Nintendo Switch not charging – 3 steps to troubleshoot, 7 steps to fix it. Just like every regular portable gaming device, our dear Nintendo Switch is quite susceptible to electronics faults and issues. There is none more frustrating than not being able to get a single charge onto your device.

Most times, you probably start battling with choices on whether to try fixing it or just replace it entirely. Well, before you do that, there’s really no harm in putting some troubleshooting tips to test to see if it is something that doesn’t entirely need the attention of a professional.

Nintendo Switch not charging – 3 steps to troubleshoot, 7 steps to fix it

Outlined below are some possibly related problems to the Nintendo Switch’s charging and power issues:

Switch refuses to come on or screen remains blank

This is quite a common issue with the Switch and could be as a result of different things. First, plug in your device to the dock for a while to make sure it gets a full charge.

If after this, the device won’t still boot, then it may possibly be frozen and could require a hard reset. Just like most handheld devices, a hard reset is done by holding down the power button on your device for a period of about 15-20 seconds.

After this, give the device a couple of seconds, say 5, to shut down totally. You may then try restarting the device with the power button again. If it still doesn’t come on, the issue might be in the next subheading.

Related: Nintendo Switch dock not working; 5 steps to troubleshoot, 12 Steps to fix it

Charging port is unresponsive

There are a couple of possible causes to this issue that I’ll outline below:

1. Using a third-party dock

Most electronic device manufacturers clearly warn in their user manuals against the use of third party accessories with their devices to avoid possible damage to either the battery pack or the device itself.

Using a third-party dock to charge your Nintendo Switch may damage your device charging port by causing it to fail. This is because most third-party docks tend to output an incorrect voltage that may too high or low for your device.

This can cause the device to charge slowly or even lead to it getting bricked. A bricked device is one that has a faulty charge controller on its motherboard.

The charge controller regulates the charging procedure of the console. In a case of bricking, the device may not charge even with a good charging port, due to the faulty charge controller.

2. Using inappropriate charging cables

Just like using the wrong docks for your device, using wrong charging cables may just be the problem.

Charging cables have different power ratings attributed to them and using one that isn’t the one provided with the console or its controllers might technically lead to slow charging or eventual damage.

3. Using supplement battery packs

You may want to have an additional power unit to complement that of your Switch in the eventuality of power failure or outage. This may not absolutely be a bad idea, but making sure the battery pack abides by the standard power output and voltage is important. Only USB-C to USB-C cables should be utilized with the batteries. The standard power output rating for the Switch is 5V-15V and 2.6A.

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After considering all the above issues, you could try:

4. Resetting the AC adapter

To reset the AC adapter, simply unplug the adapter from both ends for at least 30 seconds, and then plug the USB-C cables from the adapter directly into the Switch.

5. Trying to test the console in TV mode

To do this, connect the AC adapter directly to a wall outlet, and then connect your HDMI cable (already connected to your Switch) to the TV screen.

6. Testing the Switch with another authentic adapter or dock

Try charging your Switch with the adapter or dock of another Switch to isolate the possibilities of your adapter or dock being the problem.

If they are, you may need to repair or replace your dock and adapter, but I would recommend a replacement because repairs to damages on adapters may not be reliable in the long run.

7. Replace your charging port

After all of this, if your Switch still has issues charging, it may be time for you to take a more advanced step, and it involves replacing your charging port entirely.

It could be possible that your charging port may be broken or may have pins twisted out of place. You can easily determine this just by looking inside the port.

As usual, this replacement procedure would require basic soldering skills and tools. Just to be clear, if you find it uncomfortable fiddling with the internals of your Switch by yourself, you can simply seek professional help by taking it to experts to have it done.

But if you are sure you can brave the process, then the guidelines are outlined below:

Note: You can always check on YouTube for more detailed directions on how to go about soldering.

• The first thing to do is to take off the back case of the Nintendo Switch by removing all the screws on it. You might require more than just a regular screwdriver for the screws.
• The next step is removal of the motherboard from the device. This should be done with care and gentle force so as not to damage tiny components on it.
• You then have to locate where the charging port is situated on the motherboard. You’ll find it is soldered onto the motherboard firmly. To remove it, you will need a hot air soldering tool. You should apply soldering flux to all of the connection points before the faulty charging point. These points should then gently be heated until you can easily take the charging port out of place. Remember, the heating should be gentle, so as not to affect the motherboard elsewhere.
• You then have to heat up the pins on the motherboard until all the solder is melted. At this point, you quickly attach the new charging port to the pins before the solder begins to dry up.
• You should let it cool off a bit, before putting back the motherboard into the console and replacing the back cover.

As earlier said, considering the process is quite advanced, it may be better to have an expert get the job done for you if you feel you aren’t up to the task. After carefully following all the above procedures, your Nintendo Switch should be up and running in no time.

That is how to fix Nintendo Switch not charging issues. If the problem persists, you can contact their customer care  or join the support forum for help.

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Author: Simon RobertEasyInfoBlog is a multi-author blog. We have experts and professionals in various fields who share their ideas and expert knowledge to help you with your daily information needs. Thanks for reading!