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How to turn off a Nintendo Switch controller

Giovanni Colantonio
Gabe Gurwin
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Whether you want to save the environment or just your battery life, knowing how to turn your Nintendo Switch controller off is useful. Unfortunately, it never seems to go off!

Quick tip: Just don't touch it! Inactive Switch controllers turn off automatically.

For more involved approaches, including manual turn-offs, keep reading.

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Duration

10 minutes

What You Need

  • Nintendo Switch

Image used with permission by copyright holder

How to manually turn off a Nintendo Switch controller

If you want to swap controllers on the Nintendo Switch, you can turn your current controller off on command.

Step 1: Press the home button, then select the Joy-Con icon at the bottom of the screen.

Step 2: Select the Change Grip/Order option on the right.

Related

Step 3: Press the L and R buttons on the controllers you want to use.

Step 4: Check to see that the remaining controllers (those not selected for use) are now turned off.

nintendo switch games you should play docked review photos pdx 574
Nate Barrett/Digital Trends

How to turn off a Nintendo Switch controller by putting the Switch to sleep

As with most other game consoles, you can put the Nintendo Switch to sleep to also shut off any controller currently connected to it.

Step 1: Either tap the Power button located on the top of the Switch itself, or select the Power icon at the bottom of the main menu and confirm your selection.

Step 2: Pressing the Home button on any of your controllers will wake the console back up, and that controller will be the only one still connected.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

How to turn off a Nintendo Switch controller using system settings

If you are giving a controller away to someone else, you will want to disconnect that controller from your own system first — this will stop it from turning your console on when they attempt to wake up their own Switch.

Step 1: Go to the System settings, which you can reach by selecting the Gear icon at the bottom of the home screen.

Step 2: Scroll down the menu on the left until you spot Controllers and Sensors.

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Giovanni Colantonio
Giovanni Colantonio
Section Editor, Gaming
Giovanni is a writer and video producer focusing on happenings in the video game industry. He has contributed stories to…
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