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How long does it take for Switch controllers to charge?

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  • 2 min read

The Nintendo Switch is arguably the company’s best console in a long time and one of the best handheld gaming consoles in the world. The sheer portability and expansion capabilities that it has alone make for a rather enjoyable gaming experience whether you’re on the go or on your couch. 

That said, if you like taking your Joycons out of the main console and playing handheld, you’ll eventually need to charge them as well. But how long does it take to charge the different Switch controllers?

Also read: Nintendo Switch dock not working: 6 Fixes


Charging Switch controllers

The Joycons are one of the most advanced controllers on the planet with rumble motors, IR cameras, gyroscopes and an NFC sensor packed into them. Despite all this tech, Nintendo claims a 20-hour battery life for each Joycon, which is a surprisingly long time. 

That said, charging Joycons is a different story. A regular Joycon takes about three and a half hours to charge from zero to 100% battery. There are two ways you can charge your Joycons:

  • You can plug your Joycons into the Switch screen and put it in the dock to charge. 
  • You can also get the charging grip for the Joycons and plug it into either the Switch dock or the charging adaptor. 

As for the Switch Pro controller, it takes approximately six hours for the controller to fully charge. Once again, you have two ways to charge it, either by plugging it into the Switch. Alternatively, you can also plug it into the Switch power adaptor to charge the controller. 

There are multiple ways to charge the Switch Pro controller. | Source: Nintendo

Keep in mind that it’s best to use the accessories provided with the original controllers. In the case of Joycons, the original Joycon charging grip’s model number is HAC-012. For the Switch Pro controller, you should use the original USB cable (model number HAC-010) with the original Switch AC adaptor (model number HAC-002).

Also read: How to stream Switch in Discord?

Yadullah Abidi

Yadullah Abidi

Yadullah is a Computer Science graduate who writes/edits/shoots/codes all things cybersecurity, gaming, and tech hardware. When he's not, he streams himself racing virtual cars. He's been writing and reporting on tech and cybersecurity with websites like Candid.Technology and MakeUseOf since 2018. You can contact him here: yadullahabidi@pm.me.

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