August 4, 2022How to Reset Nintendo Switch Lite?

Is your Switch Lite giving you errors, a frozen/black screen, or other problems? Or are you considering selling your Switch Lite? Regardless of your reason, you may have to perform a reset on your Nintendo Switch Lite. But, before you perform a console reset, you should be aware of the two types of resets, or you risk losing all your data.

That stated, we’ll go over the two types of resets and how to perform them.

Let’s get started!

How to Reset Nintendo Switch Lite – Two Types of Reset:

Photo Credits to Nintendo

There are two types of reset: a soft reset and a hard reset, which can also be called a “factory reset.”

A soft reset is a very simple process of turning off your console and turning it back on. This can help with any issues like lagging, freezing, a black or frozen screen, and other minor issues. This type of reset is what you do before you send your console to a technician.

Meanwhile, a hard reset is the process of removing all your data and returning your Switch Lite to its default settings. All of your game data and other saved data will be completely wiped. Performing a factory reset will bring your Nintendo back to how the console was when you first bought it.

These two types of reset are done for different purposes. When you encounter issues such as lagging, use the soft reset. A factory reset, on the other hand, is used when selling or donating your console.

Now that you’re aware of the two types of resets, we’ll explain the steps to perform them on your Switch Lite.

Soft Reset

If your console is lagging, freezing, or experiencing other minor issues before you go to a professional, you might want to do a soft reset first. To do a soft reset, follow the steps below:

1. Press down on the power button at the top of your Switch Lite for a few moments or until the system powers off.
2. Before you turn on your console, wait for a few seconds to a minute.
3. After waiting for a bit, press the power button again to power on your Nintendo Switch Lite until you see the Nintendo logo.
4. From there, check if your Switch Lite is still experiencing any issues.

If this does not work, head over to the “Other Alternatives” section where we’ll discuss another way to fix your Nintendo’s issues.

Hard Reset/Factory Reset

Performing a full factory reset will completely wipe everything on your Nintendo Switch. Your game saves data, browsing history, applications, and all your settings will be erased. So, to perform a factory reset, follow the steps below:

1. To do this, you first have to launch the “System Settings” page. Click on the gear icon in the toolbar from your home menu.
2. Inside the “System Settings Menu,” scroll to the very bottom on the left side of the screen until you see the “System” tab.
3. Click on the “System” tab and scroll to the bottom of the page until you see “Formatting Options.”
4. From there, select “Formatting Options” and scroll down to “Initialize Console.”
5. After you select “Initialize Console,” the screen will show you a few reminders. Scroll to the bottom and click on “Next.”
6. Next, the screen will show you a note that the console will connect to the internet if it isn’t already to unlink any Nintendo Accounts that are connected to the console. To continue, click on “Next.”
7. The screen will show a caution message stating that if you continue to initialize your console, any data during the initialization cannot be recovered. If you’re completely sure and want to continue, click on “Initialize.”
8. Now, all you have to do is wait for the console to finish resetting. After the reset process, you can now turn on your Switch by pressing the power button.

Reminders Before You Factory Reset Your Nintendo Switch Lite

Before you fully factory reset your Nintendo Switch, you should note that all of the data that is not stored on the MicroSD card will be deleted or unusable. To save anything on the MicroSD card, remove it first before doing the reset.

Any Nintendo accounts linked to the console will not be deleted. However, the Nintendo account will be unlinked.

Other Alternatives

If you’re having problems with your console and have tried the soft reset process but the problem continues, but executing a full factory reset is too much for you, there are alternative solutions you can try before contacting a technician.

Maintenance Mode

Maintenance mode is a way to initialize your console without deleting save data or your user information. To do this, follow the steps below:

1. First, press the power-off button and select “Power Options – Power Off.”
2. Once you’ve powered off your Nintendo Switch, hold down both the volume up (+) and volume down (-) buttons along with the power button to turn on your console. Doing this will start up Maintenance Mode.
3. Next, select “Initialize Console without deleting save data” and click “OK.”
4. Now, wait for your Nintendo to finish resetting.

Maintenance mode will restore your device to factory settings without deleting any of your saved data.

Clear the Nintendo Switch’s Cache

Since the Nintendo Switch can be connected to the internet, it contains a cache that keeps your IDs, passwords, and browser history. You may want to delete this data at a certain point for privacy or security concerns. You can do this by clearing the cache on your console.

1. First, click on “System Settings.”
2. From the system settings menu, scroll to the bottom of the screen and select “System.”
3. Now, scroll to the bottom again and select “Formatting Options.”
4. And from there, select “Reset Cache.”
5. The screen will show a pop-up message that you can not restore the data once you reset your cache. If you’re completely sure, select “Reset.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Is Your Nintendo Switch Lite Frozen, Malfunctioning, or Unresponsive?

There are a variety of reasons why your Nintendo Switch Lite is experiencing issues. This could be because of a software glitch, an incomplete update, a dead battery, or even a dirty game cartridge. There could also be something wrong with the hardware. So, if you’re experiencing issues with your console even after resetting it, it would be best to consult with a professional.

Will a Soft Reset Fix Issues on Your Nintendo Switch Lite?

A soft reset can only do so much, but it can solve some minor issues. However, if it does not work, you can try out other alternatives. But if those alternatives don’t work as well, then it’d be best to go to a professional.

Bottomline

That’s a wrap! We hope this article helped you reset your Nintendo Switch Lite!

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