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Care and Maintenance of Portable Systems

While portable systems are designed for durability, they still remain complex electronic devices. As such, care needs to be taken with how they are handled. The following are tips to care for your system:

  • Cleaning a dirty screen
    If the screen on your portable system (including either screen of a Nintendo DS system) has visible smudges, fingerprints, or other foreign material, you can clean it by using a soft clean cloth such as a lens or eyeglass cleaning cloth.

    (If you have noticed that the lower screen on your Nintendo DS has pieces of foreign material, such as crumbs, wedged between the housing and the screen, click on the system you have for specific troubleshooting steps. Note that this does not apply to Nintendo DS Lite,Nintendo DSi, or Nintendo DSi XL.)

      To clean a dirty screen:
      (If you are using a Game Boy micro, and the screen below the faceplate needs to be cleaned, you will need to remove the faceplate first. Click here for directions.)

    1. Slightly dampen a corner of the cloth with water and wipe off the screens to loosen any dirt or foreign material.
    2. Using a dry portion of the same cloth, wipe the screens to dry them and finish the cleaning process.
    3. If needed repeat the process more than once.

    Please note: Protective screen covers can lower the sensitivity of the Nintendo DS touch screen. They may also damage screens as they can leave behind a residue that may be difficult to clean.

  • Minimize direct impact to the system
    Your portable system should never be left anywhere where it could get hit, dropped, or banged around (e.g., in a backpack). While well protected, the sophisticated screens and internal components can be damaged by direct physical impact. An extra protective carrying case can often help prevent problems related to impact damage. Many times the initial damage is not noticeable to the naked eye, but over time (like a small chip in a windshield), a crack, line, or more damage can appear.

  • Avoid exposing the battery to liquids
    The rechargeable lithium ion batteries featured in most newer portable devices are very sensitive to moisture. If the battery is exposed to liquids, it will be permanently damaged.


    • If your rechargeable Nintendo handheld product has been exposed to liquids, use the links below for troubleshooting and repair information: