How to Sign In to a Nintendo Account

Applies to:  Nintendo Switch Family, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, Nintendo Switch - OLED Model, Nintendo Account


Steps to log in to your existing Nintendo Account with an email address, sign-in ID, passkey, Google account, or Apple ID.

Complete these steps

In most cases, you can sign in to your Nintendo Account by entering your email address and password, or your sign-in ID and password, when prompted.

There are other ways to sign in depending on the device you're signing in to and what options you have enabled. For details, select the sign-in option you want to use below.

  • Email address (or sign-in ID) and password
    1. Visit the Nintendo Account website or open the application where you want to sign in.
    2. Enter the email address (or sign-in ID) and password associated with your account.
      • Read Forgot Nintendo Account Sign-In Info if you don't remember your sign-in information.
      • You must use your Sign-in ID to sign in to your account if your preferences are set to Sign-in ID only.
      • Supervised Nintendo Accounts must use their own Sign-in ID and password (not their parent's/guardian's Sign-in ID and password).
    3. Click Sign in.
    4. Follow the prompts if additional verification is necessary.
      • If you have registered a passkey with your Nintendo Account: You will be prompted to sign in using your passkey instead.
      • If you have set up 2-step verification: Launch the Google Authenticator app on your smart device, enter the code it displays, and click Authenticate.
      • If you're prompted to confirm your identity: Locate the verification code sent to the email address associated with your Nintendo Account. Enter it in the "Verification code" box and click Verify.
        • Verification code never arrived
          1. It may take up to 30 minutes for the verification email to arrive — if it has not yet been 30 minutes, please wait for a while longer to see if the email arrives.
          2. Check your spam/junk email folder to see if the email is there.
          3. Make sure there are no filters in your email account that may be blocking emails from @accounts.nintendo.com.
          4. Add our email address no-reply@accounts.nintendo.com to your contacts address book and safe sender list.
          5. Make sure that you are entering your email address correctly in the account creation screen, then click Resend verification code to have a new verification code email sent.

          For more information, please read Nintendo Account Verification Email Did Not Arrive.

  • Passkey

    Note: If you haven't already registered a passkey, you must register one before you can use it to sign in to your Nintendo Account.

    1. Visit the Nintendo Account website or open the application where you want to sign in.
    2. Select Sign in under "Passkey Sign-in."
    3. Perform the relevant steps on your device to use your passkey.
      • Unable to sign in

        Passkeys can only be used to sign in on the device the passkey was registered on, or when signing in on Nintendo Switch using a smart device.

        If you are not using the device associated with your passkey, you may receive one of the following messages:

        • "You can't use a passkey to sign in from this device."
        • "Couldn't complete passkey sign-in. Please use password sign-in instead."

        Use one of the other methods to sign in if the device associated with your passkey is unavailable. For more information, see Unable to sign in to Nintendo Account using a Passkey.

  • Google or Apple ID

    Note: If you haven't already done so, you must link your Google account or Apple ID to your Nintendo Account before you can use it to sign in.

    1. Visit the Nintendo Account website or open the application where you want to sign in.
    2. Click the button for the appropriate service (Google or Apple) and enter your login information, if necessary.
      • You must use your Nintendo Account e-mail address and password if you are signing in through a Nintendo mobile application on an iOS device (such as an iPhone or iPad).
      • Contact Google or Apple support if you have forgotten your sign-in information. In the meantime, use one of the other methods to sign in to your Nintendo Account.
    3. Follow the prompts if additional verification is necessary.
      • If you have set up 2-step verification: Launch the Google Authenticator app on your smart device, enter the code it displays, and click Authenticate.
      • If you're prompted to confirm your identity: Locate the verification code sent to the email address associated with your Nintendo Account. Enter it in the "Verification code" box and click Verify.
        • Verification code never arrived
          1. It may take up to 30 minutes for the verification email to arrive — if it has not yet been 30 minutes, please wait for a while longer to see if the email arrives.
          2. Check your spam/junk email folder to see if the email is there.
          3. Make sure there are no filters in your email account that may be blocking emails from @accounts.nintendo.com.
          4. Add our email address no-reply@accounts.nintendo.com to your contacts address book and safe sender list.
          5. Make sure that you are entering your email address correctly in the account creation screen, then click Resend verification code to have a new verification code email sent.

          For more information, please read Nintendo Account Verification Email Did Not Arrive.

  • Smart device (linking a new user to Nintendo Switch)
    1. Select Sign in with smart device when prompted.
    2. Use a smart device with a camera to scan the QR Code that appears on the screen.
    3. Use your preferred sign-in method to sign in to the Nintendo Account you want to link on your Nintendo Switch using your smart device's Internet browser.
      • If you are already signed in to a Nintendo Account on your smart device, you can select the current Nintendo Account you are signed in with or use a different account.
      • Once a Nintendo Account is linked to a user account, this link cannot be undone. If you are signed into the wrong Nintendo Account, sign out and start this process again from step 1.
    4. Enter the five-digit confirmation code you receive on your Nintendo Switch. The confirmation code is only valid for a short time and cannot be repeatedly entered incorrectly.
      • If the confirmation code is not accepted, start this process again from step 1.
    5. Review the Nintendo Account details to confirm it is the correct account, then select Link to finish signing in.
  • Smart device (any other situation on Nintendo Switch)
    1. Select Re-enter password via smart device when prompted.
    2. Use a smart device with a camera to scan the QR Code that appears on the screen.
    3. Use your preferred sign-in method to sign in to the Nintendo Account you want to link on your Nintendo Switch using your smart device's Internet browser. Once successfully signed in, your Nintendo Switch will automatically complete the sign in process, as well.
      • If you are already signed in to a Nintendo Account on your smart device, you can select the current Nintendo Account you are signed in with or use a different account.

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