How to fix Nintendo Switch OLED screen burn-in issue

The Nintendo Switch OLED represents a big leap in build and display quality over the original model. In addition to the higher asking price, however, there is another potential drawback — screen burn-in. All OLED displays are susceptible to screen burn-in, whereby static images discolor areas of a screen over time and leave a “ghost” image. Thankfully, there are some system settings to help mitigate Nintendo Switch OLED screen burn-in from day one.

Nintendo Switch OLED screen burn-in fix

Here’s how to avoid screen burn-in problems on Nintendo Switch OLED:

1. Open the System Settings menu.
2. Select the Screen Brightness tab and turn Automatic Brightness on.
3. Navigate to the Sleep Mode tab and set the Auto-Sleep (Playing on Console Screen) option to 1min.
4. Where possible, disable unnecessary in-game HUD elements.
5. Play a variety of games in handheld mode on Nintendo Switch OLED.
6. Dock the console and play on a TV to cut back on portable screen usage.

While the first three steps are arguably a must, the latter three are definitely something to keep in mind. Playing the same game for long periods is a good way to cause burn-in, due to the same static HUD elements occupying portions of the screen. Turning off unnecessary HUD components, swapping games relatively frequently, and docking the handheld are all ways to avoid OLED burn-in.

Many modern OLED screens are highly resistant to burn-in, so it’s likely that the new Nintendo Switch model will follow suit. It’s too early to tell for sure, however, so it’s better to be safe than sorry at this stage. The settings here all feature on the standard Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite models, so those hoping for some OLED-exclusive burn-in protection will need to wait for Nintendo to (hopefully) patch some in.

For more on the latest games, find out how Far Cry 6 “fails to evolve” in this comprehensive review. Ubisoft’s latest also struggles with an inconsistent tone, which the cockfighting minigame serves to highlight. In more positive news, EA and DICE are looking to build a healthy community for Battlefield 2042.