How To Factory Reset A Nintendo Switch – SlashGear

Okay, that’s not entirely true. You can actually perform a factory reset without deleting all of your data (user information, screen shots, and game saves, specifically), but it will still result in software saved to a microSD card that fails to load. In which case, you’ll probably have to delete the games on the SD card and re-download them. This process has to be performed via the Switch’s Maintenance Mode.

1. Turn off the Switch, or press and hold the Power button for at least 12 seconds to force it to shut down.
2. Press and hold both the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons at the same time, then press the Power button. Keep both Volume buttons pressed down until you see the Switch start up in Maintenance Mode.
3. From Maintenance Mode, select “Initialize Console Without Deleting Save Data.”
4. Verify by selecting “Next,” then “Initialize Console Without Deleting Save Data.”

To perform a full factory reset (i.e. wipe all of your data from the Switch):

1. Open System Settings (the gear icon) from the Home menu.
2. Scroll down towards the bottom of the System Settings list and select System, then scroll down the System menu and select Formatting Options.
3. Choose the Initialize Console option and select “Next,” followed by “Initialize” to confirm.
4. Wait for the Nintendo Switch to complete the factory reset. This could take five minutes or mode, depending on the version of your system menu.