Nintendo Reminds Switch Owners to Charge the Console at Least Once Every Six Months

Nintendo recently shared a little reminder for Switch owners to charge their consoles at least once every six months to prevent the batteries from going unchargeable. [Thanks, Hachima.]

The message comes from the official Nintendo support Twitter account in Japan, which you can check out below:

ゲーム機に内蔵されているバッテリーは、あまり長い間、充電も使用もしていない状態が続くと、充電できなくなることがあります。

半年に一度は充電してあげてください。 pic.twitter.com/Je8QNH5SNT

— 任天堂サポート (@nintendo_cs) September 28, 2020

“The battery built into the game console may become unchargeable if left uncharged or not used for an extended period.

Please charge it at least once every half year.”

As with most devices, the Switch shouldn’t go uncharged for long periods. Forgetting to charge for too long not only has a chance of making the battery unchargeable, but it can also shorten battery life. Keep in mind that repeated charging also results in reduced battery life. The Nintendo Switch charge will also dissipate if you don’t recharge it in a while, even when it’s not turned on.

It takes a Switch about three hours to charge a Switch while powered off or in sleep mode. A fully-charged Switch lasts about three hours, give or take, depending on the software application and functions. Keep in mind that the power light goes from green to red when the battery is around 30%.