Yes. The issue was using an aftermarket dock to charge the switch with an aftermarket charger.
https://www.techradar.com/news/heres-why-nintendo-switch-third-party-docks-could-brick-your-console
this post was submitted on 22 May 2026
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I've been charging my day one Switch with my phone's charger and there's been no issues.
The issues with bricking Switch seems to occur when using certain 3rd party docks. Charging Switch itself should be fine in most cases.
I've been doing this for years with a variety of USB chargers of various wattages. Never encountered any issues. I'm talking hundreds of recharges.
Same for me. I am using a launch day switch. The battery is a bit weird now though, it seems like the system can't read the battery level correctly anymore as it tends to drop to 1% within 10 minutes (from full charge) and stay there for a full hour of play. Not sure if this is a side effect of using random chargers.
Might be just age, since it's a 9 y.o. console already. Or like the PS Vita, it could also be some bug in the system.
I’ve done it tons of times with my Switch 1 and various cables. The thing is to make sure the cable is of decent quality. I never use cheap cables I get with like cheap electronics, like if you get some cheap headphones from your local dollar store, do not use those. But something like a cable you get from Apple or Samsung or Google with your phone or tablet or a cable from a reputable brand should usually be okay.
Would be wise to also be aware what kind of power source like the brick you’re using to the wall as well as the cable. Again, I’d never use a cheap brick I got with my dollar store headphones, but I’d use something with some decent juice and a decent brand like the power brick that came with my Steam Deck.
@NutinButNet@hilariouschaos.com About the power source, it's a laptop constantly connected to the power supply but with the battery still healthy, so I guess it's the battery's output what the Switch would be taking.
About cables, I've got an original JBL cable, and it's one of the better brands, quality-wise, in my area, so I guess it should do.
Thanks!
Your laptop should be fine, but I imagine it’ll be super slow to charge. You probably won’t see it increase if playing and it’ll take hours to fully charge if you’re not actively using the Switch.
If you get a reputable brand of like 20W or above, maybe even 40W would be more ideal. But I don’t think you’d damage your Switch charging off the laptop. Just a slow charge.
I see. Luckily the idea would be to have a passive charge, since the computer is often on.
Thanks again!
Did a quick 1h test after most replies:
With some heavier game open but minimized, the battery went down slowly while charging through USB.
With the #Switch turned off, the battery went up instead, but indeed slow as warned.
Might need to test further, but results seem decent enough already!
I have always had the impression that charging through something that’s not the official product (or Genki) is ok until that one time it’s not, so the risk is up to you. Personally, I wouldn’t.