Step-by-Step Guide to Factory Reset Your Nintendo Switch
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The Nintendo Switch might be a top seller and a beloved gaming console, but even the best devices encounter issues sometimes. Thankfully, many of these problems can be solved with a simple reset. Luckily, there are a few different ways to reset your Switch, regardless of whether you have the original model, the Switch Lite, or the newer Switch OLED.
How to soft reset your Nintendo Switch
- Find the power button on the top of your Switch.
- Press and hold this button for about 10 to 15 seconds. You'll see a menu pop up on the screen after a few seconds, but just ignore it and keep holding the button until the Switch completely turns off.
- Give your Switch a quick break for a minute or two.
- Finally, press and hold the power button again to turn your Switch back on.
That's it! Your Switch should now be refreshed and hopefully working smoothly again.
How to perform a hard reset on your Nintendo Switch
Frustrated that a soft reset didn't solve your Switch woes? Don't worry, there's still hope! You can try a hard reset, which brings your console back to factory settings. Here's how:
- Power down your Switch completely. Hold down the power button for a few seconds until it turns off.
- Boot into Maintenance Mode. Press and hold the power button, volume up button, and volume down button all at once. Don't let go until you see the Maintenance Mode menu appear on screen.
- Reset without losing saves. In the menu, scroll down to "Initialize Console Without Deleting Save Data" and select it. Confirm your choice by tapping "OK."
- Relax and wait. Your Switch will restart and go through the setup process again, but this time without erasing your precious saved games!
How to factory reset your Nintendo Switch
If you're still struggling with issues, a factory reset might be the solution. This is also a good idea if you plan on selling or trading in your Switch. However, be warned: a factory reset wipes away everything, including your save files, downloaded games, and even unlinks your Nintendo account. While you can back up your save files to a Nintendo Switch Online account, this service requires a paid subscription.
To back up your saves, open each game's menu and select "Save Data Cloud Backup." Choose the user profile you want to save and hit "Back Up Save Data."
Once you're ready to reset, head to the home screen and tap on System Settings. From there, scroll down the left-hand menu and select "System." Scroll further down until you see "Formatting Options" and tap on it. At the bottom of this menu, you'll find "Restore Factory Settings." Tap on it, then confirm by hitting "Next." The reset process will take a few minutes, and once it's finished, your Switch will restart like a brand new console."
