The Nintendo Switch 2 has arrived, claiming “1.2 times the battery life of the original Switch.” However, to make the most of this improvement, it’s essential to maintain good care of your battery over the long haul, especially while diving into your favorite games. While there are quick fixes to extend your battery life temporarily, Nintendo has rolled out a new feature aimed at enhancing long-term battery health.
The Nintendo Switch 2 offers several helpful features, including brightness controls and airplane mode (ideal for avoiding unnecessary data usage), but it also allows you to stop charging once the battery hits 90%. This setting isn’t widely promoted by Nintendo, nor is it highlighted during the initial setup, but you can easily access it if you know where to navigate.
For Enhanced Battery Life, Use This New Feature
Stop Charging at 90% Automatically
Fortunately, the Nintendo Switch 2 is designed with battery longevity in mind. In recent years, various electronics manufacturers have focused on extending battery life beyond normal wear and tear, often implementing a feature that limits charging to a maximum percentage below 100%. This approach helps preserve battery capacity over time. While some brands allow users to set their preferred charge limit, the Switch 2 currently only offers the option to stop charging at 90%.
To activate this feature, head to the system settings (look for the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the Switch interface). Then navigate to “System” and scroll down past the “Date and Time” settings. Here, you’ll find the option to enable the battery percentage indicator (which can be handy for monitoring your battery life) and the “Stop Charging Around 90%” option. Simply toggle it on, and you’re set!
Lower Your Screen Brightness
A Timeless Hardware Tip
When in doubt, reducing brightness is a simple way to conserve battery life. This is particularly beneficial when you’re just navigating menus or downloading updates—not during intensive gaming sessions. The Switch 2 retains the “auto-brightness” feature from the original console, should you choose that option as well.
Accessing the screen brightness setting is straightforward. Just scroll to “Screen Brightness” near the top of the system settings menu (below airplane mode), and you’ll find it easily. Luckily, the Switch 2 features the same convenient brightness slider as its predecessor.
Disable Joy-Con Vibration
If You’re in Need of Extra Battery Life
This is a rarely considered setting, but turning off the vibration feature for your Joy-Con controllers can help improve battery life. This is because your Switch 2 uses more power to simulate rumble effects, a feature that has been part of Nintendo hardware since the Nintendo 64.
To turn vibration on or off, go to system settings and scroll down to “Controllers and Accessories.” From there, navigate beyond “Change Grip/Order” and disable controller vibration. There’s also a separate option for turning off alarm notifications in this section.
Activate Airplane Mode When You Don’t Need Internet
A Simple Solution When Offline
This may seem a bit obscure, but taking every measure to conserve battery life while on the go is useful. Gaming devices can continuously search for updates, which drains power. Disabling these features, including Bluetooth, will extend your gaming time significantly.
To find the airplane mode toggle, simply go to system settings and select “Airplane Mode.” It’s located at the top of the menu, right under “Support/Health & Safety.” This toggle conveniently switches off both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. You can also hold the Home button on your Nintendo Switch 2 to manage these settings quickly, similar to a smartphone interface.
