Topic: Does a way to turn off the GamePad exist?

I am wondering why some interesting threads are closed immediately (by Yosheel or Octane) and why others that don't discuss anything aren't. I am not discussing that, just wondering to myself because it can't be discussed, apparently. Well, this comes to my mind because yesterday I was looking for information about the GamePad everywhere and I found an interesting thread on Nintendo Life but that was closed so I couldn't comment or ask anything, because the only answer was not accurate and the thread was closed. It has happened a few times that I wanted to ask or answer but the thread was already closed but I think that the threads were interesting for other Nintendo Life users with the same doubts.

Anyway, my thread is about the Wii U GamePad. The GamePad is the only console controller that it's always in stand-by mode and that is why it turns on when you manually turn on your Wii U console, because it's always waiting for that wireless signal to turn it on. So it's always wasting battery life unless the battery is dead, obviously. Even if it's outside of the Wii U wireless range or it is not synchronised it is still in stand-by mode. Not only it wastes battery but it's always sending a WiFi signal which some people feel uncomfortable with.

You can leave the GamePad always plugged in and it would be charging constantly and battery life would always be full, but that is not my question and I know that already. My question is if there is any way to turn if off completely without removing the battery which is obviously inconvenient. I don't mean turning the screen off on the menu while you are playing, the screen is the thing that uses the least amount of battery because I have tried that, it is still using energy for wireless and the touch screen even when you turn off the screen.

So, does anyone know a way to turn the GamePad (not just the screen) off?

I know it's obvious and you've probably thought of it but just not included it in your post, but if you let the battery run down then it's off. That'll be the only way without removing the battery.

This method works I've heard:

Don't be silly, that's not a gamepad.

So the Wii U gamepad is constantly draining itself even if the Wii U console is turned off or unplugged?

@Elvie It would be, yes, ever so slightly, because it is always listening out for mother's call to wake up.

It's probably not a significant amount of energy being consumed.

Electronics nowadays can be very efficient with their standby modes.

@BlueOcean I don't have a high level of technological expertise (that is why I still have a dead Wii Remote, https://www.nintendolife.com/forums/wii/wii_remote_issues ) but if it's always in a stand-by mode then my guess is that you would somehow have to disable the infrared sensor component of the gamepad that allows communication between itself and the console. This would probably mean taking it apart (or being destructive) but that would be rather inconvenient unless you modify the gamepad to have an external piece of foreign hardware to easily switch it off.

I wouldn't know how to enact a modification like that and it would most likely be risky and time-consuming so I have a suggestion in mind, although, this does contradict one of the conditions you have set.

You could buy another Wii U gamepad battery cover and cut it in half to screw in the bottom portion and keep the battery in place while giving you access to the top part of the battery cavity so you could remove the plug attached to the battery from the gamepad's circuitry, which will allow you to simply plug it back without untightening the screws on the cover at all.

The game pad only really sends infrared signals, I don't think it has any way to receive them.

The communication with the system is likely managed through Bluetooth.

The only way I have found is to let the battery die. Occasionally, like when the system needs to update, it'll require you to use the gamepad; in which case I just plug it in, turn it on, use it, then immediately let it die again. Hope this helps.

Exactly.

It is a significant amount of energy that drains the battery completely.

Sadly, I think that you are right. When I said "dead battery" I meant that, a discharged battery.

No.

@Elvis, that is not how the GamePad works. The infrared sensor is used for using the GamePad as a TV remote. The GamePad uses WiFi technology for receiving the audio and video from the Wii U, as explained by Nintendo in one of the old Nintendo Directs, and it remains active all the time. That's why the GamePad can be turned on by the Wii U even when it's in another room and facing the opposite direction because, as @gcunit said, "it is always listening out for mother's call to wake up", even if mother is far away, unplugged or dead.

So the last thread about this probably got locked because it continued to live after the answer was given.
There’s no “Off” function for the Gamepad. It either has battery and is in standby/use, or the battery is discharged. I played some StarFox Zero yesterday with my pro controller and turned the display off on the gamepad. I still saw the red blinking ‘low battery’ light on the gamepad later on, with the display off and no input.

Gamepad cannot be turned off.

It's crazy but it's the only way to turn it off.

You CAN turn off the gamepad quite easily,you simply go the Wii u home menu,press the sync button twice and you should be on the gamepad pairing screen,now turn off your gamepad,it won't be paired and it'll turn off without powering down the main console,works for me!

I happen to know a trick that works quite well! Funny how no one mentioned this. It's good for when you wanna play with the pro controller but don't want the Gamepad to sit there powered on while unused and draining the battery. Anyway it goes like this. Power on your Wii U and before the main menu pops up quickly hold the Gamepads power button until it shuts off. Your Wii U will remain on while the gamepad is completely turned off. I use this method when playing BOTW with my pro controller.

@ajb356 @Zeldafan79 I will try that, I wonder if the Game Pad won't be in waiting for "mother's call to wake up" mode then.