As you know you can normally run android and Linux on unpatched switches but patched Switch is not as great as the unpatched one so don't expect much.

1- Don't blame this guide if you damage/brick your switch, rather blame yourself because you couldn't even follow a simple guide.
2- This guide hasn't been tested on Marikos, so it is NOT guaranteed to work.

Spoiler: Android 8.1

NOTE1: This guide will cover how you can root your android. If you don't want to root it then skip the steps which are Italic.

NOTE2: For the latest updates: XDA

NOTE3: Couldn't make the SafetyNet work on Magisk.

PART 1: GETTING THE FILES:

Antutu Score: 131,518 (This is just a Netflix, Youtube, a web browsing and TV Casting machine right now!)

REQUIREMENTS: Micro Sd Card Adapter (In case your pc doesn't have it), A second Micro sd card which is at least 16 GB.


Step 1: Close your Switch and then open it's micro sd card on your pc, after that copy the following files into a folder: boot.dat, hbmenu.nro, license.dat, license-request.dat, sxos (folder)
Step 2: eject your micro sd card from pc and put your 2nd micro sd card into pc.
Step 3: Download your android image according to your micro sd card's storage (https://download.switchroot.org/android/), download shiledifier.zip, after that download fix-joycon.zip from the extras folder in the same site.
Step 4: Download ARM64, Android 8.1, nano(https://opengapps.org).
Step 5: Download the latest Magisk archive (https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases).
Step 6: Download the latest version of Hekate(https://github.com/CTCaer/hekate/releases/tag/v5.3.2).
Step 7: Download balenaetcher(https://www.balena.io/etcher/) and then set it up.
Step 8: Run balenaetcher, choose your image file, then your 2nd micro sd and lastly click flash. Be patient since it can take some time.
Step 9: Copy the files you got from your initial micro sd card to the 2nd micro sd card's root.
Step 10: Open Hekate archive and extract everything to the root of micro sd(If it asks, replace the existing files).
Step 11: Move all of the archives(except Hekate) you downloaded to the root of the 2nd micro sd card (without extracting them).

PART 2: SETTING UP ANDROID:

Step 1: Put your 2nd micro sd into your switch.
Step 2: Press down power and "+" buttons at the same time until you see SX OS Boot Menu.
Step 3: Press options then press payloads. Choose Hekate payload and then click launch.
Step 4: Click "More Configs" and then start holding "+" button, click onto the Android logo.
Step 5: Hold "+" button until you see the TWRP menu. Swipe up.
Step 6: Select Mount from the menu. Then enable the System partition. After that, click Select Storage.
Step 7: Choose micro sd card from the pop-up menu and then click OK.
Step 8: Press the android home button and then choose Install from the menu.
Step 9: Select open_gapps archive then swipe right. After that press Wipe Chache and swipe up.
Step 10: Go back and then press magisk archive, after that swipe right, wipe cache, and swipe up.
Step 11: Go back and then press fix_joycon archive, after that swipe right, wipe cache, and swipe up.
Step 12: Go back and then press shieldifier archive, after that swipe right. (Nvidia Games didn't work on me.)
Step 13: Press Reboot System, swipe right, then hold the power button for 15 seconds.

PART 3: BASIC ANDROID SETUP:

Step 1: Get into the Hekate as mentioned in Part 2, Step 2-3. (There might be blue light coming from the back of your switch during boot up, it's nothing to worry about, be patient and it will boot eventually.)
Step 2: Click "More Configs" and press Android. (DON'T Hold "+")
Step 3: Wait for at least 30 seconds if nothing happens press the power button for 15 seconds and then repeat Part 3, Step 1-3 until you see the menu.
Step 4: Follow instructions from the screen. (DON'T CONNECT TO WIFI UNTIL SETUP IS COMPLETE!)
Step 5: ..... YOU SUCCESSFULLY INSTALLED ANDROID TO YOUR PATCHED SWITCH!
Step 6: Download Magisk Manager APK (https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases) and run it.
NOTE4: If you want to boot into normal switch, you should just swap micro sd cards.
NOTE5: Battery still drains fast, approx. 2-3 hours.

CREDITS:
-Sthetix's Unpatched Switch Running Android Video (I adapted this guide from he's unpatched switch guide.)
-Android LineageOS Creator: switchroot

Spoiler: Android 10

REQUIREMENTS: Micro Sd Card Adapter (In case your pc doesn't have it), A second Micro sd card which is at least 16 GB.

Step 1: Format the SD Card to FAT32. (You can use GUIFormat for Windows and GParted or your distros partition manager for Linux.)
Step 2: Download SX Gear from the SX Portal and download the latest Hekate. Extract Hekate archive and copy these to Micro SD Card.
Step 3: Rename hekate bin to payload.bin
Step 4: Follow this guide.

CREDITS:
- Switchroot Team - XDA ROM Page

 

[lordelan]

Very nice. Didn't know it can already be launched on Erista models.
Since you've mentioned "Erista v1":

1. Is there a v2 already?
2. How can we determine our version?

Also just add magisk to step 3 in part 1 and insert flashing it as the 12th step in part 2 and you have root covered.

 

[GCS]

Very nice. Didn't know it can already be launched on Erista models.
Since you've mentioned "Erista v1":

1. Is there a v2 already?
2. How can we determine our version?

Also just add magisk to step 3 in part 1 and insert flashing it as the 12th step in part 2 and you have root covered.

Hello, firstly thank you for your recommendation, I am going to add rooting section after I try it my own switch too (Don't want to mess up someone's android setup even though chances are low).
I think I wasn't clear enough about v1 and v2 thing. I meant Erista as v1 and Mariko as v2.

 

[GCS]

Hello, firstly thank you for your recommendation, I am going to add rooting section after I try it my own switch too (Don't want to mess up someone's android setup even though chances are low).
I think I wasn't clear enough about v1 and v2 thing. I meant Erista as v1 and Mariko as v2.

Added Rooting Section but I failed to make SafetyNet work

 

[kickmeh]

can we use this https://github.com/ELY3M/sx-custom-boot.dat-maker on sxcore? so at first boot, then hekate will appears?

 

[GCS]

can we use this https://github.com/ELY3M/sx-custom-boot.dat-maker on sxcore? so at first boot, then hekate will appears?

I am a bit of a newbie in the sx core switch hacking too. I think you should ask this on https://gbatemp.net/threads/switch-noob-paradise-ask-questions-here.488277/page-1111#post-9200137

 

[lordelan]

Hello, firstly thank you for your recommendation, I am going to add rooting section after I try it my own switch too (Don't want to mess up someone's android setup even though chances are low).
I think I wasn't clear enough about v1 and v2 thing. I meant Erista as v1 and Mariko as v2.

Ah. Tbh I never even heard of Erista before your thread. So I guess Erista are the patched devices after June 2018 while Mariko is what Nintendo put into the Lite and the later models with the changed package art.

Added Rooting Section but I failed to make SafetyNet work

Getting SafetyNet to pass on the Switch is a little tricky.
I managed to do it on my (unpatched) Switch.
Basically you need BusyBox and a props Magisk module to fake your device showing itself as another (for example Pixel C).
After doing that, SafetyNet tests will pass and you can play Mario Kart Tour on the Switch (which is funny somehow).

Edit: This video is helpful ->

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Added Rooting Section but I failed to make SafetyNet work

Use the device spoof (forgot the name) Magisk mod and spoof Pixel C device ID and safetynet should pass IIRC. But it is kind of pointless, what even needs safetynet other then Pokemon Go (which needs GPS) and some banking apps, neither of which you would be using on a Switch?

 

[lordelan]

Use the device spoof (forgot the name) Magisk mod and spoof Pixel C device ID and safetynet should pass IIRC.

That's basically what I wrote above your post.

It is indeed pointless most of the time. However as stated you can run Nintendo games and to be fair you could at least spoof GPS in Pokémon GO. By using a joystick emulation app you could even use the Joy-Cons to work around the map lol.

 

[GCS]

Ah. Tbh I never even heard of Erista before your thread. So I guess Erista are the patched devices after June 2018 while Mariko is what Nintendo put into the Lite and the later models with the changed package art.

Getting SafetyNet to pass on the Switch is a little tricky.
I managed to do it on my (unpatched) Switch.
Basically you need BusyBox and a props Magisk module to fake your device showing itself as another (for example Pixel C).
After doing that, SafetyNet tests will pass and you can play Mario Kart Tour on the Switch (which is funny somehow).

Edit: This video is helpful ->

Use the device spoof (forgot the name) Magisk mod and spoof Pixel C device ID and safetynet should pass IIRC. But it is kind of pointless, what even needs safetynet other then Pokemon Go (which needs GPS) and some banking apps, neither of which you would be using on a Switch?

Thank you for trying to help out but it didn't work, I tried some other different methods too but SafetyNet still fails. As you said SafetyNet isn't that necessary especially with that Antutu Score, you wouldn't be able to play properly anyways except for some games.

 

[lordelan]

Thank you for trying to help out but it didn't work, I tried some other different methods too but SafetyNet still fails. As you said SafetyNet isn't that necessary especially with that Antutu Score, you wouldn't be able to play properly anyways except for some games.

Small off topic question: Why do you keep an Erista Switch?
Looking at it it seems to be the absolute worst Switch to own as it does not have the coldboot exploit of the former 18 million models and also not the better chip (Mariko) which might lead to better overclocking opportunities in CFW in the future.
I'm just wondering why someone would go through the "trouble" of soldering an SX Core into an Erista Switch instead of trying either to get an unpatched unit from Ebay (so no SX Core needed, also max CFW/L4T support) or directly gather a Mariko unit.
However, as it appears, Nintendo will finally release their "Switch Pro" next year and if that's hackable as well, we should rather get that one instead of Mariko models.

 

[GCS]

Small off topic question: Why do you keep an Erista Switch?
Looking at it it seems to be the absolute worst Switch to own as it does not have the coldboot exploit of the former 18 million models and also not the better chip (Mariko) which might lead to better overclocking opportunities in CFW in the future.
I'm just wondering why someone would go through the "trouble" of soldering an SX Core into an Erista Switch instead of trying either to get an unpatched unit from Ebay (so no SX Core needed, also max CFW/L4T support) or directly gather a Mariko unit.
However, as it appears, Nintendo will finally release their "Switch Pro" next year and if that's hackable as well, we should rather get that one instead of Mariko models.

This would have been the best way if i wasn't living in Turkey. There had been an issue when nearly the Wii U was released... Our Official Nintendo reseller bankrupted Since then we weren't getting Nintendo content except for buying from Amazon or some unofficial resellers who add more than 100% profit to final product. And thankfully an official reseller came into Turkey previous year. They came the previous year which means they came when the mariko units were already out and naturally they started selling Mariko units directly for 397$ with some taxes and then Black Friday started. During Black Friday Sales I bought a non-red boxed switch for 265$ from an unofficial reseller which is a pretty good price. 132$ profit for Turkey is pretty good. Another reason I bought the non-red boxed was because I knew that there have been a small chance that the Switch I am buying was unpatched and it appeared to be patched. If you ask why I didn't buy 2nd hand Switch because the 2nd hands were going for nearly the same price too.
I got my Switch SX Core installed 3 weeks ago. There had been an additional 50% tax to video games and now prices have increased a lot . 2nd hand Switches price got up to 397$! And people who realised that their Switch was hackable, they were adding extra fee and in the end soldering SX Core and buying a new unpatched switch equaled themselves. The equation has been broken by my 200 hour pokemon sword save file and because of the virus I weren't really wanting to do selling&buying stuff that much.

 

[lordelan]

Okay, fair point.
Sad to hear about the situation in Turkey. Glad you have a hacked console not at least.

 

[RednaxelaNnamtra]

Okay, fair point.
Sad to hear about the situation in Turkey. Glad you have a hacked console not at least.

Also, if I remember it correctly, the patched erista units bootrom still includes the warmboot exploit, used to allow the sleep mode with a custom warmboot.bin, and that is used by the dejavu exploit.
So while the its not as easy to exploit as the unpatched erista units with the rcm exploit, it still has some advantages to mariko units.

 

[Sickem96]

I tried two times to flash android on my sd but when i launch Android Switch i get only black screen. Did i need to be patient and try more times?

 

[GCS]

I tried two times to flash android on my sd but when i launch Android Switch i get only black screen. Did i need to be patient and try more times?

It worked on me in the 3rd time
You should try up to 5 times

 

[Sickem96]

It worked on me in the 3rd time
You should try up to 5 times

No way, i tried like 10 times. Always get black screen.
Are you sure your switch is a patched one?
I saw on internet people saying that it doesn't work on erista or mariko switch.

 

[GCS]

No way, i tried like 10 times. Always get black screen.
Are you sure your switch is a patched one?
I saw on internet people saying that it doesn't work on erista or mariko switch.

Of course I am sure that I have an Erista patched unit. This also isn't compatible with Marino afaik
What size of SD card did you use?

 

[Sickem96]

Of course I am sure that I have an Erista patched unit. This also isn't compatible with Marino afaik
What size of SD card did you use?

Understood bro.
It's a Sandisk 32 gb u3. Of course i choosed the 32gb pack.

 

[GCS]

Understood bro.
It's a Sandisk 32 gb u3. Of course i choosed the 32gb pack.

It's not about the SD too most probably.
Were you able to boot into TWRP by holding the + or you weren't able to boot at all?