How To Customize Your Nintendo Switch Lock Screen Sounds

If you own a Nintendo Switch, you're probably familiar with the console's lock screen either in handheld or docked mode. Or just handheld mode if you own a Switch Lite.

It's not quite the same as your average smartphone lock screen, though, which provides a layer of security to prevent random people from being able to access your phone without a custom code. The Switch's lock screen is more intended to keep the Switch from accidentally turning on when you don't want it to. With the Screen Lock option turned on, you'll have to input three consecutive button presses to unlock it — otherwise it will go back to sleep. You can press any of the Switch's buttons to bypass the lock screen, but you have to press the same one each time.

Chances are, if you do use the lock screen feature on your Switch, you've grown accustomed to the little clicky sound it makes every time you press your chosen input. Which is more than likely one of three face buttons (A, X, or Y — B backs out to the previous screen). But did you know you can get other sounds out of the Switch lock screen?

Using different lock screen sounds on your Switch

Aside from the default soft "click" sound you'll get from pressing A, X, Y, Plus (+), Minus (-), Home, or any of the directional pad arrows (Up, Down, Left, or Right), there are five additional sounds you can play with.

  1. Press either the L or R shoulder buttons (the smaller ones towards the top) for a slightly higher-pitch click.
  2. Press ZL (or the left trigger) for a click that sounds a little more metallic and tinny.
  3. Press ZR (a.k.a. The right trigger) to hear a honking horn.
  4. Click in the left thumbstick (sometimes referred to as L3) for a somewhat robotic-sounding honk, which is a bit like the error sounds found on older computers.
  5. Click the right stick (a.k.a. R3) to hear something like a "wah-eee" honking squeak, which may not come from any "Super Mario" games but does feel like it would fit right in.

While you can play around with these different sounds as much as you want, you will still need to press the same button three times in a row to actually unlock your Switch. So no mixing and matching — you'll have to settle for three honks, three squeaks, etc.