How to turn off your Nintendo Switch or put it into Sleep Mode, to save battery or fix software issues

• It’s a good idea to turn off your Nintendo Switch if you’re going to be away from the console for an extended period of time.
• You can also put the Switch into Sleep Mode, which turns off its screen and most functions, but allows you to use the console again with a single button press.
• The Switch can be put in Sleep Mode from the controller or by pressing a button on the console itself, while turning it off requires using both console and remote at once.
• Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

As with any electronic device, it’s a good idea to turn a Nintendo Switch console off if you’re not using it.

This lets the hardware rest, resets any potentially glitchy software, and allows the batteries to charge faster.

If you’re just taking a break, then the Switch’s Sleep Mode is a better choice. This option turns off the screen and puts the console into a low energy mode, but allows you to resume playing right where you were in a matter of seconds.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Nintendo Switch (From $299.99 at Best Buy)

How to turn off a Nintendo Switch

To completely power off a Nintendo Switch:

1. Hold the power button on top of the console down for five seconds.

2. A menu will open. In this menu, select "Power Options."

3. Then, using the controller, scroll down to "Turn Off" and hit the A button. If the Switch is undocked, you can also tap it with your finger.

How to put a Nintendo Switch into Sleep Mode

There are three ways to enter Sleep Mode on the Nintendo Switch.

The simplest is to simply push the button on top of the console.

You can also enter Sleep Mode by holding down the Home button on the right-hand Joy-Con controller, then selecting Sleep Mode when the pop-up window appears.

Finally, from the Switch home screen, you can scroll down to the task icons at the bottom of the screen, and then select Sleep Mode, which is the power button icon at the far-right.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to charge a Nintendo Switch's Joy-Con controllers in 2 different ways

• How to connect a PS4 controller to your PC in 2 different ways

• How to turn off your PS4 controllers manually or automatically, to save battery when you're not using them

• 'Do Xbox 360 controllers work on an Xbox One?': No, they do not - here's how to get a new Xbox One controller inexpensively