What you need before you start

An Elgato capture card sits between your Switch and your monitor or TV. It takes the video signal from your Switch, sends it to your computer, and lets you record or stream what's happening on screen. Before you plug anything in, make sure you have the right cables and ports.

You'll need an HDMI cable to connect your Switch dock to the capture card's input port. You'll also need a USB cable to connect the capture card to your computer — check which USB version your specific Elgato model requires (usually USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt, depending on the model). Finally, you need an HDMI cable to run from the capture card's output port to your monitor or TV, so you can see what you're playing while you're playing it. Without that output cable, you'll have a delay between what happens on your Switch and what you see on screen.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Switch connects to the capture card with HDMI, the capture card connects to your computer with USB, and the capture card connects to your display with a second HDMI cable.
  • The USB connection must be plugged into a USB 3.0 port (or Thunderbolt for newer Elgato models) on your computer, not a USB 2.0 port, or the capture card will not work.
  • You must install the Elgato Control Center software on your computer before the capture card will recognize video from your Switch.
  • After the software is installed, open Elgato Control Center and set the input to HDMI to see your Switch's video feed.
  • If you see no video, restart your Switch dock, then restart your computer, in that order.

Connecting the cables in the right order

Start with your Switch powered off and undocked. Take the HDMI cable and plug one end into the HDMI port on the bottom of your Switch dock (the port labeled "HDMI Out"). Plug the other end into the HDMI input port on your Elgato capture card — this is usually labeled "HDMI In" and is on the back or side of the device.

Next, take a second HDMI cable and plug one end into the HDMI output port on your Elgato capture card (labeled "HDMI Out"). Plug the other end into your monitor or TV. This is the cable that lets you see your game while you play — without it, you'll experience lag between your controller input and what appears on screen.

Now plug the USB cable into the Elgato capture card's USB port. Plug the other end into a USB 3.0 port on your computer. Do not use a USB 2.0 port — the capture card needs the faster connection. On most computers, USB 3.0 ports are blue inside, while USB 2.0 ports are black or white inside. If you're using a newer Elgato model with Thunderbolt, use the Thunderbolt port instead.

Once all three cables are connected, dock your Switch. Power on your Switch, then power on your computer.

Installing Elgato Control Center on your computer

Before your capture card will work, you must install the Elgato Control Center software. Go to the Elgato website and find the support page for your specific capture card model — the software download is usually there. Download the installer for your operating system (Windows or Mac).

Run the installer and follow the on-screen prompts. The software will ask where you want to install it — the default location is fine. Once installation is complete, restart your computer. This restart is important: the software needs to load drivers that only activate after a restart.

After your computer restarts, plug in your Elgato capture card's USB cable if you haven't already. Wait about 10 seconds for your computer to recognize the device. You should see the Elgato Control Center icon appear in your system tray (bottom right on Windows, top right on Mac).

Checking your video input in Elgato Control Center

Open the Elgato Control Center application. You should see a window with several tabs or menu options. Look for a tab or section labeled "Input" or "Video Input." Click on it.

In the input settings, you'll see a dropdown menu or list of input options. Select "HDMI" from this list. The software should now begin displaying video from your Switch on your computer screen. You may see a preview window showing what your Switch is outputting — if you see your Switch's home screen or a game, the connection is working.

If you see no video, check that your Switch is powered on and that the HDMI cable from your dock to the capture card is fully seated in both ports. Unplug the HDMI input cable, wait 5 seconds, and plug it back in. Then restart your Switch dock by unplugging its power cable for 10 seconds and plugging it back in.

Troubleshooting when video doesn't appear

If you still see no video after restarting, the most common cause is a USB connection issue. Unplug the USB cable from both your computer and the capture card. Wait 10 seconds. Plug the USB cable back into the capture card first, then into your computer's USB 3.0 port. Wait another 10 seconds and check Elgato Control Center again.

If the capture card still isn't recognized, your computer may not have installed the drivers correctly. Restart your computer completely. After restart, open Elgato Control Center and check the input settings again.

Another common issue: you plugged the USB cable into a USB 2.0 port instead of USB 3.0. Check the port color — USB 3.0 ports are almost always blue inside. Move the cable to a blue port and restart your computer.

If you see video in Elgato Control Center but not on your TV or monitor, check that the HDMI output cable (the one running from the capture card to your display) is fully plugged in on both ends. Also check that your TV or monitor is set to the correct input. Some TVs require you to press an "Input" or "Source" button to switch to the HDMI port the capture card is using.

Recording and streaming from your Switch

Once you see video in Elgato Control Center, you can record or stream. If you want to record gameplay, look for a "Record" button in Elgato Control Center — it's usually a red circle. Click it to start recording. Your Switch's video will be saved to your computer as a video file.

If you want to stream to Twitch, YouTube, or another platform, you'll need additional software. OBS Studio is free and works with any capture card. Download OBS, open it, and add your Elgato capture card as a video source. OBS will then let you stream to your platform of choice. The Elgato Control Center software itself does not handle streaming — you need OBS or similar software for that.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need the HDMI output cable if I'm just recording?

Yes. Without the output cable running from the capture card to your monitor or TV, you'll experience a delay between pressing a button on your controller and seeing the result on screen. This lag makes the game unplayable. The output cable lets you see the game in real time while the capture card records it separately.

Can I use a USB 2.0 port instead of USB 3.0?

No. USB 2.0 is too slow to handle the video data from your capture card. If you plug it into a USB 2.0 port, the capture card either won't be recognized at all or will drop frames and produce choppy video. Check your port color — USB 3.0 ports are blue inside.

Why does Elgato Control Center show no video even though all cables are plugged in?

Restart your Switch dock first by unplugging its power cable for 10 seconds. Then restart your computer. If that doesn't work, unplug the USB cable from your computer, wait 10 seconds, and plug it back in. These steps reset the connection and usually fix the issue.

Can I use this capture card with other devices besides the Switch?

Yes. Any device with HDMI output can connect to an Elgato capture card — PlayStation, Xbox, PC, or even a camera. The setup is the same: HDMI input from your device, USB to your computer, and HDMI output to your monitor or TV.

Do I need to buy special HDMI cables for the capture card?

No. Standard HDMI cables work fine. You don't need expensive "gaming" or "high-speed" cables. Any HDMI cable will work as long as it's in good condition and fully plugged in on both ends.