How to Link a Nintendo Account to a Nintendo Switch Console
Instructions on linking a Nintendo Account to an existing user on a Nintendo Switch console.
Important
The ability to use a Nintendo Network ID, Facebook, or Twitter to sign in to an existing Nintendo Account or to create a new Nintendo Account has been discontinued. We apologize for any inconvenience.
If you are having difficulties signing in to your Nintendo Account and previously used one of these services, please refer to the following:
- Unable to Sign In to Nintendo Account Using Nintendo Network ID.
- Unable to Sign In to Nintendo Account Using Facebook or Twitter.
Additional Information:
- For help creating a new user on a Nintendo Switch console, click here.
- Once a Nintendo Account is linked to the user, the console's online features will be available.
- Nintendo Accounts for children (age 15 and under) must be created through a supervising account. Once the child account has been created, it can be linked to a Nintendo Switch console.
Complete These Steps:
- At any point after you have created a user, select System Settings on the HOME Menu.
- Scroll down to highlight User, then select the appropriate user to access your User Settings.
- Select Link to a Nintendo Account.
Do you have an existing Nintendo Account or do you need to create a new one?
Link an existing Nintendo AccountCreate and link a new Nintendo Account
- Sign in to your Nintendo Account.
- If you have forgotten your Nintendo Account sign-in information, click here.
- Select Link to link your Nintendo Account to the user on the console.
- Once the Nintendo Account is linked, it can't be unlinked or changed for that user.
- You will receive a confirmation message that your Nintendo Account is now linked to your user. Select OK to return to the system settings.
Important: If your Nintendo Account was previously linked to a different Nintendo Switch console, the first console may still be set as your primary console. There are differences with how downloadable content can be accessed between your primary console and a non-primary console. If you wish to change which Nintendo Switch console is the primary console for your Nintendo Account, follow our steps on How to Set the Primary Nintendo Switch Console for a Nintendo Account.
- Select Create a Nintendo Account to set up a new Nintendo Account.
- Optional - On the following screen, you can request an email with instructions to link to your Nintendo Account using a verification code. If you would like to have instructions sent to you, click here for help using this alternate method. (This is not required.)
- On your PC or smart device, visit http://accounts.nintendo.com and create a Nintendo Account.
- Once you have created the Nintendo Account, return to the Nintendo Switch console and select Sign in.
- Sign in to your Nintendo Account.
- If you have forgotten your Nintendo Account sign-in information, you can recover or reset your sign-in information.
- You will receive a confirmation message that your Nintendo Account is now linked to your user. Select OK to return to the system settings.