Switch 2's Most Annoying Feature Has A Simple Fix

It's really no surprise that the Nintendo Switch 2 is off to an incredible start sales-wise. It's essentially a straight upgrade over and direct iteration of its predecessor, which became Nintendo's best-selling system ever, and is even rivaling the PlayStation 2 for the best-selling console of all time. New Switch 2 milestones keep getting passed, but even with how well-designed it is, there's still one really frustrating flaw with its screen – thankfully with a fairly easy fix.

Between Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, Animal Crossing's Switch 2 Edition, the excellent Pokémon Pokopia, and more, my Switch 2 is getting a lot of use. For the most part, it's holding up quite well, and I'm especially relieved that my persistent Joy-Con stick drift issues have not carried over from the original system. One particularly annoying issue, though, is how easy it is for the Switch 2's screen to get scratched.

Switch 2 Screen Has A Thin Plastic Film That Scratches Easily

I'm not alone in noticing that regular, careful use of the Switch 2 will result in vertical scratches covering the screen. It's technically not the screen itself becoming scratched, but a thin plastic film Nintendo has installed over the actual glass panel. Its purpose is to protect users in the event of the screen shattering. It effectively holds shards of glass in place when the Switch 2 screen breaks, and can help prevent the entire thing from spider-webbing.

It's easy to understand Nintendo's decision to put such a film over the screen, and I think it's ultimately a smart idea, but it's quite frustrating that the film is so easily scratched that simply sliding the console in and out of its dock will easily scuff it. For those unaware, it looks like the screen itself is scratched, and even the relief of knowing it's just a piece of plastic that's been harmed doesn't help the fact that you have to look at those scratches while playing in handheld mode.

A Screen Protector Can Fix Switch 2 Scratches

If you, like me, are easily bothered by big vertical scratches on the screen while playing your Switch 2, I recommend looking into a third-party screen protector. It feels odd buying a screen protector to go over what's supposed to be a screen protector, but it actually works much better than I expected. I got a tempered glass Switch 2 screen protector, and the adhesive seems to have filled the scratches in the film so that they're much less noticeable or, in some instances, can't be seen at all anymore.

Tempered glass screen protectors can thankfully be found online for very cheap, and often in multipacks. It's unfortunate that another purchase is necessary to remedy a design problem, but the added peace of mind – that if I drop my Switch 2, it now has extra protection – is something of a consolation. I have very few complaints about the Nintendo Switch 2, since I never needed it to be more than a powered-up Switch, but the easily scratched screen is a clear low point that just happens to have an easy (if undesirable) fix.