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Like any electronic device, the Switch isn’t perfect in hardware or software, and while problems with both are rare, they can happen. If your Switch is unresponsive and won’t turn on, or you have a problem with charging, we have a few solutions so you can save yourself a lot of headache.
My switch won’t turn on
If your console was behaving differently and suddenly refused to turn on, there are a few things you can try.
Plug it in to charge
Sounds basic, we know, but none of us are immune to forgetting that the Switch was not as loaded as we thought. Typically, the display will illuminate with a battery indicator to indicate that it needs to be charged, but if it is very empty you will not have the charge to do so. Charge it with the official Nintendo Switch power adapter that comes with the console and leave it for at least an hour. You’d be surprised how often this works.
© Nintendo Life / Alex OlneyPerform a full reset
If the upload does nothing, your next bet should be to do a full reset. You can do this by holding down the power button on top of the console (not the home button on the Joy-Con) for about 12 seconds, or 15 if your second counting skill leaves something to be desired. Release the power button from the force of your firm finger and press it once as you normally would to turn it on. Hopefully things should work as you would expect now; This solution has even saved some NLife crew members once or twice.
My Switch will not load
If your console isn’t taking or holding a load, there are a couple of solutions you can try before taking the nuclear option.
Uses an official Nintendo Switch power adapter
The Switch charges using a non-standard protocol, so if you’ve been using a third-party solution, you may encounter problems. We are sure there are plenty of perfectly responsive third party adapters, but we cannot guarantee their reliability or safety, but we (and obviously Nintendo) can guarantee the official charger.
© Nintendo Life / Alex OlneyTurn your power adapter on and off
It seems ridiculous, but there is a surprising amount of gubbins inside that power adapter of yours. Disconnect it from your Switch and the wall and leave it for 30 to 60 seconds. This will essentially reset the adapter and fix things. However, before trying it …
© Nintendo Life / Alex OlneyCheck the power adapter for damage
Does everything look good on both ends? The official power adapter is quite sturdy, but it is not waterproof. Check inside the USB-C plug for bent pins that might not be making good (bad) contact, inspect the cable for fraying as this can cause a short (very bad), and obviously obvious make sure no cracks or buckling in the housing on the wall adapter side (genuine fire hazard). If you see signs of damage, do not use the adapter as it could present a danger. Replace it with another official adapter and see if using a new solution solves your problem.
© Nintendo Life / Alex OlneyLet it charge for a few hours.
If the battery has really run down, it should be recharged slowly for safety reasons (that’s a very Basic explanation of how lithium ion batteries work, but it is enough for the purposes of this guide.) If only your console single It ran out of juice and you plug it in, it’s likely to be usable almost immediately, but if it sits idle for weeks or even months without a load, it could take several hours to get any kind of response. Leave it on charge (supervised) for at least 2 hours, but keep it plugged in longer if it still shows no signs of life. If after 12-24 hours you still get nothing when trying to turn it on, try a full reset as detailed above as a last attempt to get everything working.
The nuclear option
If all that fails, your last sensible course of action is to call Nintendo directly and discuss how to fix it. If your console is still under warranty, you may not be charged for the service, but be prepared that, unlike the advice we’ve given you, it’s most likely not free.
© Nintendo Life / Alex OlneyWhat about third-party repair shops?
Be very careful with unauthorized repair shops. Chances are they are completely trustworthy, hard-working and knowledgeable people who will work on your system, but using one of these will probably mean that if something else goes wrong in the future, Nintendo will refuse to repair or repair your console, even for a fee. It sucks, but that’s the kind of dystopia we’re living in right now.
Can I repair it myself? I have a screwdriver somewhere …
This is even more dangerous, I mean you have even viewed inside a switch before? Strange tasting cables, circuits, resistors, heatsinks, not exactly like that time you blew into the cartridge slot of your N64 and “fixed it” (side note: don’t do this, it’s bad for contacts). We don’t want anything to happen to your console, and if you had the knowledge and skills to fix it yourself, you probably wouldn’t be using this article as a resource, so keep things safe and leave it to the pros. Feel free to try the simple things we’ve mentioned above, but don’t accidentally risk your expensive Animal Crossing machine.
