Nintendo Switch Users Warned New Update Is Killing the Console

Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, and Nintendo Switch OLED users have been warned by fellow users that a recent update to the console is causing all types of problems. With the Nintendo Switch 2 on the horizon, and support for the current Nintendo Switch slowing down as a result, some Switches out there are no doubt collecting dust. However, those still using the Nintendo Switch — whether to play Super Mario Party Jamboree or The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom or any other game — will want to be wary of the recent 19.0.0 firmware update.

Nintendo has not acknowledged any issues with the Nintendo Switch 19.0.0 update, but over on Reddit, more than one Nintendo Switch owner is reporting peculiarities with their unit since the update was downloaded.

According to more than one Switch user, their Nintendo Switch has had issues running warm, even when at full charge and on the dock hours after it has been used. To this end, the battery appears to be draining quicker, probably because it is running hot.

“Since the latest update to 19.0.0, has anyone else found that your Switch remains warm in sleep, even at full charge on the dock hours after any gameplay,” reads the Reddit post. “It’s as if it isn’t able to reliably and consistently go into full sleep mode anymore. Along with the heat, it seems that faster battery drain can be seen when undocked, since it can’t really sleep anymore.”

This issue is not just being reported by many Switch users, but owners of all three. Not only is this an issue on the standard Nintendo Switch, but there are reports of the issue on Nintendo Switch OLED and Nintendo Switch Lite.

“I thought I was going mad. I’ve been resorting to full power offs. I was worried my Switch was giving up on me,” reads one of the comments on the post above. “I thought I was losing my mind, as both my original V1 switch and OLED does not consistently go to sleep correctly (screen off but running) and I come back to find both of them drained within hours,” adds another comment.

While the majority of reports mention noticing the issue after downloading Update 19.0.0, others have claimed this has been going on longer than this. If this is the case, it could be indicative of a much larger problem with Switch hardware or perhaps an earlier update being the issue. Whatever the case, there are enough documented incidents here to suggest this is not an isolated issue.

At the moment of publishing, there has been no comment on the matter by Nintendo. If this changes, we will be sure to update the story accordingly. In the meantime, for more Nintendo Switch coverage — including all of the latest Nintendo Switch news, all of the latest Nintendo Switch rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Nintendo Switch deals — click here.