I have heard about Nintendo Switch Dock not working problem has been around ever since the early days of the Switch, Don’t worry, we did all the research for you, and here are some ways that can help you solve the problem.
But before we move to the solution I would suggest you have a look at what have a look why your dock is not working.
If you don’t, then you can skip directly to the solutions.
Why your Dock is not working?
One of the reasons for the Nintendo Switch’s huge success is its dock. But sometimes it has caused some bizarre problems and didn’t work as intended.
During my quest, I found that there can be are several reasons for this problem to occur. Believe me, some of them are really weird. There is a specific ritual to connect the cables in the dock, seriously, And it work’s for the majority of the people.
Here are the most common reason for your Dock to not work:
Cables in Wrong order: This is one of the most common reasons for the dock to not work. Like I have mentioned above there is a specific order to connect the cable. If you didn’t connect the cable in that order then the dock will not work.
This seems like an unintentional coding mistake by Nintendo Engineers and not solved to this day.
You can solve this issue by connecting Switch in correct order.
Switch Dock in Error state: Like any other device, the dock can get stuck into the loop of error state and fails to recognize either Switch or Television.
This one is also quite common, and Restarting the Dock, Switch, and TV can solve the issue.
I don’t think anyone will be surprised seeing this one here.
HDMI cable issues: HDMI cable is really important as it connects the Dock and TV. So if the cable is faulty or not connected properly then you won’t be able to connect your Switch to TV.
Usually reinserting the cable properly solve the issue but if it didn’t then check whether the cable is faulty or not.
The power cable is not providing enough power: Switch Dock not only connects the Switch to the TV but you can also use it to charge your Switch. I know charging is a primary job but it’s not the point here. The point is, it needed a decent amount of power to operate properly. And if the power cable is not providing the necessary power, then the dock will not work properly.
The solution of this issue can be a little tricky so we will get to it later.
Dust in the Switch Dock: We usually keep the Dock hanging on the wall and with time dust particles can accumulate in pretty good amounts. Usually, a good cleaning can do the job.
Resolution is not set Right: We all love to play games at a higher resolution. Although the Nintendo Switch screen is only 720p but with the help of Dock we can enjoy games at 1080p FPS.
But this can create issues if your TV resolution is lower than 1080p. In other words, Dock will not work if the output resolution of the Nintendo Switch is higher than your TV resolution.
For example, if you have set the Nintendo Switch output resolution to 1080p but your TV is only 720 then it will not. To be able to play the game you will need to drop the output resolution to 720p or lower.
There is a bug where the game will not stream even if you have 1080p TV.
Software issue: Software issues are really common on Nintendo Switch. But you don’t notice them because most of the software issues can be solved by restarting the Switch. But sometimes issues are severe and we have to Hard Reset the Switch.
Don’t start worrying about your data just yet, it’s really scarce and even if it really comes down to it, we can always create the backup of the saved files.
The dock is Faulty: Nintendo Switch is not known for its build quality (at least in a good way), so we can’t rule out the possibility of a faulty dock. I know this is not something you wanna hear but there is still a small chance.
In that case, the only thing you can do is take your Dock to the Nintendo service center or buy a new one.
Before trying any method, make sure to create a backup of your saved files. the setting, and configurations.
Method 1: Power cycle Dock & Nintendo Switch
This one is pretty obvious, and I’m pretty sure some of you have already tried it. But if you haven’t, then you should do that now.
What we are gonna do here is restart your Nintendo Switch, Dock and, TV,
PRO TIP: Don’t forget to save any unsaved data before you restart your Nintendo Switch,
To restart your Nintendo Switch Dock:
- If the AC adaptor is connected to the power then Unplug it.
- Unplug the Power Cable and HDMI cable from the Dock.
Now, shutdown the dock it’s time for us to restart our Switch and TV.
To restart your Nintendo Switch:
- Hold the power button until the menu pops up.
- Go to Power Options.
- Then click on Restart.
As for the TV you have to figure that out yourself.
Once you have successfully restart your Switch and TV. It’s time for you to put Switch Dock at it’s place and see if it works.
If it didn’t work then just follow the next method.
Method 2: Inserting Cables in Correct Order
Like I have said before there is a specific way to connect the cables in your Dock. Sound Weird, I know. But this method has worked for so many people.
As for what’s the reason, No one knows about that. Some say that it a bug where Switch Dock only responds to the specific order in which the cables are inserted. While others say that the dock-firmware crashes if you connect HDMI( to the TV) before the dock gets power from the AC adaptor. Again, both of these are just hypotheses, the main point is it worked.
Now it’s time for us to perform the ritual to your Dock back to life:
Step 1: Detach the Switch and Unplug the Power and HDMI cable.
Before you make any further, make sure that the AC adaptor is connected to the power supply and the HDMI cable is attached to your TV.
Step 2: Now, connect the Power cable in the Switch Dock.
Step 3: After you have connected the power supply, it’s time for us to connect the HDMI cable,
Now, just attach your Nintendo Switch and if everything goes well then there is no need for you to read this article any further.
If it didn’t work then just follow the next method.
Method 3: Cleaning the Switch Dock
In this method, we are going to remove every dust particle from inside the Switch Dock.
Walla! back to the old Nintendo DS days. Don’t believe me, ask any guy who has had Nintendo DS in the past. You can solve any problem just by blowing air into it.
And it’s just not Nintendo DS there are many other Nintendo consoles where you can solve almost every issue just by blowing some air.
Next time I’m buying a new Nintendo product the first thing I’m going to do is blow some into it.
Sorry, got too emotional.
First, check inside the Dock and see if there is any dust you can see. If you can, then we are going to clean it,
If we are going to clean the Dock, then what better way to do it than with an Air compressor. So, make sure to buy one from Amazon or anywhere you like.
Or you can just blow the air from your Mouth.
You should clean the Switch Dock every once in a while even if you can’t see any dust.
Cleaning the Dock is really simple. Here is how to do it:
- Unplug all the connections to the Dock
- Take the dock and blow air inside the Dock either with the compressed Air Can or Mouth.
- Do this 2-3 times and make sure that no dust is left inside,
After you are done cleaning. Plug the cables inside the dock in the correct order. After that place, the Switch and see if the dock is working fine,
If it didn’t work then try the next method.
Method 4: Checking Power Cable
Nintendo Switch Dock is responsible for many tasks like connecting your Switch to TV and sometimes charging and it needs a decent amount of power to keep this thing working. And you already know what might happen if it’s is not getting enough energy.
How to make sure that Dock gets enough power constantly.
The first thing you should do is to make sure you are using the Orignal AC adaptor and Cable. Some peoples have reported that their Switch dock didn’t work when they connect it with a third-party adaptor.
You can connect the AC adaptor to a different dock to make sure it’s working fine. If that dock is also not working then it’s likely faulty.
The other thing you should do is that the AC adaptor is connected to the independent outlet. I know this sounds weird but it’s true.
Mehtod 5: Checking if the HDMI Cable faulty
A faulty HDMI cable can be the reason for your Dock to not work.
If your Dock can successfully charge your Nintendo Switch but you are not able to connect it to your TV then your HDMI cable may be faulty.
HDMI is really important because we use it to connect the Dock and TV, and if the HDMI cable is faulty then you won’t be able to stream games on your TV,
Try connecting a different device like your Laptop or PC with that HDMI to see whether the HDMI cable is faulty or not. If you are not able to connect then that means your HDMI cable is faulty or not. Or, try connecting the Dock with a different working HDMI cable.
It’s up to you what method is more convinient to you. Either way is fine.
PRO TIP: Make sure you have selected the HDMI mode on your TV, For my Samsung TV, it’s Source then HDMI. The method might be different for you depending on the model. All in all, just make sure that your TV is on HDMI mode.
Method 6: Adjusting the TV resolution of the Nintendo Switch
It might be possible that your TV is only 720p and you have selected 1080p TV resolution on Nintendo Switch. If the TV resolution you have selected on Nintendo Switch is higher than your TV resolution then you won’t be able to play games on your TV.
So, before you connect the Nintendo Switch to the Dock just make sure that you have selected the Maximum resolution your TV can support.
How to check the Maximum resolution of your TV?
The two easiest ways to find the resolution of your TV is to search on the internet and check on the TV box.
Once you have found that out, all that left for us is to lower the TV Resolution from Nintendo Switch.
Sometimes we lower the resolution of our TV, In that case, Switch will not work on 1080p.
If you don’t remember the model and can’t find the box then you have to try every resolution one by one on your Switch.
How to change TV resolution on Nintendo Switch
Changing resolution on Nintendo Switch is really easy. Follow these steps:
- Go to the Home menu and select the system setting.
- Go to all the way down and select TV output.
- Then click on the TV Resolution.
Then Select 480p as your TV Resolution and plug-in your Switch into the Dock.
If it worked then increase the resolution to 720p and see if that worked.
If it still didn’t work then that means the problem is not related to the resolution.
Method 7: Checking if the Dock is Faulty
There is always a possibility that there is a hardware issue on the dock. The dock is faulty. In that case, there is nothing much we can, And, if none of the tricks didn’t work then it’s possible that the dock is faulty.
To verify whether your Dock is faulty or not, you can borrow the Dock from your friend and try using it with your Switch and TV. While you are at the cable DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW THE RITUAL. If the dock is working then BAD NEWS your dock is damaged.
If the dock is damaged then it’s time for you to pay a visit to the Nintendo Service center or you can contact Nintendo Support
for help. OR if it’s out of warranty then you can also go to Nintendo Service Center to get it repaired but I would advise you to buy a new one.
Method 8: Hard Reset your Nintendo Switch
If your friend’s Dock also didn’t work on your TV, then it might be possible that the problem is either related to Nintendo Switch Software or your TV.
We as a gamer know too well what is the power of Hard Reset. It seems to solve almost all the issue, Jokes aside, if it’s a Software problem then I’m sure Hard Reset can solve it,
But before that let’s create the backup of your saved files.
I’m pretty sure you already know how to do it, but if you are having troubles then you can follow these steps:
- Press the plus button over the button you want to backup.
- Then go to “Save Data Cloud Backup.”
- Now, select the account where you want to save the backup.
- Then Click on Backup save data,
Create the backup of every game on your Nintendo Switch.
Once the backup is created it’s time for your to Hard Reset your Nintendo Switch,
Note: You will lose all the data from your Nintendo Switch.
To Hard Reset your Nintendo Switch, we are going to boot the Switch in recovery mode.
To Boot Switch in recovery mode follow these steps:
- First Shutdown the Switch. You can do this by holding down the power button for 12 seconds.
- Now hold down, Volume up (+), and Volume down (-), then press the power button.
- Once the switch is powered up, release the power button.
- Keep holding Volume up and down to boot it in Recovery mode.
You can release the Volume button once you can see this screen.
Again, this will delete everything from your Switch. First, create a backup of everything you don’t want to delete.
Now, click Factory Reset. This will delete everything from your Switch.