Nintendo Support

How to Set Up, Adjust, or Remove Parental Controls on Nintendo Switch

Description

Instructions on setting Parental Controls on a Nintendo Switch 2 or Nintendo Switch console or in the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls smart device application.

Note

Parental Controls are set for the console, not each individual user. The same restrictions will apply to everyone who uses the console, so they should be set with the youngest player in mind.

Follow These Steps:

Are you setting up, adjusting or removing Parental Controls?

Parental Controls can be set up directly on the console or through our smart device application. Additional restrictions can be managed through your Nintendo Account family group.

The smart device app provides access to the most restriction options and features.
- Set limits on play time, view gameplay history and allow individually selected games to ignore restrictions.
- Set age rating restrictions, limit communication between players and set social network restrictions.
- Share Parental Controls settings with a second parent or guardian on another smart device.
System settings can be used without a smart device.
- Set age rating restrictions, limit communication between players and set social network restrictions.
Nintendo Account settings can be used for separate restrictions.
- Restrictions on viewing and purchasing content on Nintendo eShop, friend suggestions and third-party information sharing settings are managed through the Nintendo Account settings.

How would you like to set up Parental Controls?

Open System Settings on the HOME Menu.
Scroll down to highlight Parental Controls, then select Parental Controls Settings.
If you do not want to use the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app for smart devices, press the X Button and then select Next to continue. For steps to set up the smart device app, select Through the Smart Device Application from the list of options above.
Select Restriction Level.
Choose from preset restrictions by age or select Custom to manually adjust individual settings.
Once the restrictions are set, select Next.
Choose a PIN (between 4 and 8 digits long), then select OK. You can use either control stick input or a number pad to enter the PIN.
- If you use control stick input (default), each direction of the control stick is a number (1-8), the Y Button is 9 and the X Button is 0.
- If you would prefer to enter the PIN using a number pad, hold the + Button to switch to keypad input. Once you're finished, select OK or press the + Button again.
- If there are children in the room that you don’t want to see the PIN, you can either remove the Nintendo Switch console from the dock (if using TV mode) and enter the PIN in handheld mode or use control stick input.
Re-enter the PIN to confirm, then select OK.
- If you're having issues confirming the PIN, try using keypad input to enter the PIN and/or select Show when entering it to display it on the screen. (Note that this will be visible to anyone in the room if you enter it while in TV mode.)

If you haven't already done so, link your Nintendo Switch console to the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls application.
Once the linking process is complete, open the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls application on your smart device.
Select Parental Controls in the lower-right corner.
Select each setting you want to adjust:
Once you are done with a setting, tap the red Save button on the screen to confirm.
Restrictions you set will be activated as soon as the Nintendo Switch console connects to the internet

Parent/guardian Nintendo Accounts can set certain restrictions for a supervised account in their family group:

Manage Nintendo eShop restrictions, which includes the ability to restrict spending or limit visibility of Nintendo eShop content based on age.
Enable or disable the friend suggestions feature.
Manage Nintendo Account information that can be shared with third parties.
Delete the child's Nintendo Account.

Your existing settings can be adjusted in the same place they were originally set up.

The following settings differ between Nintendo Switch, the smart device app and the Nintendo Account settings:

Controls such as age rating restrictions, limiting communication between players and social network restrictions are available directly on the console and through the smart device app.
The smart device app can also be used to set limits on play time, view gameplay history and allow individually selected games to ignore restrictions.
Restrictions on viewing and purchasing content in Nintendo eShop, friend suggestions and third-party information settings are managed through Nintendo Account settings.

How are Parental Controls currently set up?

How were Parental Controls originally set up?

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Nintendo Support

How to Set Up, Adjust, or Remove Parental Controls on Nintendo Switch

Description

Note

Follow These Steps:

Setting up Parental Controls

Directly on Nintendo Switch

Through the Smart Device Application

Nintendo Account Settings

Adjusting Parental Controls

Removing Parental Controls

About Nintendo

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Parents

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Seriously scary horror games for Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch

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Log in / Sign up

With a free account, you can

Setting up Parental Controls

Directly on Nintendo Switch

Restriction Level Settings

Custom

Through the Smart Device Application

Play Time Limit

Restricted Features

Safelist

PIN

Shared Parental Controls

Nintendo Account Settings

Adjusting Parental Controls

Directly on Nintendo Switch

Restriction Level Settings

Custom

Through the Smart Device Application

Nintendo Account Settings

Removing Parental Controls

Directly on Nintendo Switch

Through the Smart Device Application

Nintendo Account Settings

About Nintendo

Support

Parents

Community

Latest News & Articles

Upcoming Games – November 2026

Seriously scary horror games for Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch

New Indie World Showcase features cosy and chaotic fun for Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch Online Magazine: October Edition

Restriction Level Settings

Custom

Play Time Limit

Restricted Features

Safelist

PIN

Shared Parental Controls

Directly on Nintendo Switch

Restriction Level Settings

Custom

Through the Smart Device Application

Play Time Limit

Restricted Features

Safelist

PIN