Charging you Switch during play?

[TxAnt]

Hi, sorry if this is a duplicate post but I tried Search and the F.A.Q. and couldn't find anything about charging.

When my Switch is charging, I can't play the game at the same time. What I mean is I can play but it continues to decharge. The charging speed is too slow to allow me to play. I have to stop playing and charge again.

I'm just wondering if this is normal? I have a Switch Light so perhaps that is the reason?

 

[John Wick]

I am always charging mine during play, and I haven't had any problems.

 

[Jam86]

that's strange
i play while my switch is charging all the time and it normally goes from 20% to 100% within an hour

i have a switch & a switch lite and they are both like that

 

[TxAnt]

that's strange
i play while my switch is charging all the time and it normally goes from 20% to 100% within an hour

i have a switch & a switch lite and they are both like that

Then I must be doing something wrong. Perhaps I wait until the power is too low to charge. Thanks for the response

 

[Livia]

I always play with mine plugged in and charging.

 

[UglyMonsterFace]

I always have mine plugged in and it's usually fine. There have been times it's plugged in and still loses charge. I just remove that reinsert the cable, and rotate it for good measure! And it always works

 

[Sheep Villager]

Are you using an extension cord by any chance? I had a similar problem when I had my charger plugged in to an extension cord. When I plugged my charger in to my actual wall power socket I had no problems.​

 

[xTurnip]

Are you using the original Switch charger, and/or is it in an extension cord?

 

[Raz]

I don't have the switch light, but I play 100% of the time with the switch docked, so it's always charging.

Have you tested it with other games to see if it's a case of NH being too demanding (thus, draining more energy at a faster pace)?

 

[Rosch]

I play NH on Switch Lite. I've also played Breath of the Wild, Pokemon Sword, and Mario Kart while charging. The battery increases normally as it charges.

You might want to try and plug it on a different socket.

 

[angelcat621]

I have a Switch Lite and charge it frequently while playing and have no problems. Like others have said, your power cord may not have a good connection in the socket.

 

[skogkyst]

If you have an older model, it's also possible that your brightness is too high. When played BoTW at the Switch's launch, it would drain faster than it would charge if I had the brightness all the way up sometimes. At least if I remember correctly.

 

[Burumun]

If you happen to have another official charger (maybe someone else in your house also has a Switch), maybe try that and see if it helps. If it's a problem with the charger, that's a lot easier to deal with than it being a problem with the Switch itself.

 

[TxAnt]

I have it plugged directly into the socket and it is the original charger. I'll check the brightness level as well. I don't have an additional charger to try but I will try a different socket.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[Holla]

I usually only have this problem if I have my Switch plugged in with my Pro Controller cable and not the Switch cable with the brick on the end. I have a regular Switch and not a Lite though so that might be different.

I hope you can figure out the problem.

 

[JKDOS]

Are you using the OEM charger or a 3rd party one?

If all else fails with changing screen brightness or trying a different outlet, maybe something is wrong with the charging cable. Worse case scenario you may need to get support from Nintendo for the Switch itself.

 

[Cpdlp92]

I also play while is charging and never had a issue.

 

[LuchaSloth]

I do it all the time and have never had a problem. In fact, it's usually at 100% or very close by the time I turn it off. I find that the Switch actually charges very quickly. Probably the quickest charging electronic I've ever owned, honestly.

 

[Plainbluetees]

It could also be a problem with the battery itself. If you have had your switch for a long time and have constantly used it, the battery life most likely has degraded.

It’s more likely something to do with the actual power box you plug into the wall. Are you using a third party charger? If so, it might not take as much power as a normal switch charger from Nintendo does and this causes the issue.

 

[TxAnt]

I just wanted to follow up in case anyone else has this issue.
I experimented a bit yesterday and now believe I was just letting the battery run too low before trying to charge and play at the same time. I was letting it go below 20% and when I continued to play it was draining power faster than it was charging the battery.
When I let it charge to 100% and left it plugged in while I played yesterday, it managed to charge faster than I was draining power.
I think the problem is solved.
Thanks everyone for the suggestions.