The Nintendo Switch is one of the top handheld gaming consoles available, despite its rarity. When you take into account its specifications, the Nintendo Switch has a pretty good battery capacity and backup. If you have a Nintendo Switch, you already know that the most frequently asked question is “Is my Switch charging?” You can find out how to tell if your Switch is charging by reading this article.
How To Tell If The Switch Is Charging Or Not
Thanks to Nintendo, determining whether or not your console is charging is now incredibly simple. Regardless of the charging method you choose, you’ll see a small battery symbol in the top left corner of the screen.
It will then be followed by a lightning bolt. You can relax knowing that the Switch is charging if you see those specific symbols.
Be aware that other LEDs may confuse some users if they light up while the Switch is being charged, before it is charged, or after it has been charged.
A green LED light is typically flashing or always on in the top right corner of the screen; this has nothing to do with the Switch’s battery. Rather, it provides feedback on how well the Switch is transmitting its video signal.
How Do I Charge The Switch
In order to ensure that you could enjoy gaming without being confined to a box that sat beneath your TV, Nintendo used this as one of its key design principles when creating the Switch. They didn’t want to follow the path of Sony or Xbox.
Therefore, they opted for a more portable approach. Naturally, this meant that instead of being plugged in all the time, the device would need to be periodically charged.
Utilizing a charging dock proved to be the simplest solution. One and an adapter are included with every Nintendo Switch purchased.
In the event that a user loses or breaks theirs, it may also be purchased separately. The Switch can be fully charged using the dock in about three hours.
The alternative choice, which is especially appealing to Switch users who are constantly on the go, is to simply charge the device using a USB-C cable.
You can charge the included AC adapter for the Switch by either plugging it into an outlet or using a battery pack. When your battery is low but you still want to complete that one Skyrim quest, the latter is a fantastic backup option!
It is recommended that you avoid using a less expensive or subpar cable or battery pack due to the high hardware requirements of Nintendo’s console.
Although it’s unlikely that they’d harm your Switch in any way, a weaker power pack might end up charging it very slowly, if at all.
How To Take Care Of Nintendo Switch Battery Life
A lithium-ion battery powers the Nintendo Switch. This battery loses quality over time and has a lower energy storage capacity. In the long run, it will give you less time to play.
However, there are ways to maintain your Nintendo Switch battery and increase its life.
Do Charge Your Nintendo Switch Before It Reaches 50%
Isn’t that too early? Why 50%? Though this is what lithium-ion batteries prefer, technically speaking, it is true. Consider the battery with the spring inside.
It is compact and full of energy when it is at 100%, and as it loses energy, the spring stretches. When a battery is “stretched,” it can no longer return to its compressed spring state after being below 50% for a prolonged period of time. This is indicated by leaving it below 50% for long periods of time.
If possible, charge the Switch as soon as it reaches 60%, especially if you are at home and have access to a charger. If you’re out, simply charge it as soon as you have the chance.
You may wonder how long you should charge your Switch.
Do Not Leave Your Nintendo Switch At 0% For A Long Time
The Switch battery can be compared to a spring, as was previously mentioned in the example. Spring will quickly deteriorate if left stretched out continuously. It won’t be able to coil back up to its fully compressed state. As frequently as you can, recharge your Switch.
Do Not Leave Your Nintendo Switch In Extreme Temperatures
Put your Nintendo Switch somewhere cool or really hot, but not in between. Since the Switch is a portable console, some users leave theirs in their cars. But this is risky.
The heat at the back of the Switch can also be trapped by protective cases. To avoid heat buildup while charging the Switch, take off the case if you have one.
What To Do If Your Switch Won’t Charge
Use An Official Nintendo Switch Power Adapter
If you’ve been using a third-party solution, problems may arise because the Switch charges using a non-standard protocol.
Although we’re sure there are a lot of perfectly acceptable third-party adapters available, we can’t vouch for their dependability or safety. However, we (and obviously Nintendo) can vouch for the official charger.
Power-cycle Your Power Adapter
Although it seems absurd, your power adapter contains a surprising amount of gadgets. Remove it from the wall and your Switch, then wait for 30 to 60 seconds before plugging it back in. In essence, the adapter will be reset and the situation will be corrected.
Check The Power Adapter For Damage
Does everything appear to be in order on both ends? Although the official power adapter is fairly resilient, it is not indestructible. Inspect the cable for fraying as this can lead to a short (very bad), look inside the USB-C plug for any bent pins that might not be making good contact, and as obvious as it may sound, make sure there are no cracks or buckles on the housing of the wall adapter side (genuine fire risk).
If you see any signs of damage, do not use the adapter at all as it could pose a danger. If using a brand-new one resolves your problem, replace it with another genuine adapter.
Leave It To Charge For A Few Hours
If the battery’s been really heavily drained, it needs to recharge slowly for safety reasons (that’s a very basic explanation of how lithium-ion batteries work but it’s enough for the purposes of this guide).
If your console only just ran out of juice and you plug it in, it will likely be useable almost immediately, but if it’s sat for weeks or even months with no charge it could take several hours to get even any kind of response out of it.
If it still doesn’t show any signs of life, keep it plugged in for longer. Leave it charging (under supervision) for at least two hours. Try a hard reset as described above as a last resort if after 12 to 24 hours you still have trouble getting it to turn on.
