Here's Why Some Switch Joy-Cons Aren't Connecting

Nintendo gives the low-down on why the Switch's Joy-Con controllers may cause trouble for certain players, and the cause actually has very little to do with the console's hardware itself.

Prior to the Nintendo Switch officially launching this Friday, early access users were reporting difficulty in syncing their Joy-Con controllers with their shiny new console. While Nintendo addressed the problem and rolled out a day one patch in efforts to squash any issues, the solution wasn't universally successful, leaving some fans still stuck with synchronization troubles. Thankfully for current Switch owners and for those looking to get their hands on one soon, Nintendo cleared up the root cause this weekend.

In a support post on the company's website, Nintendo stated that the majority of Joy-Con troubles are being caused by other items interfering with the console, or by a user setting it in an less-than-optimal area. For those experiencing Joy-Con issues during wireless use—like "characters seem[ing] to move on their own, or the controllers responding intermittently or incorrectly—Nintendo offered a handful of solutions.

Users should "ensure that the Nintendo Switch console is placed to minimize interference with the Joy-Con," avoiding placing the console behind a television; near an aquarium; beneath or inside of a metal object; against wires or cords; or within "three to four feet of another wireless device, such as a wireless speaker or a wireless access point."

Additionally, Nintendo stated that Joy-Con controllers losing connection with the console itself can be doing so due to interfering technologies like laptops and tablets; wireless objects such as headsets and printers; microwaves; cordless phones; and "USB 3.0-compatible devices such as hard drives, thumb drives, [and] LAN adapters." Keeping the Switch a few feet away from these items will clear up issues, but Nintendo advises players to turn them off if they continue experiencing troubles.

As with many other console systems, the Switch and its Joy-Con controllers will function best when they're charged and running on the latest update, Nintendo confirms. In all, it seems the issues aren't arising directly from the Switch, but rather from what's around it and where it's being placed. Seemingly simple fix!

The Nintendo Switch is available now, which is a good thing, since there are a handful of Switch games we can't wait to play.