Nintendo Switch.

Sometimes, you're on the become and you need to recharge your Nintendo Switch's battery, but you don't take your dock with you. Whether you're playing the Switch while charging or leaving it in Standby mode, here's how you can charge in a pinch—and the best way to do it.

The Official Style to Recharge a Switch Without a Dock

The official Nintendo Switch AC Adapter.
Nintendo

Both the Switch and Switch Lite include an official Nintendo Switch Air-conditioning Adapter in the box when yous buy them. Well-nigh people use this adapter to power the dock, which, in turn, powers the Switch. Simply you tin also unplug the AC adapter from the dock and plug it directly into the Switch.

The official Nintendo Switch AC Adapter provides plenty ability to charge the Switch in the quickest, most efficient way. It also provides plenty current to recharge the battery while you play, although the charging rate volition be slower than letting the Switch recharge in Standby style.

Then, if yous know y'all'll be using your Switch on the go, either take the Nintendo Switch Air conditioning Adapter with you or purchase a second one for travel. You could also attempt a third-political party Switch Ac adapter, like this 1 from AmazonBasics.

According to Nintendo, all models of the Switch console take almost three hours to fully charge in Standby mode while using the official Nintendo Switch AC Adapter.

How to Accuse a Nintendo Switch Using a USB Cable

Charging a Switch with a USB Cable.
Nyko, Apple

All models of Nintendo Switch employ USB-C for the charging port on the bottom of the unit. So, in a compression, you can charge information technology with any USB-C cablevision plugged into a ability source, such as a tablet/smartphone charger, battery pack, PC, or USB hub. The speed at which the battery recharges (and whether information technology really powers the Switch for play) varies wildly depending on the ability source.

Equally far as cables go, any well-made USB-A-to-USB-C cablevision volition piece of work with a sufficient ability source to charge the Switch. Even so, this method limits the maximum power to 7.5 watts due to the Switch's design. That'southward enough to play and accuse simultaneously—simply not at the fastest rate.

The Switch also supports a college wattage charging mode that charges the battery much faster. Nonetheless, it requires a USB-C-to-USB-C cablevision with a high-wattage power source (such as a MacBook Pro 61-watt USB-C charger) or a specially made Switch Air conditioning Adapter.

  • Minimum requirements to charge while playing: To have your Switch'south battery recharge, (even if slowly), while you lot play a game, you need a power source that tin can supply at least 5 volts and i.five amps (or 7.5 watts) of power. More amps are better for faster battery charging.
  • Minimum requirements to charge in Standby mode (without the dock): Nintendo doesn't provide an official lower-limit of electric current needed for charging the Switch in Standby mode. From our own testing, it appears the Switch will recharge from a power source that tin can output as little as 5 volts at fractions of an amp (such every bit 400mA/0.four A), but charging will be boring.

Generally, the more Amps you have available, the faster the Switch volition accuse. The ideal output for Standby charging from usually available USB adapters (similar those you'd detect at a convenience store) is around v volts and 2 amps.

Every dedicated USB ability adapter or battery pack should take a tiny label that lists its ability output. It will say something like "Output: 5V/1A," which means it can provide a maximum of 5 volts at one amp of current, or five watts of ability. Those are the numbers you want.

The Technical Details Near Nintendo Switch Charging

Charging the Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo

The technical details of how each Switch model receives power and charges in dissimilar modes become far beyond what most people need to know. If you're interested in digging deeper, though, or desire an optimum mode to charge the Switch while playing, someone on Reddit made a complex chart that explores the various options. Breezy studies take also been washed on how much power the Switch consumes in different scenarios. Of course, since these studies aren't official, you might want to take them with a grain of salt.

The bottom line? For best results, stick to the official Nintendo Switch Air conditioning Adapter. It provides the optimum amount of ability to play and accuse, and information technology works with both the Switch and Switch Lite. It's not as portable as grabbing a USB cable and hoping for a good ability supply on the run. Still, you lot'll know Nintendo'southward official adapter can handle annihilation the Switch throws at it.