Switch battery life: make every charge last

How long each model lasts

Demanding 3D games sit at the low end of each range and simple 2D games at the high end. A full charge takes about 3 hours with the console off or in sleep mode, and longer while you play.

Settings that stretch a charge

• Lower the screen brightness. This makes the biggest difference. Or turn on auto-brightness.
• Turn on airplane mode when you're playing offline.
• Turn down controller vibration in System Settings → Controllers and Sensors.
• Set a short auto-sleep time so the screen turns off when you put the console down.

Keep the battery healthy for years

• Heat wears batteries out fastest. Don't charge in direct sun or in a hot car.
• If you put the console away for a long time, Nintendo recommends charging it at least once every six months.
• Switch 2 has an option to stop charging at about 90%. It's worth turning on if your console sits in the dock most of the time.
• Batteries slowly lose capacity. For Switch, Switch Lite and OLED, Nintendo says about 80% of the original capacity after about 800 charge cycles is normal.

OLED screen care

OLED screens can keep a faint image (burn-in) if the same picture stays on screen for very long periods. Auto-brightness and a short auto-sleep time are the simplest protection.