The Nintendo Switch Online mobile app just made it so much easier to send friend requests to your friends.
Updating to the latest version of the Nintendo Switch Online app allows you to copy your long friend code as a URL. When you send this URL to a friend, you can tap on it to open your app and instantly send them a friend request. This eliminates the need to manually copy and paste the friend code into the friend request section of the app (thanks, The Verge (Opens in a new tab)).
Alternatively, you can now save your Nintendo Switch friend code as a QR code. When shared with others, they can scan the QR code to send you a friend request, essentially avoiding the need to interact with Nintendo's cumbersome friend code system.
How to Update the Nintendo Switch Online App
The Nintendo Switch Online app is free to download from the App Store on iOS (Opens in a new tab) and Play Store on Android (Opens in a new tab). But if you have already downloaded the app, it may not update automatically.
To resolve this issue, simply go to the Nintendo Switch Online app store page and tap "Update." This will download the latest version of the app (Ver. 2.2.0), adding the new friend code features in the process.
Nintendo embraces modernity
Before this update, I always saw the Nintendo Switch Online app as a wet squib. It allows you to browse your friends list and initiate (very poor quality) voice chats. Some specific services for some of the best Nintendo Switch games are also available to browse. But that's it.
Now, however, the app's ability to share friend codes has improved significantly. Before the update, your only option to share friend codes was to copy them in plain text. A half-hearted implementation, then, but at least now it's ready to roll out of the oven thanks to these improvements.
Obviously, having a variety of ways to send friend requests is nothing new on competing platforms. But Nintendo has always been stymied in this regard due to its frustrating commitment to the clumsy friend code system that we've had to deal with since the days of the Wii.
So, in the grand scheme of things, these friend request improvements aren't much of a deal. But for Nintendo, it's one step away from its archaic cheats for sharing codes with friends. Even if it's more of a light toe step than a full stride.