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Nintendo Switch turns on but has no picture

Nintendo Switch (launch, revised and OLED models) turns on but has no picture: display input, cable, HDMI port, safe-resolution mode and console hardware should be isolated. Scoped to HAC-001, HAC-001(-01) and HEG-001.

If the Switch picture on the TV is missing, discolored, scrambled or blurry, Nintendo's steps are a fixed order: undock and check the console screen is fine, install the latest system update, restart it, reset the AC adapter for 30 seconds using the original HAC-002, unplug and inspect the HDMI cable and adapter, then reconnect the adapter and HDMI directly with no sound bar, home theatre or DVI adapter in the chain. The dock's TV output LED is the other clue: it should flash once when the adapter is plugged in, then stay solid green while a game shows on the TV.

Part of Nintendo Switch (original, revised and OLED) troubleshooting

Differential

Likely causes of “Nintendo Switch turns on but has no picture”, and how to tell them apart

  1. 1

    The console is not seated in the dock, or the wrong input is selected

    What separates it The dock's LED is off or flashing and the TV shows no signal

    How to confirm Position the console so its screen faces the same way as the dock's front panel, push it fully in and choose the correct HDMI input on the TV

  2. 2

    A dock LED that keeps flashing

    What separates it The TV output LED flashes when a game should be showing on the TV

    How to confirm Nintendo says it should flash once and then stay solid green; undock, update the console, restart, and update the dock firmware on a dock with a LAN port

  3. 3

    A damaged or unlicensed cable or adapter

    What separates it The picture is scrambled or discolored, or it works after moving the cable

    How to confirm Use the original adapter (HAC-002) and inspect the AC adapter and HDMI cable for kinks, cuts or fraying

  4. 4

    A device between the dock and the TV

    What separates it The picture is blurry or dropped when a sound bar, home theatre or DVI adapter is connected

    How to confirm Plug the HDMI cable directly from the dock to a TV HDMI port and remove other devices for testing

  5. 5

    Outdated system software or a stuck console

    What separates it The image was fine and broke after a change

    How to confirm Install the latest system update and restart the console by holding POWER for three seconds and choosing Power Options, Restart

Before you touch a setting

Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence

  • The dock LED behavior: off, flashing or solid green
  • Whether the console screen itself looks discolored when undocked
  • The TV, the HDMI port and any sound bar or receiver in the chain
  • Whether the console is a launch, revised or OLED model, and whether the dock has a LAN port

Try in this order

0 of 8 completed

  1. Undock and check the console screen

    Reversible

    Take the console out of the dock. If its own screen looks discolored or distorted, the problem is the console, not the TV connection.

  2. Install the latest system update

    Reversible

    On the HOME Menu open System Settings, scroll to the bottom, choose System, then System Update. The console checks whether one is available.

  3. Restart the console

    Reversible

    Hold POWER for at least three seconds, choose Power Options, then Restart. If it does not respond, hold POWER for twelve seconds to force a shutdown and start it again.

  4. Reset the AC adapter

    Reversible

    Unplug it from both ends for 30 seconds. Make sure you are using the original Nintendo Switch AC adapter (model HAC-002); a different power source can cause this problem.

  5. Inspect and reseat the HDMI cable

    Reversible

    Unplug the HDMI cable from the dock and the TV and look for kinks, cuts or fraying. Plug the AC adapter into the dock and directly into a wall outlet, and the HDMI cable directly into the TV.

  6. Take other devices out of the chain

    Reversible

    Disconnect a sound bar, home theatre system or DVI adapter while you test, then check whether the picture is fixed.

  7. Update the dock firmware on a dock with a LAN port

    Reversible

    With the latest system update installed, open System Settings, System, Update Dock, then Begin Update. If the update stops, try it again.

  8. Read the TV output LED

    Reversible

    When the adapter is first plugged into the dock the LED should flash and then shut off. While the console is docked and the game shows on the TV it should be solid green.

Model-specific

What is true of this model and not of its siblings

Docks
The OLED Model ships with the dock with LAN port (HEG-007); the launch and revised consoles use the original dock (HAC-007).
What the TV shows
Nintendo's specifications list up to 1080p via HDMI in TV mode and up to 720p on the built-in screen in tabletop and handheld modes for all three consoles.
Tools and supplies
A second HDMI cable, the TV remote and manual and a soft cloth.
What to tell Nintendo
The dock model (HAC-007 or HEG-007), the LED pattern and the steps tried, with the console serial number; not a part number.
Other models this page answers
These steps also fit the Nintendo Switch original model, Nintendo Switch revised model.

Stop boundary

When this stops being a self-service repair

  • !If the console screen is fine undocked but the TV picture is bad with a new cable and adapter, the dock may need service; Nintendo provides an online service request
  • !If the LED flashes after the dock firmware update and a full unplug reset, request service
  • !If the picture is bad on the console's own screen as well, follow Nintendo's console screen article and request service

Evidence ledger

Sources behind this answer

Where the manufacturer's article stops. Nintendo writes them for the Switch and OLED Model together, and says the Switch Lite does not support TV mode.

01
iFixit Nintendo Switch Battery Replacement: Costs and Considerations

Battery repair steps and Nintendo's out-of-warranty cost table.

02
Nintendo Nintendo Switch Image on TV is Discolored, Scrambled, Distorted, or Blurry

Undock, update, restart, adapter and HDMI checks.

03
Nintendo TV Output LED on the Nintendo Switch Dock is Flashing

What the TV output LED shows and the dock firmware update.

04
Nintendo How to Connect Nintendo Switch to a TV

Dock connection steps for each model.

Exact questions

Common questions

Why is my Switch picture scrambled on the TV?+

Follow Nintendo's order: undock and check the console screen, update, restart, reset the HAC-002 adapter for 30 seconds and reseat the HDMI cable directly with nothing in between.

What should the dock's TV output LED do?+

Flash and then shut off when the adapter is first plugged in, then stay solid green while the console is docked and a game shows on the TV.

Can I use a different HDMI cable or adapter?+

Yes for the cable, but replace a damaged one. Nintendo says the original AC adapter should be used because a different power source can cause the problem.

Does the Switch Lite output to a TV?+

No. Nintendo says the Switch Lite does not support TV mode and is not compatible with the dock.

Why is the console screen off when docked?+

Nintendo says it shuts off automatically while docked because the game is on the TV.

What does updating the dock do?+

On a dock with a LAN port, System Settings, System, Update Dock installs new firmware for the dock; Nintendo lists it as a step for a flashing LED.

Does the OLED dock differ?+

The OLED comes with a dock that has a LAN port (HEG-007); the other docks are HAC-007. The connection steps are the same for both.

When does the dock need service?+

When the LED still flashes or the picture is still bad after the update, a full unplug, a new cable and the original adapter.

Wrong device or version?

Match the path before repeating the steps.

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