Why doesn't my Nikon kit lens have AF/MF or VR switches, and does it matter?

Yes, that can be normal. Your lens is likely a Nikon AF-P model, which often has no physical AF/MF or VR switches because those settings are controlled from the camera menu instead.

On a D5300, AF-P lenses are supported, but you may need the latest camera firmware for all menu options to appear. If you don’t see focus or VR settings in the menus, updating firmware is the first thing to check.

In practice, it usually does not matter much for still photography: you can still use the camera’s focus modes and VR settings through the body. The main difference is convenience, since switching settings is slower in menus than with lens switches.

Possible downsides:

• For video, changing focus behavior may be less convenient.
• AF motor noise can sometimes be picked up by the camera microphone.
• On older Nikon bodies, some AF-P features may be limited or unavailable.

If you need less blur and don’t want to rely on VR, you can also use a faster shutter speed, raise ISO, open the aperture, or use a tripod.