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Does your Nintendo Switch seem dead to the world? There are some obvious (and some not so obvious) things that could be wrong. Let’s go through a list of troubleshooting steps to diagnose your console problem and possibly fix it.
turn it on manually
This may seem obvious, but it’s worth removing any little things you may have missed. If you usually wake up your Switch using the “Home” button on a controller, the controller may have run out of battery power. Instead, you should try to wake up the console using the unit’s power button.
Press the power button on the top of the Switch to turn it on. If the switch is connected to a dock, the green light on the front of the dock will turn on when the console is turned on. If your console is not docked, you should see the lock screen or a Nintendo logo indicating the boot process is starting.
If the Nintendo logo appears and then disappears, your Switch is likely out of battery, which brings us to our next solution.
RELATED: Should you buy a portable dock for Nintendo Switch?
charge it for a while
If your Switch appears to be completely dead or won’t boot up after displaying the Nintendo logo, you need to charge it for a while. Due to the pre-charging process required by lithium-ion batteries, it may take a little time before your Switch powers on when the battery is fully discharged.
Nintendo recommends restarting the AC adapter by unplugging it from both the wall and the Switch for 30 seconds, so make sure you’ve done that before proceeding. Then take the power cable out of the dock and plug it directly into the Switch via the USB-C connector on the bottom of the unit. This will eliminate the dock as the cause of your problem.
You may see a battery indicator appear in the upper left corner of the screen, suggesting that the console is charging. Note that the console may not start even after this has been displayed, so wait a bit. Try turning on your console periodically using the button on top of the charger.
If, after a few hours, your console does not respond, it is unlikely that the problem can be solved by charging it.
Try restarting your console
Another possibility is that your console has frozen and is completely unresponsive to input from the controllers, or even the power button. While this may be an unlikely occurrence, it’s worth trying to manually reset your console just to rule it out.
You can restart the console by pressing and holding the power button on the top of the unit for 15 seconds, then power on the console normally (by pressing the power button once). Keep in mind that your console may be low on battery if it’s been in this state for a while, so keep that charger handy.
You can use this trick to solve software problems that cause the system to hang, especially when the Start button does not work. Fortunately, events like this are relatively rare on Switch.
Consider replacing the charger
If your Switch is completely unresponsive and you don’t see anything on the screen when you connect it to your console (not even the empty battery indicator or the Nintendo logo), then one possibility is that your charger is dead. You can inspect it for damage, such as a frayed cable or cracks in the adapter casing, but adapters often show no signs of damage, even if they’re not working properly.
Replacement Switch AC Adapter
Nintendo Switch AC Adapter
Charge your Switch and power your dock with the official Nintendo adapter, designed for 120V and 240V outlets.
The safest bet here is to replace the charger directly with Nintendo’s Switch AC adapter, but borrowing one first might be a more cost-effective solution. You can also buy cheaper third-party alternatives that will work just fine if you’re happy to forego first-party accessories.
Check for damage to the USB-C connector
Your Switch may not charge properly if your console has sustained damage to the USB-C port on the bottom of the unit. Inspect this area closely for telltale signs of damage, such as a bent port, cracks, or anything exposed that shouldn’t be.
If the switch has been damaged, the unit will need to be repaired or replaced.
Contact Nintendo Support for repairs
So your power adapter does not appear to be damaged and the Switch has not sustained any damage to the USB-C port. Tried resetting both the Switch and the AC adapter and charged it for a while with nothing showing up on the screen. He plugged the adapter directly into the Switch and tried a second adapter to make sure the charger wasn’t to blame.
At this stage, it’s probably worth contacting Nintendo Support to see if your console can be inspected and repaired. If the console is still under warranty (one year old in most jurisdictions, two years in places like Australia and the EU), you may be able to return it to the retailer you bought it from for a direct exchange.
If your console is no longer covered under warranty, aftermarket repair is your only option. Without knowing what the problem is with your console, it can be hard to figure out what to do to fix it yourself.
For example, you might be able to replace a Switch battery yourself if the battery life is no longer up to scratch. Replacing the battery in a Switch that no longer turns on can be a waste of time that isn’t worth it without further testing. If the switch has been damaged by impact or moisture, it’s possible to repair it, but first you’ll need to isolate exactly what went wrong.
If there are obvious signs of damage to the USB-C port on the bottom of the Switch unit, then you can order a $9.99 replacement from iFixit and solder it yourself, but you’ll do better with some experience and skill under your belt. confident in your skills, you can save a lot of money by doing this type of repair yourself.
Like many life skills, there are YouTube channels documenting the process of bringing dead consoles back to life like TronicsFix. While these do not necessarily act as tutorials, prove that so-called “dead” consoles can be revived with the right skills and replacement parts. You might find iFixit’s Nintendo Switch Repair Center useful if you’re thinking of going the DIY route.
Depending on the problem with the console, repairs from Nintendo can be expensive. Consider taking the unit to a third-party repair shop that can help you, ideally one with experience repairing consoles. If your console is still under warranty, never open it yourself or let someone other than Nintendo try to repair it (even if you’re pretty sure the problem was caused by you).
Your saves and screenshots may be lost
If you manage to repair your console, there is a chance that you will not lose any data. If you have Nintendo Switch Online, many (but not all) of your game saves will be stored in the cloud. Any screenshots you have saved to your internal storage (not the microSD card) will not be saved.
Nintendo may offer you a restored drive instead of your original drive, which means you’ll lose everything on internal storage that isn’t backed up to the cloud. Make sure to remove the microSD card before sending the console in for repair.
You may need to judge whether the cost of repairs is worth it compared to the price of a new console. When you buy a new console, you get the complete set: Joy-Con, dock, power adapter, and the Switch console itself. You may even find a deal that includes games or a microSD card that will make more sense than a repair.
Some people may want to go the extra mile to repair one of the easily modded original Switch consoles, which are highly sought after on the second-hand market.
RELATED: How To Decide Which Nintendo Switch Is Right For You
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