Charging Your Nintendo Switch Without The Dock

Nintendo Switch

When you’re on the go and need to charge your Nintendo Switch’s battery, but you don’t have your dock with you, you can use this method.

Here’s how to charge the Switch in a hurry and the right way to do it, whether you’re playing it or keeping it in Standby mode.

Nintendo’s Way To Officially Recharge The Switch Without Using A Dock

Switch and Switch Lite

When you buy the Switch or Switch Lite, you’ll get an official Nintendo Switch AC Adapter in the pack. The majority of users use this converter to charge the dock, which then charges the Device. You can, however, remove the AC adapter from the dock and connect it directly to the Switch.

Nintendo’s official Switch AC Adapter gives you enough juice to charge your Switch quickly and efficiently. It also supplies enough current to charge the battery when you’re playing, but at a slower pace than charging the Switch in Standby mode.

But, if you know you’ll be using your Switch while travelling, just bring the Nintendo Switch AC Adapter with you or buy a second one. You may also use a Switch AC adapter from a third-party vendor, such as this one.

Both versions of the Nintendo Switch console require about three hours to completely charge in Standby mode by using the official Nintendo Switch AC Adapter, according to Nintendo.

How To Charge Your Nintendo Switch Using A USB Cable

USB Charging

The charging port on the bottom of the Nintendo Switch is USB-C integrated on both versions.

You can charge it with any USB-C cable inserted into a power outlet, such as a tablet/smartphone adapter, battery pack, PC, or USB hub, in an emergency.

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Depending on the power source, the speed at which the battery charges up (and when it eventually powers your Switch for play) varies greatly.

In terms of cables, any well-made USB A to USB-C cable can charge the Switch when used with an appropriate power source. However, owing to the Switch’s configuration, this system restricts the overall power to 7.5 Watts. This is enough to play and charge at the same time, but not at the highest possible speed.

Nintendo’s Switch also has a high-wattage charging feature that charges the battery even more rapidly. It does, however, need a USB-C to USB-C cable as well as a high wattage power source, such as a a Switch AC Adapter or a MacBook Pro 61 Watt USB Type C charger.

Charging While Playing

You’ll require a power source that can deliver at least 5 Volts and 1.5 Amps which is 7.5 Watts of power to refresh your Switch’s battery while you’re playing a game. Faster battery charging requires more Amps.

Charging In Standby Mode Without The Dock

Nintendo does not specify a minimum current requirement for charging the Switch in Standby mode. But the Switch can be recharged from a power source that can provide as little as 5 Volts at small currents such as 500mA but charging would is sluggish. In general, the Switch charges more quickly when the more charging current is you available. An ideal Standby charging output from a USB adapter is about 5 Volts and 2 Amps.

USB power adapters or will be label with the power output on it. It will state Output: 5V/2A, which means the charger will deliver a  5 Volts at 2 Amp of current, or 10 Watts of power.

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Final Words On Nintendo Switch Charging

Most people don’t need to know the technical aspects of how each Switch model accepts power and charges in various modes. What’s the fact of the matter? Use the official Nintendo Switch AC Adapter for the best performance. It charges both the Switch and Switch Lite and provides the maximum amount of power to play and charge.

Although this is not as easy as taking a USB cable and hoping for a stable power source when on the go. Regardless, you can be assured that Nintendo’s official charger can accommodate everything the Switch could need to charge.

Keep your eyes open for more Nintendo Switch articles on Club Penguin Hero and read more great game reviews here.

Keegan
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