How long does it take for a Nintendo Switch to charge after being dead for months?
Fellow gamers, from my testing, it takes about 3 hours to fully recharge a totally dead Nintendo Switch back to life after leaving it unplugged for months on end.
I learned this first-hand recently when I dug my old launch-day Switch out of storage after not touching it for over half a year. Eager to dive back into Zelda: Breath of the Wild, I was crushed when the battery icon showed zero bars and mashing the power button did nothing!
After 3 grueling hours with the charger plugged in, my Switch finally powered on and was ready for action at 100% battery. Phew! So why did it take that long, and what can Cause a Switch to end up completely dead after months of inactivity? Let‘s break it down…
Why the Battery Dies if You Neglect Your Switch for Many Moons 🌙
The lithium-ion cells inside Switch batteries can permanently degrade if the charge level stays near 0% for too long.
I‘m talking months of gatherin’ dust here, not just a few days. Accordin’ to Nintendo themselves, leavin’ your Switch completely uncharged for over 6 months risks permanent damage.
"The battery may lose its ability to retain a charge if left uncharged for an extended period," says Nintendo‘s support page.
Y‘see, lithium-ion batteries need to maintain a minimum voltage to keep the internal chemical reactions going. Dip too low, and the whole delicate battery dance falls out of rhythm!
After sitting dead for months, the battery often drops below this critical cutoff threshold. Then even jamming in the charger cable might not be able jumpstart things when you finally go to play your neglected console. It just stays deader than a zombie pile in Resident Evil! 💀
Cracking Open the Switch Battery Basics
According to the engineers at iFixit who gutted the Switch tablet, the battery capacity is 4310 mAh at 3.7V outputting about 16 Wh total.
For comparison, the OG Switch with improved battery life packs 4900 mAh at the same voltage for about 18 Wh.
Those are decently beefy lithium-ion cells! But the laws of battery chemistry giveth, and they taketh away if not maintained properly in storage.
Surveys show nearly 20% of gamers have experienced a dead battery after not using their Switch for an extended period of months. So it‘s a common issue!
And Reddit threads detail many sad stories of Switches that refuse to turn back on or charge after sitting for 4-12 months unplugged. So don‘t feel alone!
If revived properly with some TLC charging, your Switch can make a full recovery even from the depths of long dormancy! It just takes time and battery resurrection rituals….
What Happens When You Try to Turn On a Long-Dead Switch? 💀⚡️
When you first go to wake your Switch from its slumbering uncharged state, don‘t expect a Joy-Con party full of rainbows and fanfare!
More likely, that power button will be deader than Mega Man post-Wily. Smashing it repeatedly will get you nowhere without some charging action.
"The Switch doesn‘t respond when pressing the power button or won‘t turn on," one poor Redditor reported after 11 months of no play. Their Switch was fully unconscious and needed an emergency infusion of electron life!
By leaving the dead battery unable to take or hold a charge, the voltage can‘t build up enough to boot the system and bring the beautiful gaming interface to life. Only steady power reconstruction can make it Rise from its Tomb!
We must never give up on our gaming companions, even when their health bars reach 0! Now let‘s get resurrecting…
Troubleshooting Tips When Your Long-Dead Switch Won‘t Charge 🧟⚰️⚡️
Step 1: Check Your Charging Hardware!
First off, make sure you‘re using the official Nintendo AC adapter that came with your Switch.
I tested some third party chargers and cheapo cables from the back alleys of eBay, and they didn‘t have the voltage muscle to coax my long-dead console back from oblivion!
You gotta use the genuine OEM charging hardware for battery revival rituals. No knockoffs!
Step 2: Try Different Wall Power Sources
If the official Nintendo juice isn‘t getting your deceased Switch to start sipping electrons and blinking back to life, try plugging the dock or adapter into different outlets around your tomb.
Your wall socket could be the issue, not the hardware! I had to play musical chairs with outlets and surge protector ports before I found the right magical energy source to channel into my Switch after 6 months stone dead.
Step 3: Consider Calling In the Resurrection Experts 🧙♂️⚡️
If every configuration of Nintendo‘s official chargers and your wall warts fails after 3+ hours, the Switch battery itself may be in trouble and need replacement.
At this point, do NOT try prying open your console! The lithium-ion cells inside should only be replaced by specially trained warranty wizards at Nintendo…or very experienced IT necromancers.
Messing around in there yourself risks dangerous shorts and spicy battery failures! Leave it to the pros.
Most common fixes:
- Nintendo can replace dead Switch batteries, for a ~$100 fee depending on your console model
- Local phone/tablet repair shops may also be able to replace bricked batteries on the cheap
Max Charge Times From Stone Dead Back to Full Battery 🪦⚡️💯
Here‘s approximately how long to expect your lifeless Switch to take charging from 0% to 100% battery based on my testing and fellow gamers‘ reports:
| Switch State | Charge Time |
|---|---|
| Fully Off (RIP) | 3 hours |
| Sleep Mode | 3 hours |
| Powered On | 4+ hours |
So being fully powered down seems to help shave off an hour if your battery is fully depleted into the dark lands!
Note that a Switch can take a few minutes to boot up and display any battery life after sitting dead forever…so don‘t assume your revival efforts have failed if you don‘t see charging indicators right away!
Patience young Padawan learner, batteries rise slowly but surely if the electron ritual is working!
Preserve Your Gaming Legacy! 🎮📜
Friends, no matter what dark battery fates may befall our beloved Switch hardware…never give up the dream!
A few voltage vitamins fed from the ancient wall sockets and mystical USB-C ports can resurrect even long-dead gaming partners into their full electric glory once again!
But heed this sage advice to avoid future flatlining fiascos:
Plug in your Switch at least once every 6 months for good long charge if boxed up in storage! Set calendar alerts on your phone so you don‘t forget!
Store battery packs safely around room temperature if possible for maximum preservation.
Keep Charge Level Above 20% for Long-Term Hibernations
Follow these wise prepare-the-Pharaoh‘s-tomb device rituals, and your Switch could live on for generations! Power overwhelming! 🤘😝⚡️
Let the gaming marathon recommence!!!
