Nintendo has issued an important warning for upcoming Switch 2 owners: do not peel off the protective film covering the console's display. This advisory comes just before the Switch 2's official launch, marking the company's second such reminder in recent years.

The next-generation console is set to release on Thursday, June 5. Some customers who pre-ordered the Switch 2 have already received their units early, though they won't be able to play games until the official launch day, when a mandatory day-one update will unlock its core features. Meanwhile, Nintendo has made the Switch 2 user manual available online.

The digital manual was recently updated with a new warning regarding the console's display. As reported by Universo Nintendo, the Switch 2 comes with a factory-applied protective film designed to prevent glass fragments from scattering if the LCD panel breaks. Nintendo explicitly advises users not to remove this film under any circumstances. The warning appears on page 3 of the manual, listed as the final point under the "Careful Usage" section.

This isn't the first time Nintendo has issued such a warning. The 2021 Switch OLED Model also featured a protective screen layer that users were instructed not to remove. The wording in the Switch 2 manual is identical to the OLED Model's (HEG-001 version). Given that not all users read the manual thoroughly, Nintendo may reinforce this message through other channels as the launch date approaches.

Anti-fragmentation layers are common in electronics, but users often mistakenly remove them. In 2019, Samsung delayed the release of its first foldable phone, the Galaxy Fold, after reviewers peeled off its essential screen protector. Unlike the Switch 2's film, removing the Galaxy Fold's protector often rendered the device unusable. Samsung later redesigned the phone to make the protective layer harder to remove and added clearer warnings. Similar issues have occurred with certain Apple Watch models, starting with the Series 4 in 2018.

Like the original Switch, Nintendo will offer an official screen protector for the Switch 2. The accessory is currently available for pre-order as part of a bundle with a carrying case, priced at $39.99.