A common problem that Nintendo Switch owners have is how to charge Switch Joy-Con controllers while playing. While it may seem reasonable to do the usual method of plugging the whole console into the dock, what if the player wants to charge Nintendo Switch controllers without the dock? What about even how to charge Joy-Cons without the Switch console itself, while still playing uninterrupted? Here’s how to do this.
How to charge Switch Joy-Cons while playing without the dock
The most common way to charge Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons while still playing a game is to remove the charge cable from the dock and plug that directly into the console, which will charge both the Switch and the Joy-Cons. The power cable can simply be removed from the dock by opening up the flap on the side and taking out the cable marked “AC Adaptor.” Plug this into a wall socket close by and the USB Type-C into the bottom of the Switch and everything will start charging, Joy-Cons included.
Of course, this only works if the player is using the Switch in handheld mode. If you want to charge their Joy-Cons while playing a game without the Switch itself, in full TV mode, then that’s a little trickier. In order to do this, you will have to purchase a separate Nintendo Joy-Con Charging Grip to make it work, since the grip included with the Switch doesn’t charge them and the Joy-Cons cannot be plugged in separately.
The Nintendo Switch world is hotting up ahead of E3 this month, with games such as Breath of the Wild 2 and Metroid Prime 4 rumored to be shown at Nintendo’s big Direct streaming conference on June 15. There are also rumors of a more powerful 4K Nintendo Switch Pro console being announced, so it’s a good time to be a Nintendo Switch fan.
