Nintendo Support

How to Start, Join or Leave a GameChat Session

Follow these steps to use GameChat with your friends on Nintendo Switch 2.

For users under the age of 16: We highly recommend that a parent or guardian sets up a few additional things prior to getting started with GameChat. Please follow our GameChat guide for parents/guardians.

Before you start

A Nintendo Switch Online membership and persistent internet connection are required to use GameChat.
You must register a phone number to your Nintendo Account to use GameChat.

Complete these steps

Press the C Button to open the GameChat menu.
Select the user you want to set up GameChat for.
- A Nintendo Account is required to use GameChat. If none are linked to the console, you will be prompted to link one.
- When Parental Controls are set on the console, the Parental Controls PIN must still be entered even when selecting a user who does not have Parental Controls related to GameChat applied to their Nintendo Account. This is to help prevent a child from selecting a different user to avoid Parental Controls restrictions.
- The person setting up Parental Controls on the console should share the Parental Controls PIN with any users that they don't need to set restrictions for.
- If you aren't sure what the current parental controls PIN is, please follow Forgot Parental Controls PIN on Nintendo Switch 2.
A server connection test will be performed to ensure that GameChat is usable in your network environment.
- If the test was unsuccessful or you received an error code, look up the specific error code you received to troubleshoot the issue with your network connection.
Once the test is complete, select Start.
- If you are under the age of 16, a parent or guardian must set up a few additional things before you can get started with GameChat. Please follow our GameChat guide for parents/guardians.
Review the information about GameChat on-screen, then select Next.
Review the Terms of Use.
After reviewing the terms, select Consent to GameChat Data Processing, check the "I consent to the data processing" box, then select Next.
Verify your registered phone number via text message. If you have not registered a phone number to your Nintendo Account yet, you will be prompted to do so.
Review the information about approving friends for GameChat, then select Next.
Approve any friends that you would like to use GameChat with, then select OK.
- Please note that they also need to approve you before you can chat together. You can adjust GameChat approval settings later.
Review some important reminders about using GameChat. Select Next after reading each page.
Setup is complete! Once you’re ready to try the feature, continue with our steps below to start or join a GameChat session.

Press the C Button to open the GameChat menu.
Select the user that will be using GameChat.
Select Create New Chat.
Select up to 11 friends to invite, for a total of 12 users participating in the room.
- If you start a room with fewer than 12 members, you can invite more friends by changing the GameChat Settings.
Select Start Chat.
- When Parental Controls are set on the console, the Parental Controls PIN must still be entered even when selecting a user who does not have Parental Controls related to GameChat applied to their Nintendo Account. This is to help prevent a child from selecting a different user to avoid Parental Controls restrictions.
- The person setting up Parental Controls on the console should share the Parental Controls PIN with any users that they don't need to set restrictions for.
- If you aren't sure what the current parental controls PIN is, please follow Forgot Parental Controls PIN on Nintendo Switch 2.

Press the C Button to open the GameChat menu.
Select the user that will be using GameChat.
A list of available chats will be shown, including chats you were in previously. Select the chat you want to join.
- If you aren't able to find a chat that you think you were invited to, there are a few possibilities:
  - The session may include friends who you have not approved chatting for.
  - The session may include a user you have blocked.
- When Parental Controls related to GameChat are set for your Nintendo Account, you will be restricted from joining some chat sessions depending on the other users who are invited:
  - If the session includes friends who have not been approved to chat with you, you can send an approval request to your parent or guardian. If that request is approved, you will be able to join the chat.
  - If the session includes a user who is not on your friend list, you will be unable to join the chat.
Select Join Chat.
- When Parental Controls are set on the console, the Parental Controls PIN must still be entered even when selecting a user who does not have Parental Controls related to GameChat applied to their Nintendo Account. This is to help prevent a child from selecting a different user to avoid Parental Controls restrictions.
- The person setting up Parental Controls on the console should share the Parental Controls PIN with any users that they don't need to set restrictions for.
- If you aren't sure what the current parental controls PIN is, please follow Forgot Parental Controls PIN on Nintendo Switch 2.

Press the C Button to open the GameChat menu.
Navigate to the red X icon and select it.

You can rejoin a chat at any time, even if no members are currently in the chat room.

Nintendo Support

How to Start, Join or Leave a GameChat Session

Before you start

Complete these steps

First time setup

Starting a GameChat session

Joining a GameChat session

Leaving a GameChat session

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