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How to Fix It When Nintendo Switch Won't Turn On

There are several ways to fix a Nintendo Switch console not turning on

By Brad Stephenson Brad Stephenson Freelance Contributor Western Sydney University Brad Stephenson is a freelance tech and geek culture writer with 12+ years' experience. He writes about Windows 10, Xbox One, and cryptocurrency. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 8, 2021 Reviewed by Kayla Dube Reviewed by Kayla Dube J. Everette Light Career Center Kayla Dube has 4+ years' experience in videography and filmmaking. She frequently works in production with indie film companies. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Consoles & PCs Xbox Buyer's Guide A Nintendo Switch not turning on properly can kill your gaming plans and cause you to worry that your video game console might be broken. Fortunately, there are several effective fixes that have been proven to work.

Causes for Nintendo Switch Not Turning On

If your Nintendo Switch won’t turn on, there are several likely causes. The most-common culprit is simply a low battery or a power supply issue though it’s also possible that an operating system, software, or video game update may have caused the Nintendo console to stop working. The following solutions can be applied to all Nintendo Switch console models including the Nintendo Switch Lite. In most cases, there’s little cause for worry and you’ll soon be able to turn your Nintendo Switch on and continue playing your favorite video game whether it’s Pokemon Sword or Fortnite on your Nintendo Switch.

How to Fix Nintendo Switch Power Issues

“My Switch won’t turn on!” Don’t worry. Here’s all of the best solutions for the Nintendo Switch power on issue sorted from simplest to more advanced. Work your way through these fixes in order as often the simplest and fastest solution can also be the one that works. Check your HDMI input. If your Nintendo Switch isn’t showing any image on your TV, you may have accidentally switched to the incorrect HDMI input. This can happen if you bump or drop your remote. Cycle through your HDMI channels to make sure that you’re on the right one. Check for other HDMI issues. There are a number of HDMI-related tech issues that could be be stopping your Switch from showing on your TV. Power on your Switch manually. The controller that you’re using to turn on your Nintendo Switch may have run out of battery power and be unable to communicate with your console. Try undocking the Nintendo Switch, turning it on manually, and then placing it back in the dock again. It can be a good idea to keep your controllers connected to your Nintendo Switch console when not in use so that they remain fully charged. Charge your Nintendo Switch console. Your Switch may simply have run out of battery power. Place it in its dock and charge it for at least 15 minutes before turning it on again. The green LED light on the lower-left of the dock should turn on if the Nintendo Switch is charging correctly. If the light doesn’t turn on, your dock may be unplugged or broken. Charge your Nintendo Switch via USB. If you suspect that your dock is broken, or you have a Nintendo Switch model that doesn’t use a dock such as the Nintendo Switch Lite, you can still charge it via its USB-C connection. Try a soft reset. Press and hold the power button for 15 seconds and then release it. This can fix some software problems that have caused your Nintendo Switch to glitch and not turn on. Try a hard/factory reset. If your Switch still won’t turn on, you’ll need to try a hard reset. This is also referred to as a factory reset and gives you the option to reboot your Nintendo Switch console with all of your games and data intact or delete everything and start over as if it was a completely new console. A deleting all of your files with a factory reset can be useful for when giving or selling your Nintendo Switch to someone else. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Reset Nintendo Switch How to Fix It When Your Fitbit Won't Turn On How to Fix It When Nintendo Switch Won't Connect to Wi-Fi How to Fix It When Nintendo Switch Is Frozen How to Transfer Save Data Between Users on the Switch How to Fix It When Your PS4 Won't Turn On How to Connect the Nintendo Switch to Your Laptop How to Fix It When a Fire Stick Is Not Loading How to Set up and Use a Nintendo Switch Microphone How to Fix It When a PS5 Controller Won't Sync How to Fix the Microphone on AirPods Can You Connect AirPods to a Nintendo Switch? How to Download and Play Fortnite on Nintendo Switch How to Connect a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller to a PC How to Connect Nintendo Switch to Bluetooth Headphones How to Connect GameCube Controllers to the Switch Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies