How to Fix Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Bugs and Glitches: The Ultimate Troubleshooting Guide

If you‘ve been asking "How can I fix bugs and glitches in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?", you‘ve come to the right place. As an avid Pokemon fan and tech geek, I‘ve put together this comprehensive troubleshooting guide so you can enjoy exploring the Paldea region glitch-free!

After its long-awaited release, Pokemon‘s first open world RPG has unfortunately been marred by some persistent technical issues. But don‘t worry – with the right fixes and workarounds, you can overcome pesky bugs and crashes. In this 2800+ word guide, I‘ll equip you with all the tips you need to smooth out the experience on your journey to become Champion.

Let‘s get started!

What‘s Causing All These Pokemon Scarlet/Violet Bugs?

Before we dive into solutions, it‘s helpful to understand the root causes of why Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are having so many hiccups on Nintendo Switch.

The Switch hardware is now over 5 years old, and wasn‘t originally designed with massive open world gaming in mind. Both handheld and docked modes run into performance limitations trying to render expansive 3D environments.

Game Freak is pushing the console to its limits – Scarlet/Violet are the first truly open world Pokemon RPGs, boasting giant continuous maps with no borders. This leads to more graphical demands than the linear routes and segmented areas of previous games.

Adding to the strain, Scarlet/Violet allow 4 player simultaneous multiplayer for the first time in the series. Rendering up to 4 players and their Pokemon exacerbates performance issues.

Finally, as an annual franchise, Pokemon games have tight deadlines which may have resulted in Scarlet/Violet shipping a bit unfinished. Squashing bugs takes time, which Game Freak didn‘t have luxury of with the holidays approaching.

But understanding technical constraints is only the first step – now let‘s get into the solutions so you can play Pokemon Scarlet/Violet as intended!

Step 1: Load Your Latest Backup Save

The most straightforward fix is reverting to an earlier save file before the glitch or crash occurred. Here are detailed steps for accessing your backups:

From the main menu, press Up on the D-Pad, X, and B buttons simultaneously. You should see a prompt flash indicating the backup menu is opening.
This will bring up the “Backup Saves” page. It shows a list of automatically saved checkpoints, with timestamps indicating when they were created.
Scroll through the list and identify the most recent backup save before the problem started occurring. Often this is right before a crash or entering an area with glitches.
Hover over your desired backup file then select “Start from backup data” at the bottom.
The game will take a few moments to load the save. Then you should find yourself back at the stable point right before issues began!

Loading backups is a quick way to hop back in time before bugs ruined your adventure. But keep in mind autosaves only trigger at certain checkpoints, not constantly. Let’s go over some other strategies to avoid issues altogether.

Step 2: Restart Regularly to Clear Memory Leaks

One preventative measure is restarting Pokemon Scarlet/Violet completely every hour or two of gameplay. Why?

To render huge 3D worlds, games require allocating lots of temporary RAM (random access memory). The game code is supposed to free RAM that‘s no longer needed. But sometimes it fails to do so properly, leading to “memory leaks” where RAM keeps getting filled up.

This gradually slows down performance over long play sessions as available memory shrinks. Restarting the game application fully frees up RAM and clears the slate.

I noticed frame rates and loading times creeping lower after a few hours of continuous play. But resetting the software brought performance back up to snappy levels.

Make restarting regularly a habit, especially before entering new areas. Save your game first so you don’t lose progress. Think of it like changing oil in your car – regular maintenance prevents bigger problems!

Step 3: Delete and Redownload Save Data to Start Fresh

If even backup saves are glitched or corrupt, deleting your save data entirely allows a completely fresh start. But be warned – this erases your saves permanently, so only use it as a last resort!

Here are the steps to wipe your save:

From the Switch home screen, open System Settings.
Select “Data Management” then “Delete Save Data”
Choose your User Profile and select the game – Pokemon Scarlet or Pokemon Violet.
You’ll see a warning that this will permanently delete all save data. Select “Delete Save Data” again to confirm.

Once deleted, booting up the game will bring you back to the beginning intro sequence as if playing for the first time. This gives you a clean slate if your old saves were beyond salvaging.

Delete judiciously! But for serious glitches, it beats abandoning your journey when you’ve already invested hours in Paldea.

Step 4: Update Software and Hotfixes

While not a fix you can control, it helps to stay updated with any patches Nintendo releases.

Big Pokemon games involve millions of lines of code, making squashing every bug before launch nearly impossible. The developers are likely working overtime on fixes.

Make sure your Switch has internet connectivity so it can download the latest game updates in sleep mode. Major patches will overhaul code to address crashes and performance.

No guarantees on timing, but checking frequently for new system updates gives you the fixes as soon as they release. Each one gets you closer to the smooth adventure you deserve!

Step 5: Tweak Graphics Settings to Boost Performance

Many issues in Pokemon Scarlet/Violet stem from the game engine pushing Switch hardware beyond its limits. We can reduce the strain with some graphics adjustments.

In the main menu, open settings and change from “High Quality” graphics to “Standard Quality.” This scales down resolution and effects for better framrates.

Disabling camera motion blur also helps performance, though makes movement appear less smooth. Test tweaking these settings to find your optimal balance.

For serious slowdowns, try playing entirely in handheld mode. The smaller screen is less taxing than powering a big-screen TV in docked. Limiting multiplayer may also help in certain areas.

Graphics options give you some control over performance until more optimized patches arrive. Tweak cautiously to maximize framerate while retaining enough visual quality to enjoy Paldea’s scenery!

Step 6: Troubleshooting Specific Bugs

Beyond general fixes, let‘s go over targeted solutions for some of the most common Pokemon Scarlet/Violet bugs reported:

Stuck in terrain – Open your map and fast travel to a different zone then return on foot to reset your character position.

Invisible Pokemon – Move far away until despawning then return to restart the spawn.

Freezing when autosaving – Be patient and wait several minutes to see if save completes. If not, restart the game.

Crashing when connecting online – Ensure latest patches are installed, connect at off-peak hours, disable background downloads.

Battle slowdowns – Lower graphics, reduce multiplayer connections, or avoid weather effects that add particle layers.

Glitched Pokemon – Release problematic ‘mon then load backup save from before encountering them.

Freezing entering buildings – Wait in case temporary stutter, close and restart if frozen for over a minute.

Corrupt/missing saves – Delete local save data then redownload latest cloud backup.

I hope this troubleshooting guide has equipped you to overcome pesky Pokemon Scarlet and Violet bugs! Let‘s recap the key tips:

Load backup saves to roll back glitches
Restart regularly to clear memory leaks
Delete saves to start fresh if needed
Check for software updates and hotfixes
Adjust graphics settings to optimize performance
Troubleshoot specific bugs with targeted solutions

While waiting for big patches, these steps should smooth out your Paldea journey. With some patience and tech savvy, you‘ll be on your way to completing the Pokedex in no time. Good luck and happy training!