How To Perform A Hard Reset On Nintendo Switch (Factory Reset)

If you have an issue with your Nintendo Switch, you may consider doing a hard reset or factory reset to fix it. Before you wipe the console though, you can also try to perform a soft reset to see if the glitch will go away. If not, then you can go proceed with the more drastic factory reset.

Just remember, factory reset will delete your account and gaming data and the action can’t be undone. You only want to perform this action if you are sure that you want to wipe the device for good. 

Remove the SD card

Before doing a factory reset, we highly recommend that you take out the SD card. We’ve received reports that some users find their SD card unreadable after a factory reset. Although we haven’t encountered this issue in our own console after a factory reset, it’s best if you play safe by taking out the card temporarily.

How to do a soft reset on Nintendo Switch

All electronic devices including game consoles like Nintendo Switch can encounter bugs from time to time. Sometimes, these bugs may develop if a device is left running for an extended period but may go away easily if a reboot is done. Another name for reboot is soft reset or restart. Make sure that you perform this troubleshooting step if you have issues with your Nintendo Switch like freezing, lagging, or all sorts of software glitches.

Doing a soft reset is simple. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Press and hold the Power button on top for about 10-12 seconds.
  2. Give the system a few seconds, then press the Power button once again.
  3. Once the console displays the Nintendo logo, it should complete the reboot in a few seconds.

That’s it! You have now rebooted your console. To check if you’re still experiencing the issue, use the console normally for some time.

How to factory reset a Nintendo Switch

If you want to totally delete your personal and gaming data on the console, it’s best if you factory reset it. This is also a good idea if you’re planning on selling the device, donating it, or having a software issue that basic troubleshooting steps can’t fix.

To factory reset your Nintendo Switch, you’ll need to go under Settings menu.

This is how you do it:

  1. Open the System Settings menu (gear icon) from the toolbar under Games and Apps.
  2. On the bottom left, select System. You can use the A button to click through the menu.
  3. Under the System menu, find Formatting Options (this may also be Initialize in some Switch consoles) and select it.
  4. Find Initialize Console and select it.
  5. Confirm factory reset action by selecting Next.

It will take a few seconds for the system to wipe itself. Just wait for it.

Performing hard reset on Nintendo Switch

Time Needed : 2 minutes

If your console keeps freezing and you can’t access the System Settings normally, you can do a hard reset to factory reset. Here’s how:

  1. Turn off Nintendo Switch.

    If the console is unresponsive, just wait for the battery to drain to turn it off.turn off

  2. Enter Maintenance Mode.

    Once the console is off, press and hold the Power, Volume Up, and Volume Down buttons for a few seconds.Power button 1

  3. Select Initialize Console.

    Scroll down to Initialize Console and select it.Initialize

  4. Confirm action.

    Scroll down and select the Next button. Follow the prompts to fully complete the reset.

Hard reset is basically the same as the regular factory reset via System Settings. The only difference is the step where you press and hold the 3 hardware buttons (Power, Volume Up, and Volume Down) to enter Maintenance Mode.

We hope that you find this post helpful in fixing your Nintendo Switch issue. 

Suggested readings:

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Having Issues with your phone? Feel free to contact us using this form. We’ll try to help. We also create videos for those wanting to follow visual instructions. Visit our TheDroidGuy Youtube Channel for troubleshooting.


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