Photo by Daniel Rykhev on Unsplash

Yoodley is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Nintendo Switch has become the leading body in handheld video gaming in recent times. In 2021, Nintendo launched a new installment to the console’s lineup with better storage and screen, further enhancing the console’s quality. Despite that, there are certain issues that users of the Switch console might face from time to time. 

A common issue is the Nintendo Switch Black Screen, wherein the console fails to switch on. In this article, we will discuss why this issue arises and how to overcome it. 

 

Why Is My Nintendo Switch Showing A Black Screen?

A black screen can be caused by a number of reasons while using Nintendo Switch. Let’s have a look at these reasons: 

1. Dead battery

The first reason why any device doesn’t switch on leads to its battery. The same goes for the Nintendo Switch. Sometimes users do not notice and juice out the console’s battery to its entirety. While this is okay for the most part, it can lead to a scenario where the battery can’t switch on unless charged for a while. 

2. Power Supply Bottleneck

There are times when the power supply can face a bottleneck with the Nintendo Switch Console. As a result, the console will have trouble charging itself using it. We recommend switching your power supply to another source and seeing if it helps your console charge. 

3. Hardware damage

The Nintendo Switch console is packed with intricate technology in a small body. It can face several hardware issues during its lifetime for parts like batteries, display, charging ports, etc. If your console has a damaged hardware component, the only way to fix it is by replacing or repairing it. Until that, you will continue to face the Black Screen issue.

4. Overheating

Overheating is a common problem with gaming devices. The Nintendo Switch is a device specially designed for gaming purposes, but even it has its limits. If you continuously play games on it for several hours in unsuitable conditions, the system can lose the ability to stay active for a while. We recommend letting the system cool itself and letting it switch back on naturally.

5. Software Issues

Though uncommon, certain software issues can also lead to a black screen on Nintendo Switch. Sometimes certain applications, updates, or corrupt data on your system can cause this issue. You might have to reinstall or update the system software to fix the issue in this scenario. 

 

How to fix:  Nintendo Switch Black Screen

1. Power Cycle 

Power Cycling a device means switching it off completely for about a minute and letting it cool itself to return to its natural state upon turning it back on. We recommend saving all unsaved dates before power cycling your devices if you can. To power cycle the Nintendo Switch, follow the steps below: 

  • Disconnect the power cable and HDMI from the Dock.
  • Switch off the console by pressing and holding the power button on the Switch for 15-20 seconds.
  • Wait for a minute and switch on the TV.
  • Re-connect the HDMI and power cables to the Dock and TV.
  • Check to see if the black screen Nintendo Switch issue has been fixed.

2. Check for faulty display

If you can hear audio output on your Switch console, but the screen remains black, a faulty display is a likely cause for your issue. To confirm, follow these steps: 

  • Step 1: Turn on your Switch console. Now, you can’t be sure whether it is on in this scenario, but you will have to go by assumption. If you can hear audio, then it is obviously on. 
  • Step 2: Take a flashlight and point it to your console’s screen.
  • Step 3: You will only see the flashlight’s reflection if the backlighting of the console’s display is still functional. If not, you will see dull images. 

You will need to contact Nintendo or your local shop to fix display issues. 

3. Initialize the console in Maintenance Mode

Initializing the console in Maintenance Mode is a clever way to determine whether the black screen issue is caused by a manual error. It ensures no user data is lost. If the console switches on using this method, your storage is likely full, or you installed a corrupt file. Here is how to initialize the Switch console in Maintenance Mode: 

  • Step 1: If you can still hear audio on your device with a black screen, switch off the console. 
  • Step 2: To boot up in Maintenance mode, first press and hold the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons simultaneously. After holding for about 2-3 seconds, press the Power button. Don’t let go of the buttons until the system boots.
  • Step 3: Once the console boots in Maintenance Mode, select Initialize Console Without Deleting Save Data.
  • Step 4: Check whether your storage is full or delete a recently downloaded file that could cause the issue. 
  • Step 5: Reboot the console and see if the error was fixed. 

4. Update Software in Maintenance Mode

If a software bottleneck is causing your Nintendo Switch to show a black screen, we recommend updating the system’s software through Recovery Mode. Here is how to do it: 

  • Step 1: If you can still hear audio on your device with a black screen, switch off the console. 
  • Step 2: To boot up in Maintenance mode, first press and hold the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons simultaneously. After holding for about 2-3 seconds, press the Power button. Don’t let go of the buttons until the system boots.
  • Step 3: Once the console boots in Maintenance Mode, select System Update from the options.
  • Step 4: Select Update and update system software by following the instructions. This will delete any corrupt data that might be causing the Black Screen issue. 

5. Try a different charging dock

Sometimes your charger can go faulty. In this scenario, we recommend trying a different dock on your Nintendo Switch and seeing if your issue was fixed.

 

Conclusion

The Nintendo Switch console is highly regarded in the gaming community. It is one of the only active devices that still have a say in the handheld gaming scenario since the arrival of smartphone gaming. However, it does have its fair share of issues. The Black Screen of Death is a common issue with the Switch devices. We discussed why the issue arises and how to fix it in the article above. 

 

Read More

  1. [Fixed] Nintendo Switch Lite Won’t Turn On
  2. Can You Charge a Nintendo Switch With Any USB C?
  3. Nintendo Switch Controller (Joy Cons) Keep Disconnecting & How To Fix It