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Nintendo Switch troubleshooting

Nintendo Switch consoles that will not charge, crash games, lose the connection or show an error code, with the checks for the dock, the controllers and the network.

A frozen Switch is force shut down by holding the power button for at least 20 seconds, and the same article covers the Switch, the OLED Model and the Switch Lite. After a restart, install the latest system update, and if the console keeps freezing, remove game cards and the microSD card and test again. Initialize the console without deleting save data from Maintenance Mode only after those steps.

Observed symptomPlatform controlIsolation testVerificationStop condition
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21 exact answers

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Nintendo Switch · Joy-Con

Joy-Con disconnects or misses button presses

Intermittent Joy-Con input can come from low charge, wireless interference, attachment rail contact or controller hardware. Compare attached and wireless use.

Open record Nintendo Switch · docked video

Nintendo Switch dock has no picture on the TV

Docked video needs the supported power adapter, seated console, working HDMI path and TV input. Handheld display working does not prove the dock is powered correctly.

Open record support · reviewed answer

Nintendo Switch game card cannot be read

Remove and reinsert the correct card with the console off or at the Home menu, inspect for damage and test another known-good card. One failed card points to media; multiple failed cards point toward the slot or console.

Open record Nintendo Switch · dock

Nintendo Switch docked video behaves incorrectly or produces the wrong result

Open record Nintendo Switch · dock

Nintendo Switch docked video fails with one app, game, host or connection

Open record Nintendo Switch · dock

Nintendo Switch docked video is not working

Open record Nintendo Switch · dock

Nintendo Switch docked video is unusually slow or delayed

Open record Nintendo Switch · dock

Nintendo Switch docked video keeps disconnecting or working intermittently

Open record Nintendo Switch · dock

Nintendo Switch docked video stopped working after an update, outage or hardware change

Open record Nintendo Switch · Joy-Con

Nintendo Switch Joy-Con rail connection behaves incorrectly or produces the wrong result

Open record Nintendo Switch · Joy-Con

Nintendo Switch Joy-Con rail connection fails with one app, game, host or connection

Open record Nintendo Switch · Joy-Con

Nintendo Switch Joy-Con rail connection is not working

Open record Nintendo Switch · Joy-Con

Nintendo Switch Joy-Con rail connection is unusually slow or delayed

Open record Nintendo Switch · Joy-Con

Nintendo Switch Joy-Con rail connection keeps disconnecting or working intermittently

Open record Nintendo Switch · Joy-Con

Nintendo Switch Joy-Con rail connection stopped working after an update, outage or hardware change

Open record Nintendo Switch · storage

Nintendo Switch microSD storage behaves incorrectly or produces the wrong result

Open record Nintendo Switch · storage

Nintendo Switch microSD storage fails with one app, game, host or connection

Open record Nintendo Switch · storage

Nintendo Switch microSD storage is not working

Open record Nintendo Switch · storage

Nintendo Switch microSD storage is unusually slow or delayed

Open record Nintendo Switch · storage

Nintendo Switch microSD storage keeps disconnecting or working intermittently

Open record Nintendo Switch · storage

Nintendo Switch microSD storage stopped working after an update, outage or hardware change

Open record

Troubleshooting a Nintendo Switch

Storage on the Switch is small, so move software to a microSD card in System Settings, Data Management. Charging faults are the adapter, cable or port, and the dock matters in TV mode: Nintendo asks for the licensed dock. Joy-Con drift is fixed in System Settings, Controllers and Sensors, Calibrate Control Sticks, or by repair.

Switch faults are often about power and the dock. A Switch that will not charge or turn on should be tried with the original charger and dock, with the cable plugged in firmly, left charging for half an hour, and then restarted by holding the power button for twelve seconds. A console that overheats or shuts down in the dock needs its vents clear. Controllers that drift or disconnect can be re-synced from the controller menu, and calibrating the sticks is in System Settings, Controllers and Sensors.

For game crashes, update the game and the system software and check the free space on the console. Online codes are covered on the code pages. Saved data can be backed up with Nintendo Switch Online, and a reset or a reinstall of a game should only be done after that.

How do I force a Nintendo Switch to shut down?

Hold the POWER button for at least 20 seconds until the screen goes dark, then press it again to start.

How do I force a Nintendo Switch to restart?

Hold the power button for about twelve seconds, then press it again to turn the console back on.