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General Care and Maintenance of Handheld Systems

Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, Nintendo Switch - OLED Model, Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros., Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DSi, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Micro, Game Boy Advance SP, Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy

Information on how to maintain and clean portable consoles and handleld systems for long-term use.

Additional information

While portable systems are designed for durability, they are still complex electronic devices and should be handled with care.

What to do

What would you like to do?

  • Clean smudges or fingerprints

    If the screen or body on your portable system has visible smudges or fingerprints, you can clean it by using a soft, clean cloth such as a lens or eyeglass cleaning cloth. Gently rub the smudge with the cloth until it is gone.

  • Clean dirt or foreign material

    What information would you like to know?

    • How to clean dirt from a system
      1. Slightly dampen a corner of a soft, clean cloth (such as a lens or eyeglass cleaning cloth) with water and wipe off the system to loosen any dirt or foreign material.
      2. Using a dry portion of the same cloth, wipe the system to dry it and finish the cleaning process.
      3. Repeat as needed until the system is clean.
    • How to clean foreign material from a Nintendo DS screen
      • If you have noticed that your Nintendo DS screen has pieces of foreign material, such as crumbs, wedged between the housing and the touchscreen, you may gently clean the system with a brand-new, soft to medium-bristled toothbrush.
        • Note that this does not apply to Nintendo DS Lite, Nintendo DSi, or Nintendo DSi XL.
    • How to clean foreign material from a Game Boy micro screen
      • If the screen below the faceplate needs to be cleaned, you will need to remove the faceplate first before wiping with a soft, clean cloth, such as a lens or eyeglass cleaning cloth.
  • Disinfect a system

    Lightly apply a consumer-grade disinfectant containing about 70% alcohol to a soft, clean cloth, such as a lens or eyeglass cleaning cloth, and gently wipe the system.

  • Learn about general care and maintenance
    • Minimize direct impact to the system

      Your portable system should never be left anywhere where it could get hit, dropped, sat on, stepped on, or banged around (e.g., in a backpack). While well protected, the sophisticated screens and internal components can be damaged by direct physical impact. An extra protective carrying case can often help prevent problems related to impact damage. Many times the initial damage is not noticeable to the naked eye, but over time (like a small chip in a windshield), a crack, line, or more damage can appear.

    • Avoid exposing the battery to liquids

      The rechargeable lithium ion batteries featured in most newer portable devices are very sensitive to moisture. If the battery is exposed to liquids, it will be permanently damaged.

      If your rechargeable Nintendo portable product has been exposed to liquids, please see Liquid Was Spilled on the Nintendo Switch 2 Console, Liquid Was Spilled on the Nintendo Switch Console, or Liquid Was Spilled in or on a Nintendo 3DS Family System for troubleshooting and service information.

    • Only use licensed Nintendo accessories

      The use of unlicensed protective screen covers can lower the sensitivity of the system's touch screen. They may also damage screens as they can leave behind a residue that may be difficult to clean.

    • Only insert or remove a game card when the system is turned off or when the HOME menu is displayed
    • Avoid exposing the system, game cards, or accessories to extreme temperatures

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