What To Do If Your Nintendo Switch Game Keeps Crashing

If you experience crashing issues on your Nintendo Switch, you’ll need to perform a set of troubleshooting steps in order to know what’s causing it. This article will walk you through the steps on what you need to do.

Causes why games may crash on Nintendo Switch

There can be a number of factors to consider if you find yourself dealing with game crashes on Nintendo Switch. Let’s review each of them briefly below.

Random software bug.

Crashes can occur sometimes if your Switch encounters an error that it can’t resolve on its own. This may happen in some rare occasions that the console has been left running for an extended period. At other times, random bugs may develop out of the blue.

Game coding error.

In some cases, a game may crash frequently because of a coding error. This means that the game’s programming is faulty and may need immediate fix. For such a situation, the game developer may release a patch once the cause of the issue has been identified.

Game card problem.

A defective game card is one of the reasons for some Nintendo Switch game crashing issue. If you seem to be having a problem only with a certain game, you must try to check for game card-related issue. Obviously, if you don’t use a game card at all, you can simply ignore this point.

Corrupted data.

A corrupted game data or software can be another reason for Switch crashing. This can happen if a game or software is outdated so be sure to always install updates as they become available. If your Nintendo Switch is constantly connected to the internet, everything is probably updated but you can still manually check for updates every now and then.

Troubleshooting Nintendo Switch crashing issue

Below are the possible fixes that you can try if your Nintendo Switch game keeps crashing.

  1. Reboot the Switch.

    The software on Nintendo Switch is generally stable and in most cases, a simple reboot fixes problems. Make sure to restart your Switch.To turn off the console, just press and hold the Power button for about 3 seconds. Once the Power options appear, select Power Off. Turn the console back on again and check for the problem.Alternatively, you can force reboot the console by pressing and holding the Power button for about 12 seconds. This is useful if the Switch is unresponsive or does not respond to any input.Power button 3

  2. Check for error messages.

    If you’re getting an error message or code after a game has crashed, make sure that you note it down. Then, do a quick Google search about the said error code or message and see if you can find a solution for it. You can also search the official Nintendo support page to check for a fix for it.error

  3. Clear Nintendo Switch system cache.

    If your game is slow, crashes, or freezes regularly, it may be caused by an outdated system cache. Try clearing the console’s system cache to fix the problem. Don’t worry, this will not delete any of your personal data or game progress.Follow these steps to delete the system cache:-Go to the Home Menu.-Select System Settings.-Select System.-Select Formatting Options.-Select Clear Cache.-Select the user for which you want to clear cache and follow the instructions.-Restart your Nintendo Switch and check for the problem.formatting options

  4. Check for corrupt data.

    In case the issue is coming from any corrupt data, you can scan the system with the steps below:-Go to the Home Menu.-Select System Settings.-Scroll through the options on the left and select Data Management.-On the right-hand side, select Manage Software.-Then, select the software you would like to check.-Select Check for Corrupt Data.check for corrupt data

  5. Use a different Nintendo account.

    Some game crashes are attributed to a bug with an account. If your Nintendo Game still keeps crashing at this point, try using a different Nintendo account and see if that will make a difference.If you have no alternate Nintendo account, just create a new one for troubleshooting purposes. Here’s how:-Go to the Home Menu.-Select System Settings.-Scroll down to highlight Users, then select Add User.-Click Next.-Select the icon you would like to have associated with your new account.-Once you have selected a character, enter a nickname when prompted.-Select OK again to confirm.Nintendo account

  6. Install game to internal storage (if using an SD card).

    If you’re having a problem with a game that’s stored in a microSD card, moving it to the internal storage may help. To do this, you want to uninstall the game first, then, install it again to the internal storage.To uninstall a game from an SD card:-Highlight the game you want to delete on the Home Screen of your Nintendo Switch.-Press the + button on the right Joy-Con to open the Options menu.-Select Manage Software from the menu on the left.-Select the game.-Select Manage Software.-Select Delete Software.-Select Delete again when asked to confirm.Once you’ve uninstalled it, make sure to turn the console off before you install it again.To install a game to the internal storage:-Turn off the Nintendo Switch.-Remove the SD Card.-Power On your Nintendo Switch.   -Select eShop from the Home screen.-Select the Profile from which the game was originally purchased.-Select the Profile in the upper right corner of the eShop screen.-Select Redownload from the menu on the left.-Re-insert the SD card once the game is finished installing.install to internal storage

  7. Disconnect and reinsert game card.

    If the game that keeps crashing is on a game card, try to remove and re-insert the game card to see if that will fix it.reinsert game card

  8. Factory reset.

    If none of the solutions above has helped, consider wiping the console with a factory reset. This can be an effective solution to do if the cause is due to an unknown software bug.Initialize 1

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