Why Does My Nintendo Switch Keep Crashing? (How To Fix It)

I’m sure you busy minding your own business playing your switch when suddenly your game crashes and you lose your saved progress! I know how frustrating this can be but why does it happen? In this article, you will find out.

Your Nintendo Switch could be crashing because of game card problems, coding errors, corrupted data, or a random software bug. A Nintendo Switch console crashes become more frequent if it’s left running for an extended period and becomes overheated.

It’s difficult to identify the exact cause of your Nintendo Switch crashing by just looking at it. But we have several ways to rectify the problems that cause Nintendo Switch to crash.

In this article, I will explain what you should do when your Nintendo Switch crashes and how you can fix a crashed Nintendo Switch quickly — Read on to find out.

If your interested in checking out the best Switch accessories you can find them on Amazon here

4 Reasons Why Your Nintendo Switch Keeps Crashing

Although Nintendo Switch crashing may come out of the blue, we can still have some fair guesses about the reasons for crashing and freezing.

1. You Have A Software Bug

The thing which haunts all the gamers and software engineers is random software bugs can come out of nowhere and may destroy your gaming sessions within a second.

In most situations, they are unresolvable on their own. Therefore, the system crashes suddenly. If you’re a hardcore gamer, you may find it more common as the bugs intensify with the gameplay time. 

How To Remove A Software Bug That Causes Nintendo Switch Crashing

Unfortunately, there is no proven method that eliminates software bugs from the console. As I said, the only thing which amplifies the bugs is extended use of the console. 

So, the only method you can try is to lessen your console’s usage and let it rest after every few hours.

2.Defective Game Card

Your console is not the only thing to blame — In fact, games are often the cause of why Nintendo Switch crash.

If you’re using a defective game card, it will probably cause problems in the running and crash frequently. Make sure that your game card is okay by testing it on another system.

However, if you only play digital games then clearly the cause is from something else, to see which Nintendo E-shop is the cheapest to buy the latest and greatest games check out my article.

3.Faulty Game Code

Sometimes — Or I should say — Most of the time, game developers release games in a rush. Hence, programming code messes up with the system and doesn’t run. 

In such cases, game developers release a patch update to fix those errors that cause crashing or freezing the game. You can’t do much about this situation — The only thing you can do is wait for a patch, CyberPunk 2077 is the latest and most infamous example of a game being released with numerous bugs that cause it to crash constantly.

Want some exciting and cool Switch games to play? Check out my list of only the best 40 switch games here.

4. You Have Corrupted Data

If your system or the game has corrupted data, it’s advised to check your system and game updates. When the updates are not correctly installed, the old data gets corrupted.

It’s important to ensure that your console is connected to the internet and has installed all the recent updates for the system and the game.

How To Check For Corrupted Nintendo Switch Data

Nintendo explains how to scan for corrupt data on your Nintendo Switch. To check if your systems data is corrupted, follow the following steps:

  1. Go to the “Home” Menu
  2. Select ‘System Settings”
  3. Select “Data Management”
  4. Select “Manage Software”
  5. Select the Software You Want to Check
  6. Choose “Check for Corrupted Data”

What Do You Do When Nintendo Switch Crashes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx_3ba7nH3M&ab_channel=TheDroidGuy

When your Nintendo Switch system crashes, you should power it off completely using the following steps:

  1. Press & Hold the POWER Button for 3+ Seconds
  2. Select “Power Options” When the Menu Appears
  3. Select “Turn Off”
  4. Let the Console Remain Turned Off for 30 Seconds
  5. Turn it “On” Using the POWER Button

This option is extremely useful when the system isn’t responding to any controller button.

It’s just one of the MANY methods that I’m going to share with you in this article. Try them one by one and see if it fixes your problem. If your Nintendo Switch constantly turns off check my article here on how to fix it.

Note Down The Error Messages

See what Nintendo Switch itself is trying to communicate to you about the crashing errors. 

There are high chances that if you Google the error code on the internet, you will find some relevant information and its fix on the Nintendo forums.

You can always contact Nintendo support about your problem and can be more specific when you have the error code in hand.

Use a Different Nintendo Account

It’s possible that there is an issue with your Nintendo account due to a bug associated with it. 

Try using an alternative Nintendo account — It’s better to use the one you have never logged in to this console before. 

You can also create a completely new account for this purpose, to find out how to create an account see my YouTube video.

Reinsert the Game Card

If your Nintendo Switch game keeps crashing, eject your game card and reinsert it again. Check for scratches, wear or tear signs on the game card — Your game card may be problematic if it is damaged physically. Also, make sure to clean it if there are any signs of dirt or moisture on it.

This may fix the crashing and freezing problem.

Restore Your Switch To Factory Reset Settings

Here comes the last resort when you have tried every step mentioned above.If you don’t know the cause of crashing, it’s the only option left to go with.

Warning: It will delete all of your personal data from the console. Try this option only when you can’t lose any of your saved data in the Nintendo Switch system.

Here’s how you factory reset a Nintendo Switch:

  1. Go to “System Settings”
  2. Select “System”
  3. Select “Formatting Options”
  4. Select “Initialize Console”
  5. Choose “Next” to Confirm Factory Reset

How Do You Fix a Crashed Nintendo Switch?

To fix a crashed Nintendo Switch, check for outdated system cache and delete it by following these steps:

  1. Go to the “Home” Menu
  2. Select “System Settings”
  3. Choose “System”
  4. Select “Formatting Options”
  5. Select “Clear Cache”
  6. Select User for the Cache Clearance

Once you have followed all the steps mentioned above, restart your console and check if the problem persists.