Switch-NewPipe

Switch-NewPipe
General
Author	mirusu400
Type	Media Players
Version	0.0.3
License	GPL-3.0
Last Updated	2026/04/26
Links
Download
Website
Source

Switch-NewPipe is a free, open-source YouTube client for Nintendo Switch homebrew. It is inspired by NewPipe and requires no Google account, with no ads and no tracking.

The application is built on the Borealis native Switch UI framework, uses mpv and FFmpeg for hardware-accelerated playback on the Switch, and handles networking through libcurl and a custom YouTube innertube API client. It is built with CMake, Docker, and the devkitPro toolchain.

The project is stated to be for educational purposes and is not affiliated with YouTube, Google, or NewPipe.

Features

• Browse Home, Search, Subscriptions, Library, and Settings
• Watch YouTube at 720p (HLS streaming, no throttle)
• Search for any video and play it immediately
• Log in with cookies to see subscriptions and personalized recommendations
• Save watch history and favorites locally
• English and Korean UI

Playback quality can be configured in the Settings tab between three modes:

Mode	Description
Standard 720p	Best quality. Tries 720p HLS first, falls back gracefully
Compatibility	Prefers progressive MP4 (video and audio combined)
Data Saver	Lower quality around 480p to save bandwidth

Known limitations stated by the project: seek is not yet supported; there is no in-app quality picker during playback; there is no in-app Google OAuth (cookie import only); channel pages are not fully browsable yet; and comments and playlists load the first page only.

Installation

1. Make sure your Switch has Atmosphere CFW with the Homebrew Menu.
2. Download switch_newpipe.nro from the latest release.
3. Copy it to sdmc:/switch/switch_newpipe.nro.
4. Launch from the Homebrew Menu.

Login (optional)

Switch-NewPipe uses cookie import for YouTube login, with no OAuth or Google sign-in required. To set it up:

1. Export your YouTube cookies from a browser (using a cookie export extension).
2. Save the file as sdmc:/switch/switch_newpipe_auth.txt.
3. Restart the app.

Supported formats are a raw Cookie header, JSON {"cookie_header":"..."}, or Netscape cookies.txt. Once logged in, the Subscriptions tab and personalized Home recommendations become available.

Data files

All data is stored on the SD card:

File	Purpose
sdmc:/switch/switch_newpipe.log	Debug log
sdmc:/switch/switch_newpipe_settings.json	Settings
sdmc:/switch/switch_newpipe_library.json	Watch history and favorites
sdmc:/switch/switch_newpipe_session.json	Login session
sdmc:/switch/switch_newpipe_auth.txt	Cookie import (user-provided)

Controls

Main UI

Button	Action
A	Play video from list
Y	Open video details
X	Refresh / Reset defaults
RB	Manage login session (Subscriptions tab)

Player

Button	Action
A	Pause / Resume
B	Exit player
Up / Down	Volume
X / Y	Toggle OSD overlay

Screenshots

External links

• Github - https://github.com/mirusu400/switch-newpipe
• HB-App - https://hb-app.store/switch/switchnewpipe