How to Install Android 8.1 on your Nintendo Switch

ByFields Corrielus 2019-07-30 3625

Thanks to the efforts of XDA developers, you can now brush Nintendo Switch with a third-party Android system. This means that any breakable Nintendo Switch can now boot the LineageOS 15.1 system directly from the SD card. In general, any Switch sold before the summer of 2018 should be breakable.

As XDA points out, LineageOS 5.1 on Switch basically has the same functionality as LineageOS. Includes basic Android functionality, support for Google services, and even support for native Nvidia Shield applications. The Joy-Cons and Switch Pro controllers still work seamlessly, and when the host Dock, the keyboard and mouse will work.

Here are the expected features of the implementation announced by XDA:

● LineageOS 15.1-Android 8.1 Oreo system.

● Based on Nvidia Shield TV trees.

● TWRP preloading.

● CPU and GPU performance profile.

● For handheld and host mode.

● Support for audio.

● The Joycons is also connected via Bluetooth or in handheld mode.

● Care should be taken when installing Android on Switch. You need to

● write a mirror image on the SD card that matches its size, and all the data stored in it will be erased during the process.

How To Install Android on Nintendo Switch

1. Download The Android ROM

2. Pick the image that corresponds to the size of your SD card. You can use an image that is smaller than your card. You’ll end up with the remaining space unused on your card.

3. Write the image to your SD card with e.g. balenaEtcher Do not extract the image, Etcher can handle the compressed image just fine! WARNING: This will overwrite any contents on your card! The progress bar/percentage might go haywire in Etcher, but you can ignore that. The flashing will still work and Etcher will let you know when it’s done. It can take up to an hour depending on your SD card’s speed. Also, make sure not to format any of the partitions when Windows prompts you to after flashing.

4. Download GApps for Android 8.1. from OpenGApps, use ARM64. Put the file on the first partition of your new SD card
If the desired download the “Shield-ifier” zip and place it also on the SD card. This will make your Switch identify as Nvidia Shield TV and install the Nvidia app.

5. Load Hekate and boot to TWRP by holding VOL+ when you select the Android config.

6. Make sure to mount /system first in TWRP. Flash GApps zip, optionally flash other zips. Also after installing GApps wipe cache/Dalvik as offered by TWRP.

7. Reboot to Hekate and boot into Android

8. Complete the initial setup. For the Nvidia app to work make sure to update it from Play Store!

Note that this Android ROM for Switch doesn't actually have anything official, and you can't expect Nintendo to approve it. In fact, you should have known from the beginning that it is not recommended to install any custom ROM, on any type of hardware and may have unnecessary consequences.

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