluetooth is only good for listening.

Do Bluetooth headsets work with Switch 2?

Yes, but only for audio. The console will play the game through Bluetooth headphones, but their microphone is not supported. For voice chat you need a USB-C receiver or a cable.

Does a Bluetooth microphone work in GameChat?

No. Nintendo states in its support pages that a microphone over Bluetooth is not supported on Switch 2. Other players won't hear you, even if the headset plays sound correctly.

Where do you plug a headset into Switch 2?

You plug a wired headset into the 3.5 mm jack on the console or into the jack on the Switch 2 Pro Controller. You plug the receiver of a wireless headset into the console's USB-C port. After connecting, select the headset as the audio output in the settings.

Do headsets with a USB-C receiver work with Switch 2?

Yes, headsets with a 2.4 GHz USB-C receiver work with Switch 2, which SteelSeries confirms, among others. The microphone passes through the receiver, so you can talk in GameChat. With Bluetooth models, you switch to your phone with a button.

Sources

• Nintendo Support: Microphone doesn't work during GameChat - manufacturer page (en-americas-support.nintendo.com)
• Nintendo Life: Best Nintendo Switch 2 gaming headsets - industry article (nintendolife.com)
• SoundGuys: Nintendo Switch 2 gaming headset - industry article (soundguys.com)
• SteelSeries: Best Switch 2 headset - industry article (steelseries.com)
• Audeze: Maxwell setup guide for Nintendo Switch 2 - industry article (support.audeze.com)