'Why won't my Nintendo Switch turn on?': How to troubleshoot an unresponsive Switch
- If your Nintendo Switch console won't turn on, chances are that you just have a drained battery.
- The Switch could also be frozen, in which case you can perform a hard reset by holding the power button down for at least 12 seconds.
- When performing a forced reset, make sure the Switch is connected to a power source.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
So your beloved Nintendo Switch isn't turning on? Don't panic, it's probably a very small issue.
There are a few reasons why your Nintendo Switch might not turn on, and most of them aren't serious. Here's how to quickly troubleshoot a Nintendo Switch that won't start.
Check out the products mentioned in this article:
Nintendo Switch (From $299.99 at Best Buy)
How to fix a Switch that won't turn on
Charge it
Most of the time, when a Switch refuses to turn on, it's simply out of battery. Place it into its dock or plug the charging cable in directly and wait a few hours for it to charge back up. The Switch should soon be operational, and will be fully charged in about three hours.
For more info on how to charge your Nintendo Switch, check out our article, "How to charge a Nintendo Switch console in 2 ways, and keep playing while it charges."
Hard reset it
If your Switch remains unresponsive, even after a decent charging session, or if you can see a faint light coming from the blank screen, it's time to force a shutdown instead. Don't worry, your saved data won't be lost.
To shut the Switch off manually:
1. Hold down the little circular power button on top of the Switch for between 12 and 15 seconds.
2. Release it and wait a few more seconds.
3. Push the power button normally.
Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:
'What comes with a Nintendo Switch?': A guide to what's included with a Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch Lite
How to charge a Nintendo Switch's Joy-Con controllers in 2 different ways
How to turn off your Nintendo Switch or put it into Sleep Mode, to save battery or fix software issues
How to connect your Nintendo Switch to a TV, and what to do if it won't connect