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Here’s Android Q running on a modded Nintendo Switch (sort of)
August 09, 2025
There are plenty of mobile games that have been ported to theNintendo Switch, but what if the home-handheld hybrid system could play Android games natively? That dream has inched closer to reality thanks to two developers who have managed to run a semi-stable build of Android Q on Nintendo’s portable console.
The project comes from homebrew developers Billy Laws and Max Keller who have managed to get not only get the OS to boot, but get Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, the touchscreen, and even the Joy-Con controllers to work with the AOSP build.
Check out the embedded video below to see the Switch transformed into a (very slow) Android tablet:
The Switch is powered by anARM-based NVIDIATegra X1, so Android support was always on the cards for dedicated modders. Amajor exploitrecently opened the door to modLinux support, so it was only a matter of time before Android followed.
As impressive as the effort is, however, it’s still a long way from being stable. There’s currently no audio or USB-C functionality and, crucially, no support for Android games as the build runs only on the X1’s CPU, not the Maxwell-based GPU.
I doubt this is the end of the duo’s work, but be aware that if you want to try anything like this yourself it’s a surefire way to void any warranty on your console.
For now, your best bet for playing thebest Android gameson the move is still a decentgaming phone— especially with phones like theREDMAGIC MarsandASUS ROG Phonenow including pressure and physical trigger buttons, respectively.
Up next:Here are the best phones for gaming
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