How to Restart Nintendo Switch Gaming Consoles

Restart Nintendo Switch

The list of best gaming consoles will not be complete without Nintendo Switch. It has been one of the highest-used consoles with really amazing games. Nintendo Switch is fully featured, and can play multiplayer games with friends. The availability of more system features doesn’t mean it will not bring in any issues. It does hold some flaws, and you can better handle some minor glitches by restarting the console. You can restart Nintendo Switch Gaming Consoles using multiple ways.

Dangers of Force Restart Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch is unlike other smart devices in terms of restarting. Meaning you will get into certain risks, like

  • Data will get corrupted, including those saved.
  • The console will shut down unexpectedly.
  • The entire console crashes.
  • You cannot retrieve the data as Switch has no backup option.
  • The console crashes and shows the Blue Screen Death issue.

How to Restart Nintendo Switch

This process will initialize the gaming console by booting it again. With that, you might end up losing device data. The steps you need to perform to restart or reboot your Nintendo Switch are as follows.

Note: Make sure to follow the steps below only if the entire OS of the Switch is unresponsive. Force restarting or rebooting Nintendo Switch isn’t recommended as the process involves high risk. So, if you don’t want to deal with it, you shall skip to the following section.

(1) Look for the Power button at the top of the Switch.

restart nintendo switch

(2) You must press and hold the Power button for about 3 seconds.

(3) Wait for your Switch screen to show options like Sleep Mode, Power Options, and Close.

Select power options

(4) Select the Power Options and select Restart.

Select Restart

How to Restart Nintendo Switch when it Freezes

If your Nintendo Switch got frozen while playing, you could force the gaming console to shut down.

(1) Press the Power button on your console for 12 seconds.

(2) Wait till the device screen changes to black.

(3) After you see the Nintendo logo, the boot process will take place, and the device will work normally.

Alternatives to Restart Nintendo Switch

Force restarting or rebooting the Nintendo Switch isn’t highly recommended. If you don’t want to deal with any risk, consider the following fixes. Then, try the fixes and force restart only if your device isn’t still responsive.

Turn Off & On

  • Turning off and turning on the Switch’s power will fix any temporary issues.
  • All you have to do is to press and hold the Power (small circular) button available at the top of the Switch until the device shut’s down.
  • Note: It will turn off within 12 seconds of pressing the power button.
  • Press back the Power button to turn it on back.

Connect to Power

  • Nintendo Switch will be unresponsive when the device has already run out of charge. In such a case, you need to charge the Switch by placing the console onto the dock. Otherwise, plug it into the USB-C cable to charge it.

Use the Home Button

  • Whenever your game goes unresponsive, then you shall fix up this issue with the help of the Home button. Check if you can get back to the main menu of the Switch. If Yes, then the problem exists with the game. To fix it, select the game and press the + button to force close it. Then, launch the game back to start playing it.

Other Possible Fixes

If you are restarting your device to remove bugs on your device, you can also try other possible fixes mentioned below.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when you restart a Nintendo Switch?

When you force restart your device, the device will clear all the game saves and all the temporary data stored on the device.

Does the Nintendo Switch have a reset button?

No, but the Power button on the Nintendo Switch serves the purpose.