Preparing for Data Transfer. Nintendo Wii U

Troubleshooting

Before seeking assistance, please review the following problems and solutions. You can also visit support.nintendo.com for assistance and additional troubleshooting and repair options, or call 1-800-255-3700.

• Additional information can be found in the Wii U Electronic Manual ( ), Troubleshooting.

• See the Wii Menu Electronic Manual ( ) for more information about using the Wii Menu.

• Review instruction manuals for any games or accessories you are using.

Power supply and operating temperature

The Wii U console won’t turn on.

Are the DC and AC plugs of the AC adapter fully inserted?

Is the Power LED of the Wii U console lit?

Check the connections to make sure they are fully inserted (see the Wii U Quick Start Guide).

If the Wii U console’s power LED does not turn on even after pressing the Power Button, unplug the AC adapter from the wall, wait two minutes, and plug it in again.

•

If the power LED is blinking red, unplug the AC adapter from the wall. Make sure that the console is not in a location where it is exposed to high temperatures and that it has proper ventilation (at least 4”/10 cm). Wait about two minutes, then plug the AC adapter back into the outlet and turn the console power on.

•

If the power LED is blinking blue, contact Nintendo Customer

Service (see contact information above).

The Wii U GamePad won’t turn on.

Is the battery depleted?

Is the battery correctly installed?

•

Recharge the Wii U GamePad

(p. 18)

.

•

If the battery LED blinks orange during charging, or if the problem continues even after charging, remove the battery from the GamePad and wait at least 10 seconds, then reinsert the battery and try turning the GamePad on again

(p. 49)

.

The Wii U console or Wii U GamePad feel hot to the touch.

Is the system or controller exposed to high temperatures, or is the controller being used for long periods while charging it?

Such use can cause the system to become hot. Use the system and components within the following temperature recommendations:

Wii U console: 50°-104°F (10°-40°C)

Wii U GamePad: 50°-95°F (10°-35°C)

Wii U Pro Controller: 50°-95°F (10°-35°C)

54

The Wii U console suddenly shuts off.

Is there dust or other material clogging or blocking the console vents?

Unplug the AC adapter for the Wii U console from the wall outlet, and remove any dust, dirt, or other foreign material from the vents.

Is the console located where it can be exposed to high temperatures?

Is the Wii U console's automatic shutoff feature enabled?

Are you using unsupported

USB devices with the Wii U console?

Move the console away from sources of heat and make sure there is at least 4” (10 cm) between the console vents and any walls or other objects.

If the Auto Power-Down feature is enabled, the system will automatically turn off if there is no controller input for a set period of time. You can adjust the period of time in System

Settings on the Wii U Menu, under Power Settings.

Make sure you are only using USB devices compatible with the Wii U console. Visit support.nintendo.com for more information.

The Wii U console will not turn off (the power LED won’t turn red).

Did you press and hold down the POWER Button for one second?

Are you pressing the HOME

Button on the GamePad?

Is Standby Functions enabled?

If the power still does not turn off, hold down the Wii U console Power Button for at least four seconds. (The Power

LED does not completely turn off even when the console is turned off.)

•

You cannot use the Wii U GamePad to turn off the console power if you are using the Wii Menu or playing a Wii

Game Disc.

The HOME Button on the GamePad does not turn the

Wii U console off. To turn the power off, press the POWER

Button on either the Wii U console or GamePad.

If Standby Functions is enabled and the console is turned off, the Power LED will turn orange if software is in the process of being downloaded or installed. The power LED will turn red automatically when this process is complete.

The Wii U GamePad won't turn off.

Did you press and hold down the GamePad POWER Button for one second?

If the power does not turn off after holding down the

GamePad POWER Button for one second, then hold the

POWER Button down for at least four seconds.

The Wii U GamePad battery LED does not turn on.

The battery LED will only turn on when charging the battery or when the battery level is low.

55

56

Batteries and battery charging

Cannot charge or recharging takes a long time.

Are you using the correct charging equipment?

NOTE: Remove covers or any other added accessories before charging Wii U accessories.

•

Wii U GamePad – use the Wii U GamePad AC adapter, Model

No. WUP-011

(p. 18)

.

•

Wii U Pro Controller - use the Wii U Pro Controller USB

Cable, Model No. WUP-018.

Is the AC adapter plug or USB cable fully inserted?

•

Wii U GamePad – remove the AC adapter from the wall outlet and GamePad for 20 seconds, then reinsert it back into the AC adapter connector on the controller or charging stand and into the wall outlet, and try recharging again

(p. 18)

.

NOTE: You can only charge the Wii U Pro Controller when the Wii U console is turned on.

Are you charging at an ambient temperature of

50°-95°F (10°-35°C)?

Is the battery LED blinking orange?

•

Wii U Pro Controller – remove the USB cable, wait a few seconds, then reinsert it and try recharging again

(p. 20)

.

Charge within the recommended temperature range of

50°-95°F (10°-35°C). Battery charging can be adversely affected by extremes of temperature.

Make sure that the battery is properly connected - see the section on Battery Replacement

(p. 49)

. If the LED is still blinking during the charging procedure, contact Nintendo

Customer Service.

NOTE: Due to the properties of lithium-ion batteries, they can permanently lose their charge when not in use for an extended period of time. Be sure to charge lithium-ion batteries at least once every six months.

Battery charge doesn't last long and/or recharging takes a long time.

Are you playing or charging at an ambient temperature below 50°F (10°C)?

Are you using an old battery?

Usage time may be reduced and recharge time may be increased when temperatures are below 10°C (50°F). For best results, use the system within the recommended temperature range of 50°-95°F (10°-35°C).

Over time and repeated charging, battery performance will gradually decrease. If the usage time has gotten noticeably shorter, the battery may need to be replaced

(p. 49)

.

The battery appears slightly swollen.

Due to the nature of lithium-ion batteries, repeated charging and use over time can cause the battery pack to swell. If the battery pack is swollen and battery duration doesn’t last very long, it should be replaced

(p. 49)

.

If the battery leaks fluid or is exposed to moisture, see the Battery Leakage warning in

Health and Safety Information

(p. 6)

and contact Nintendo Customer Service for repair information.

TV screen display and audio

The TV screen doesn't display anything or there is no sound.

Is the video cable completely plugged in at both ends?

Have you changed your equipment, such as the video cable or the TV the Wii U console is connected to?

Has the TV input been correctly set?

Check the video cable connections.

Use the Wii U GamePad and check the configuration in

System Settings on the Wii U Menu, TV, for your cable and

TV combination and reconfigure if necessary.

Have you set the audio output to “Non-HDMI”? (When no external audio devices are being used.)

Are you using any accessories not licensed by Nintendo or not designed for use with the

Wii U system?

Press the input button on the TV several times to switch between inputs until the Wii U screen appears.

•

Depending on the TV you are using, it may take 10 seconds or more for the video output from the console to display.

Wait a short time after switching the input.

From the Wii U Menu, System Settings, choose TV > TV

Audio-Output Type > Output-Cable Settings, and select

HDMI.

Remove any unlicensed or incompatible components or accessories from your system.

Sound cannot be heard from external speakers when “Surround” is selected in

System Settings.

Is an audio amplifier connected to the Wii U console?

NOTE: You cannot use

Surround as your sound setting if you do not have an audio amplifier connected to your console.)

Make sure your amplifier supports surround sound. See

“Connecting Audio Equipment” in the Wii U Electronic

Manual for more information on connecting audio amplifiers.

•

If you are not using an external amplifier, select Stereo or

Mono in System Settings > TV > TV Audio-Output Type.

I want to use audio equipment (amplifier or speakers) with the Wii U system.

See “Connecting Audio Equipment” in the Wii U Electronic Manual for more information on connecting audio amplifiers, and refer to the operations manuals for your audio equipment.

The TV screen doesn’t display correctly.

Does the image on the TV screen run off the edges of the display?

Adjust the screen size in System Settings on the Wii U menu, TV.

•

Some TVs have display modes that change the size of the picture being displayed on the screen. Adjusting these modes using the TV controls and menus may correct this problem.

57

58

Wii U GamePad screen

The Wii U GamePad screen doesn’t display anything.

Is the Wii U GamePad battery

LED slowly blinking blue?

If you press the POWER

Button with the AC adapter connected, does the screen display turn on after a few seconds?

If the LED is blinking blue, the screen has been turned off.

Press one of the buttons (other than the POWER Button) to turn the screen back on.

If the screen turns on, the Wii U GamePad's battery level is low. Recharge the battery.

If the screen still does not display anything, contact

Nintendo Customer Service for repair information.

Some pixels on the Wii U GamePad screen are always dark or lit.

Due to the characteristics of liquid crystal displays, a small number of pixels may not illuminate or may always stay lit. This is normal and not considered a defect unless the number of pixels that don’t function normally increases over time.

I can't use the Touch Screen or the Touch Screen does not respond properly.

Is there anything near the Wii U console or controller that could interfere with the signal between the two components?

•

Avoid using the Wii U system near large metal objects or TV stands or devices that might cause electromagnetic interference (such as AV devices, microwave ovens, or cordless devices).

Does the Touch Screen need to be calibrated?

Have you attached a screen protector (optional accessory, sold separately) to the Touch

Screen?

NOTE: If using an optional screen protector, we recommend using Wii U GamePad screen protectors that have been officially licensed by

Nintendo.

If the Touch Screen positioning appears to be off, calibrate the Touch Screen in System Settings on the Wii U Menu,

Wii U GamePad.

If you are unable to operate the Wii U Menu properly using the Touch Screen, use the +Control Pad and .

If a screen protector has been installed on the Touch

Screen incorrectly, it may not operate properly. Check for the conditions listed below and if necessary try removing it and using the Touch Screen again. If it operates correctly, either try reattaching the screen protector, carefully following the instructions included with it, or avoid using one.

• the screen protector is not aligned correctly.

• there are air bubbles, dirt, or dust trapped under the screen protector.

• the screen protector is wedged between the Touch Screen and the edge of the plastic housing.

IMPORTANT: If the screen protector is misaligned, remove it and reapply it again. Do not try to force the misaligned part of the protector under the edge of the plastic housing

The GamePad tone sounds and the screen comes on suddenly.

If you have selected to receive notifications in the Quick Start Menu, the GamePad tone will sound and the screen will display a notification message.

•

The screen will turn off automatically after a certain amount of time, however you can turn it off immediately by tapping Close on the bottom left of the Notifications screen.

•

The GamePad tone can be selected from the Settings option on the Quick Start Menu

(p. 22)

.

The Wii U GamePad screen appears irregular or erratic/sound is intermittent.

Is anything blocking or interfering with the signal between the console and the GamePad?

Remove possible causes of interference, such as metal racks or shelves, or wireless devices, microwave ovens, or

AV equipment.

The video or sound may cut off at times. This is due to the nature of wireless communication and does not indicate a defective product.

The Wii U GamePad screen color changes, the screen brightness changes erratically, or bright colors cannot be seen.

Is power-saving mode on?

When the power-saving mode is on, the system automatically adjusts the screen brightness and color to match the displayed image, in order to reduce battery power use. Depending on the image, faint colors may look washed out, or the color may appear to change. For uniform brightness and hue, open the

HOME Menu and turn power-saving mode off.

Wii Remote controllers

I can't use the Wii Remote, or the Wii Remote does not respond properly.

Is the Player LED on the Wii

Remote lit?

Have you synchronized the

Wii Remote with this console?

Press one of the buttons on the Wii Remote (not the

POWER Button). If the Player LED does not turn on, make sure that the batteries are inserted correctly. If the LED still won't turn on, replace both of the batteries.

Press the SYNC Button on the Wii U console and follow the instructions on the screen.

Are you either too close or too far from the sensor bar?

Always play from 3-10’ (1-3 m) from the sensor bar (or 1-3’

/30-100 cm for the GamePad) . If this does not resolve the issue, adjust the sensor bar sensitivity in System Settings on the Wii U menu, Adjust Sensitivity.

Is there any obstruction in front of the sensor bar?

Is the sensor bar connected to the Wii U console installed correctly?

Remove any objects that might be blocking the signals between the Wii Remote and the sensor bar.

Make sure that the sensor bar is placed correctly

(p. 26)

.

Unplug the sensor bar once and plug it in again, making sure the sensor bar plug is fully inserted into the connector on the console.

59