There are various reasons why your Nintendo Switch won’t turn on, and we will be discussing each of them with solutions in this article. The prevailing issue may be minor or sometimes leave a huge effect on your Switch. But a Switch that is not turning on may be very frustrating for users. Your Nintendo Switch won’t turn on at certain times, and it may display the same problem with a few moderations. For example, the Nintendo Switch in sleep mode won’t turn on upon pressing the power button. And sometimes, the screen will be blank, but you can hear the sound. All these issues indicate the same problem.
How to Fix a Nintendo Switch that Won’t Turn On
[1] Charge your Nintendo Switch
The very common reason for a Nintendo Switch to not turn on is the indication of a low battery. Put the Switch console in its charging dock and allow it to charge. One can also connect it directly to the charging cable and let it charge for a few hours. If the low battery is the reason behind your Switch not turning on, it will turn on after charging it.
Related: How to Charge Nintendo Switch Consoles
[2] Turn On the Nintendo Switch Manually
Sometimes when the Joy-con that is operating your Switch may be running out of charge or broken. Check if it has any defects. The solution here is to turn on the Nintendo Switch manually instead of using the controllers. To do this, unlock your Switch first and then turn it on manually. Finally, you can put it back on the dock.
[3] Soft Reset the Switch
You can perform a soft reset by pressing and holding the power button on your Switch for 15 seconds and then releasing the button. If your Switch is not turning on due to some software issues, the soft reset will fix it.
Related: How to Reset your Nintendo Switch to Fix Issues
[4] Perform a Hard Reset
When none of the solutions provided can turn on the Switch, you can finally try a hard reset. Press and hold the power button for 20 seconds, and then release it. Wait for a few more seconds, and then press the power button to turn on the Switch. While performing a hard reset on Switch, your saved data and games will not be lost. Only in the case of selling your Switch, you will need to choose a hard reset with the option of deleting all the files.
For additional assistance, visit Nintendo Switch support.
In most cases of the Nintendo Switch not turning on, the issue behind it may be a small defect and can be easily resolved. Sometimes there could be a problem with the HDMI port or cable which connects your Switch to the display. Here you need to attempt connecting via a different HDMI port or using another cable.
And there are also situations when your Switch won’t charge. This, as a result, will not allow your Switch to turn on. To sort these out, you need to check for any physical damage on the power adapter or power cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main reason behind this may be a dead battery. Unplug the Switch charger, reconnect it and then let it charge fully. If the battery is not the issue, you can perform a hard reset. The solution to turning on the Switch Lite is the same as that of the Switch.
Press and hold the Power button on Switch for three seconds, and you will get the Power options on your screen. Here you can choose the Turn off option. If the Power option cannot be accessed, then force shut down the console by holding the Power button for twelve seconds. Make sure to remove any game cards or microSD cards from the console before a force shutdown.
Check if your dock and cables are physically damaged and if it is functioning effectively. You can also clean the USB-C port of your console and dock, to remove any dirt build-up. Try a power cycle on your adapter, by removing the charger from both the ends and leaving it to rest for 30 seconds. When you reconnect the charger, your Switch should charge. Otherwise, you may replace a new adapter, if none of the solutions helped you out.
You can reset the AC adapter and perform a hard reset to fix up the issue on the Nintendo Switch Lite.
Yes. If resetting the AC adapter isn’t working for you, you shall hard reset the gaming console to fix up the issue.
If your Switch isn’t turning on after the hard reset, you shall charge your Switch, perform a reset once again, try using a different dock, or remove the SD card.
It might be due to the faulty or damaged cord. You need to use the original power cable to charge the console to not get any such issues.