Most consoles that get damaged on the way to a repair shop weren’t broken by the carrier. They were broken by the box. A PS5 rattling around in its original retail carton, an Xbox wrapped in a single T-shirt, a Switch dropped loose into a padded envelope with the dock still attached: those are the shipments that show up with a new problem on top of the old one. Packing a console well takes about fifteen minutes and costs almost nothing, and it’s the single biggest thing you control in a mail-in repair. This guide walks through exactly how to do it, system by system.
If you want the overview of how the whole mail-in process works, from opening a ticket to getting your system back, read how mail-in game console repair works, step by step. This post is only about the part in the middle: getting the console into a box so it arrives in the same shape it left.
Before you pack: three things to do first
1. Open a repair ticket and get the shipping details
Start on our mail-in console repair page and tell us the system and what’s wrong. That page has the current shipping address and instructions, so use the address from there rather than one you saved from somewhere else.
2. Back up and sign out where you can
Board-level repairs sometimes involve parts that store data. If the console still turns on, sync your saves to the cloud, write down anything you don’t want to lose, and make sure you know your account passwords. If it doesn’t turn on, that’s fine. Just know that we can’t promise data survives every repair.
3. Take everything out of it
Eject the disc. Pull the game card and the microSD card out of a Switch. Remove memory cards from older systems. A loose disc spinning against the laser assembly, or a cartridge slot taking a hit with a game sticking out of it, can turn a simple repair into a bigger one. The only exception is when the game or card is the problem, for example a Switch that won’t read one particular game card. In that case, bag it separately and mention it in your note.
What to send and what to keep
Send the console itself. Keep everything else at home unless it’s part of the problem. That includes:
- Power cables and power bricks. Send them only if you think they might be involved, for example an Xbox One external power brick, or a console that only fails on one outlet or one cable.
- HDMI cables. Usually not needed. We test with our own.
- Controllers. Only if a controller is part of the repair. If you’re sending one for controller repair, pack it in its own small bag so its sticks aren’t pressed against anything.
- The Switch dock. Send it if the problem only happens in the dock. Docks can damage the console, and sometimes the dock itself is the culprit, so we want to see both.
- Stands, skins, vertical bases and charging stations. Leave them at home.
Fewer pieces in the box means fewer things to bang into the console and fewer things to keep track of.
Write a note that goes inside the box
Print or handwrite a short note and put it on top of the console, inside the box. Include:
- Your name, phone number and return address
- Your repair ticket information, if you have it
- The system and model (for example, PS5 disc version, PS5 Slim digital, Xbox Series S, Switch OLED)
- What’s wrong, in your own words, and when it started
- Anything you’ve already tried, and whether anyone else has opened it
- Every item you put in the box
The “has anyone opened it” line matters more than people think. A console that’s been worked on before often has missing screws, lifted pads or a replaced part, and knowing that up front saves time on diagnosis.
Pick the right box
Use a sturdy corrugated shipping box that’s big enough to leave about two inches of space on every side of the console once it’s wrapped. A few rules that hold for every system:
- Don’t ship in the retail box alone. The original box with its foam insert is great protection, but it was designed to travel inside a bigger shipping carton. If you have it, put the retail box inside a larger box with padding around it.
- Don’t reuse a soft or crushed box. If the corners are rounded or the sides flex when you press them, it won’t protect anything.
- Don’t use padded envelopes or poly mailers for consoles. They’re fine for a single controller board, not for a Switch, and never for a PS5 or Xbox.
How to wrap the console
- Put the console in a plastic bag first. A clean grocery bag or a large zip bag keeps packing dust and peanut fragments out of the vents and ports.
- Wrap it in bubble wrap, two or three layers. Cover every side, including the ports. Tape the wrap to itself, not to the console.
- Put padding on the bottom of the box. Crumpled packing paper, bubble wrap or foam, about two inches deep.
- Center the console on that layer, then fill every side and the top with more padding.
- Do the shake test. Close the flaps and shake the box. If you feel or hear anything shift, open it and add more padding. Nothing should move.
- Tape every seam with proper packing tape, using the H pattern across the top and bottom.
Packing peanuts on their own are a weak choice. A heavy console settles through them to the bottom or side of the box during transit and ends up touching cardboard. If you use them, use them only to fill gaps around a console that’s already wrapped.
System-specific tips
PS5 and PS5 Slim
Remove the stand and any detachable disc drive accessories you’ve added. Lay the console flat, wrapped well, and make sure the side panels can’t be pressed in, because they unclip with pressure. A PS5 is heavy for its size, so give it extra padding underneath. If you’re sending it for an HDMI or no-signal problem, there’s nothing else to include. Details on that repair are on our PlayStation repair page.
Xbox Series X and Series S
The Series X is a tall, dense box. Ship it lying on its side, wrapped, with extra padding at both ends. The top vent on the Series X is open, so the plastic bag step matters here to keep debris out. If you have an older Xbox One with an external power brick and the problem is power related, include the brick. See Xbox repair for the problems we handle.
Nintendo Switch, OLED and Lite
Take the Switch out of the dock. Slide the Joy-Con off unless they’re part of the repair; if they are, bag them together and label them. Protect the screen: a piece of cardboard cut to size and taped over the bubble wrap on the screen side gives it a stiff shield. If the problem only shows up when docked, pack the dock separately in its own wrap so it can’t press on the screen. More on common Switch faults on our Switch repair page.
Retro consoles and cartridges
Older plastic gets brittle. Wrap retro systems generously and avoid tape on any surface you care about, since it can pull off labels and finish. If you’re shipping cartridges for save battery work, put each one in a small bag and pack them so the contacts aren’t touching each other. Our cartridge save battery guide explains which games need it.
Controllers
A controller packed loose against a console can bend a thumbstick and add a second problem. Bag controllers separately and pad around them. If the whole shipment is just a controller, a small box with padding is still better than an envelope.
Labeling and shipping
- Remove or cover any old shipping labels and barcodes on a reused box so it doesn’t get routed to the wrong place.
- Use the current address from the mail-in repair page.
- Ship with tracking and keep the tracking number. Insurance is worth considering for a high-value console; ask your carrier what they offer.
- Take a couple of photos of the console and the packed box before you seal it. If anything does go wrong in transit, those photos help with a carrier claim.
What happens when it arrives
When your console arrives, we diagnose it for free and contact you with what we found before doing any work. If it can’t be repaired, there’s a $40 fee. Mail-in repairs take 3 to 5 days after the console arrives, plus shipping time each way, and every repair comes with a 30-day warranty. If the console turns out not to be worth fixing, Gamers buys broken consoles, so ask about that when we call.
Close to Lincoln or Omaha? You may not need to ship at all
If you’re in or near Lincoln, you can skip the packing entirely and bring it to our counter. See console repair in Lincoln, NE, or read what to expect at our Lincoln counter. In the Omaha area, same-day repair is available; details are on our Omaha repair page. Driving in from farther away? Our regional repair page compares the options.
Quick checklist
- Ticket opened on the mail-in page
- Saves backed up if possible
- Discs, game cards and memory cards removed
- Only the parts that are part of the problem included
- Note with your contact info and the problem inside the box
- Console bagged, then wrapped in two or three layers of bubble wrap
- Sturdy box with about two inches of padding on every side
- Shake test passed
- Tracking number saved
Questions before you ship? Check our repair FAQ or call 402-703-4403.
