How To Fix Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Charging Grip Not Working | New in 2024

Are your Joy-Con controllers not getting a boost when plugged in to your Charging Grip? If you can’t seem to charge the Joy-Con controllers using the Charging Grip, or if your Joy-Cons appear to be not working, there’s a number of troubleshooting steps that you must do to fix the issue.

In this article, we’ll show you the solutions that you can try to deal with this your Nintendo Switch Charging Grip issue.

What is a Joy-Con Charging Grip?

The Charging Grip is a separate Nintendo Switch accessory that allows you to charge both left and right Joy-Con controllers at the same time. It’s an excellent tool that you can use to continue your game even when you’re charging the controllers.

What is the difference between a regular Joy-Con Grip and Charging Grip?

While the Joy-Con Charging Grip (model No. HAC-012) looks the same as the regular Joy-Con Grip (model No. HAC-011), the former is differentiated by the presence of a USB-C port at the top and a tiny recharge LED indicator beside it. When you plug in the Charging Grip and it’s powered with the Joy-Con controllers connected, the LED light will lit up to signal that charging is on-going.

There’s also a slight difference in terms of color between the two but all the rest are exactly the same. 

Causes why your Joy-Con Charging Grip is not working

If your Charging Grip appears is not working anymore, which means that it’s no longer charging either controllers, it can be caused by one of the following items:

Bad USB cable.

USB cables tend to break if you don’t care for them just like your other electronic devices. A typical USB cord is composed of tiny strands of wires inside a thin plastic insulator and these wires may break easily. If you keep stretching your USB connector, it’s only a matter of time before they stop working altogether. The good thing is, it’s very easy nowadays to replace a USB cable so simply try a different cable and see if that will fix the problem.

Broken charging port.

Another possible point of failure that you must consider is the USB-C port at the top of your Joy-Con Charging Grip. Try to do a quick inspection to see if the port is blocked by dirt, lint, or any foreign object. If necessary, try cleaning the port using a can of compressed air.

Joy-Con controller issue.

You should also look into the possibility that the issue may lie with the controllers you’re trying to charge. If your Joy-Con controllers are also not charging or working when connected to the Nintendo Switch console in handheld mode, your Charging Grip is likely fine. 

Nintendo Switch Charging Grip

How to fix Joy-Con Charging Grip not working issue

If you find yourself with a non-working Charging Grip, these are the possible solutions that you can try:

Fix #1: Check the USB cable.

The Joy-Con Charging Grip does not have its own battery to boost your controllers and instead only acts as a power pass-through. If the USB cable that you’re using is broken, then no power is reaching the controllers from the Docking Station when you try to charge them.

Try to get a different, known working USB cable and use that to see if you can make your Charging Grip working again.

Fix #2: Clean the Charging Grip’s USB port.

If your Joy-Con controllers charge when connected to the Nintendo Switch console but battery charge does not improve when using the Charging Grip, it’s possible that the issue may lie with the USB port.

Try to see if the USB port at the top needs cleaning. If it does, then try to use a can of compressed air. Try to avoid sticking anything inside the USB port as you may accidentally damage the internal parts.

While you’re at it, it’s also worth checking if the USB port in the of your Nintendo Switch Dock is working as well. Just like the USB port on the Charging Grip, the Nintendo Switch Dock can also be the reason why you are having an issue to charge your Joy-Con controllers. Both USB ports, the one on the Charging Grip and the Nintendo Switch Dock must also be cleaned regularly, especially if they’re exposed to dirt, dust, or moisture all the time.

Fix #3: Check for other damage on the Charging Grip.

If the Charging Grip is still not charging the Joy-Con controllers after replacing the USB cable and cleaning the USB port, try to see if there’s any obvious damage to the plastic shell, especially if the issue occurred after the accessory has been dropped, hit by a hard object, or exposed to elements (water, moisture, or heat).

If the plastic shell is damaged, it’s possible that the internal circuit may have stopped working. In this case, you’ll have to replace the Charging Grip.

Fix #4: Use a different Charging Grip.

Another way to confirm if you have a Charging Grip issue is to use a different accessory to charge your Joy-Con controller. If the controllers charge with a different Charging Grip, that’s a clear indicator that your own Grip is not working for some reason.

Fix #5: Get a new Charging Grip.

If you can’t fix your Charging Grip at your level, the best thing that you can do is to have it replaced (if still in warranty) or to simply replace it. Unless you have the tools and skills to repair the simple circuitry of the Charging Grip, letting a professional repair it for you can also be a good alternative to getting a new accessory entirely.

FURTHER READING:

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