There are tons of fun colors to choose from when it comes to Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons, but they might not appeal to everyone. Your old Joy-Con shells may be damaged or you want to recreate Animal Crossing’s edition. You can easily screw up swapping Joy-Con shells regardless of your reasons. Here’s a step-by-step guide to replace your Joy-Con shells safely.
My Joy-Con Shells need swapping, what should I know?
You’ll have to void your warranty if you replace the shells on your Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons. You might not have a problem with most other controllers. You might have to use that warranty sooner rather than later because Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons develop stick drift quicker than other controllers.
Switching shells won’t get you a free repair for your Joy-Cons. In any case, changing your Joy-Con shells will teach you how to replace the joysticks yourself. Here are the steps on how to replace your Nintendo Switch Joy-Con shells:
Tools and materials:
- Phillips head screwdriver
- Tri-wing screwdriver
- Small pry tool
- Replacement Joy-Con shells
- Replacement buttons (optional)
Instructions:
- Remove the four tri-wing screws on the back of the Joy-Con.
- Use the pry tool to carefully pry open the back of the Joy-Con.
- Remove the ribbon cable that connects the Joy-Con to the Switch console.
- Carefully remove the electronic components from the old shell.
- Transfer the electronic components to the new shell.
- Reassemble the Joy-Con in the reverse order.
Tips:
- Be careful not to damage the electronic components when you are prying open the back of the Joy-Con.
- Make sure that the ribbon cable is properly seated in the connector on the new shell.
- If you are replacing the buttons, be sure to note the order in which they are installed.
Warnings:
- Do not use a regular screwdriver to remove the tri-wing screws, as this can damage the screws.
- Be careful not to lose any of the small screws or components when you are working on the Joy-Con.
I hope this helps!
