The Nintendo Switch is not only a fantastic console for playing in your living room, but it is also a portable one. The idea of being able to play Fortnite whenever and wherever you want is appealing. Still, it has one major flaw, battery life.
The Switch is arguably the best portable console for playing home console-quality games. The critical issue with the console has always been the same: the battery duration.
The vast processing power of the Switch can chew through the battery in two to six hours, depending on the game. Many players are dissatisfied with how much time they could play on a single charge, as the Switch will not be able to keep its charge for long flights. Let us see what we can do about it with this Nintendo Switch battery life guide!
How to Improve the Life of Your Nintendo Switch Battery
To extend and improve the life of your Nintendo Switch battery, follow these tips:
Adjust the Display’s Brightness
It is possibly the most obvious tip in this article, but it is still beneficial! Like most modern devices, the display consumes a lot of power in the battery.
The simplest way to get more playtime and increase the Nintendo Switch battery life is to lower the light brightness. In portable hand-held and tabletop mode, this can be a lifesaver. The brightness slider is easily accessible in the Quick Settings menu.
The screen on the Switch is easily one of the most power-hungry elements. The good news is that you can save a little power by turning down the light. To do so, press and hold the Home Button while bringing up the Quick settings menu and sliding the brightness slider to the left.
Auto-Brightness is to be switched off for you to make your adjustments. That way, your adjustments will remain the same and will not be affected by the amount of light available.
Lowering the screen’s brightness will make it more challenging to see in direct sunlight, but it will save you a lot of battery. The exact amount would depend on the game but going this route might easily add another 30 minutes to your playtime.
You can make the same modifications in System Settings as well. Go to System Settings and make the above adjustments to the Screen Brightness option.
Use Airplane Mode
The Nintendo Switch’s Wi-Fi chip consumes a lot of power. The Switch continues to look for a Wi-Fi system to connect to even if there is no Wi-Fi link in range. In this phase, a lot of battery is consumed. Check out some of the best Wi-Fi routers if you are someone that likes to play online on the Switch.
Switch to the Airplane Mode if you are not playing a game that needs an active internet connection, e.g., an online multiplayer game. It increases battery life by preventing the Switch from looking for new Wi-Fi connections. To apply this:
- Select System Settings from the Home Screen.
- Go to the segment titled Airplane Mode.
- Toggle the Airplane Mode switch on.
After allowing Airplane Mode on the tabletop, you might not be able to use your Joy-Cons or any other wireless controller. Select the Controller Connection (Bluetooth) option from the drop-down menu. After that, you will continue to play with your preferred wireless controller.
You can also turn on NFC from the menu below if you want to use your Amiibo.
Keep in mind that you can enable Airplane Mode from the Quick Settings by pressing and holding the home button. However, as previously stated, you must always return to System Settings to allow wireless controller input and NFC. And you will have to do it every time you turn on Airplane Mode.
Don’t Rely on Sleep Mode
Most of you love sleep mode and use it all the time, but if you try to save battery life, make sure to turn off the Switch entirely.
Even in sleep mode, the Nintendo Switch’s battery life is steadily depleted. The better use of Sleep mode is for a 10-minute break or less. For anything more protracted, consider turning off or docking the console if you are at home.
You can also change the settings so that the Switch enters Sleep Mode at the time you specify, in case you forget to turn off your console after you are done playing.
- Return to the System Settings by following the steps outlined before in the article.
- Scroll down to the segment titled “Sleep Mode.”
- Set the option for Auto-Sleep (Playing on Console Screen).
Keep Your Joy-Cons Disconnected
First, we’ll look at the controllers. The Nintendo console might be super easy to carry when connected to the Switch, but did you know that they also charge up through the console? When you detach them, they’ll work on their batteries, which should last about 12 hours.
If you need more juice, the Nintendo Switch Charging Grip, which charges via USB-C, is a good option. If you prefer a more conventional game controller, it is a good pick as it also offers a more secure grip.
You can then bring the screen section into kickstand mode and play with a more conventional controller configuration during flights.
How much of a difference will this make in terms of battery life?
You’ll probably only get an additional 15-30 minutes of use. Still, when you’re working with such a short battery life (~3 hours), every little bit helps—anything to extend the life of your Nintendo Switch’s battery.
Reduce the Volume
Turning down the volume of the Switch’s two front-firing speakers helps to extend battery life if you don’t use headphones. The VOLUME + and – buttons on the top of the Switch can change it. In Quick Settings, you can also adjust the volume slider.
Play Different Games
Nothing matters more than the games you enjoy when it comes to Nintendo Switch battery life. More high-end graphics games deplete the battery faster, e.g., Crysis Remastered.
A less extensive game with low graphics, on the other hand, provides much more playtime, e.g., Super Mario Maker 2. You will get a lot more battery life out of your Nintendo Switch if you play less demanding games in portable hand-held mode.
Enable the Dark Theme
We all enjoy playing games on a TV. Both the Switch and the Switch Lite have LCDs. As a result, this modification does not significantly alter the battery life, but it will have a tiny impact. Many players also prefer it to the Basic White theme because it is easier on the eyes. To enable Dark Theme:
- Return to the System Settings to change the theme.
- To get started, go to the Themes section.
- Select Basic Black from the drop-down menu, and your theme should change right away.
Keep an External Power Bank on Hand
Always keep a power bank on hand. Power banks have advanced to the point that they can charge your battery several times. They are also becoming more lightweight, allowing them to fit comfortably into a bag or even your pocket, handy for traveling.
While a power bank won’t extend the Switch’s battery life, it’s always a good idea to have one on hand. Any battery bank that is USB PD (Power Delivery) compliant should work perfectly.
Even if it is more expensive, we suggest having a Nintendo-certified one. Despite Nintendo’s claims, the Switch does not draw power under USB PD enforcement. As a result, there have been several cases of Switch devices being bricked due to using a third-party charger.
Having a Spare Charger on Hand Is a Good Idea
Nowadays, almost every place (library, restaurants, etc.) has a power outlet. If you have a charger with you, you can recharge your Switch at any site while traveling. We suggest that you only use a Nintendo-made charger to be on the safe side for the Switch.
When you plug your Switch into the wall while playing a high-end game, the battery drains faster than the Switch charges. So, you can have a little more fun and charge before embarking on your trip.
Conclusion
You should be able to extend the battery life of your Switch by using the methods mentioned above. Depending on your Switch edition, it should give you an additional 30-40 minutes of playtime.
The Switch’s launch model is the one with the most battery life problems. As a result, users of that variant should benefit the most from this detailed guide.
