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Error Message: You Must Have The Software in Order to Play

Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, Nintendo Switch - OLED Model

Follow these steps when you try to play a game or downloadable content on Nintendo Switch 2 or Nintendo Switch but you receive the error message: "You must have the software in order to play."

Information

This message usually indicates that you are trying to start a downloadable game, or DLC for a game, that is not present on your console. It does not indicate that there is a problem with your console.

What to do

  • Error occurs when starting a physical game card
    1. Restart the console.
    2. Remove the game card.
      • How to remove a game card from a Nintendo Switch 2 console
        Important: Remove a game card only while on the HOME Menu, or when the console is powered off. If you have suspended a software title, make sure you have closed it before removing its game card.
        1. Open the game card slot cover located on the top right side of your Nintendo Switch 2 console.
        2. Gently push down on the inserted game card until the card clicks. A Game Card being ejected by being pushed into the Nintendo Switch 2 console until it clicks
        3. Release the game card and it will partially eject.
        4. Slide the game card out of the game card slot and close the cover.

        For more information, please see How to Insert/Remove Game Cards on Nintendo Switch 2

      • How to remove a game card from Nintendo Switch

        Important: Remove a game card only while on the HOME Menu, or when the system is powered off. If you have suspended a software title, make sure you have closed it before removing its game card.

        1. Open the game card slot cover located on the top right side of your Nintendo Switch consoleA Game Card being ejected by being pushed into the Nintendo Switch console until it clicks.
        2. Gently push down on the inserted game card until the card clicks.
        3. Release the game card and it will partially eject.
        4. Slide the game card out of the game card slot and close the cover.

        For more information, see How to Insert/Remove Game Cards.

    3. Delete the software data — this will not delete any save data.
    4. Reinsert the game card.
      • How to insert a game card into a Nintendo Switch 2 console
        1. Open the game card slot cover located on the top right side of your Nintendo Switch 2 console.
        2. Hold the game card so that the label of the game card faces in the same direction as the Nintendo Switch 2 screen.A Game Card being inserted into a Nintendo Switch 2 console with its label facing the same direction as the screen
        3. Slide the game card into the game card slot until it clicks into place. If the game card seems difficult to insert, remove it and verify that it is facing in the correct direction.
        4. Once inserted, the software icon of the inserted game card will be displayed on the HOME Menu. The software icon for Mario Kart World being highlighted on the Nintendo Switch 2 HOME Menu screen

        For more information, including about the different types of game cards that are supported with Nintendo Switch 2, please see How to Insert/Remove Game Cards on Nintendo Switch 2

      • How to insert a game card into a Nintendo Switch console
        1. Open the game card slot cover located on the top right side of your console.
        2. Hold the game card so that the label of the game card faces in the same direction as the Nintendo SwitchA Game Card being inserted into a Nintendo Switch console with its label facing the same direction as the screen screen.
          Important
          • Game cards for Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive software are not compatible with Nintendo Switch. Game Cards for Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch games, side by side.
          • Game cards for the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Nintendo Switch software can be inserted and played on Nintendo Switch. Only the Nintendo Switch version of the software will be played with none of the enhancements in the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.
        3. Slide the game card into the game card slot until it clicks into place. If the game card seems difficult to insert, remove it and verify that it is facing in the correct direction.
        4. Once inserted, the software icon of the inserted game card will be displayed on the HOME Menu .

        For more information, see How to Insert/Remove Game Cards.

    5. Download any available software updates for the game.
    6. If you purchased any DLC for the game, redownload it.
      • How to redownload DLC

        To redownload DLC, load the virtual game card for the DLC:

        1. Select Virtual Game CardsThe Virtual Game Cards icon shown on the Nintendo Switch HOME Menu. Tarjetas de juego virtualesEl icono de tarjetas de juego virtuales se muestra en el menú HOME de Nintendo Switch. Cartes de jeu virtuellesL’icône des Cartes de jeu virtuelles affichée sur le menu HOME de la Nintendo Switch. Cartões de jogo virtuaisO ícone dos Cartões de jogo virtuais exibido no Menu HOME do Nintendo Switch. from the HOME Menu.
        2. Select your user.
        3. If prompted, enter your user verification PIN or enter your Nintendo Account password.
        4. Select the DLC you want to redownload from the list of your virtual game cards.
        5. Select Load on This System Cargar en esta consola Charger sur cette console Carregar neste console .
        6. The DLC will begin downloading. You can check the download status on the HOME Menu.

        For more details, including how to redownload DLC that is not located with your virtual game cards, read How to Redownload Nintendo Switch 2 or Nintendo Switch Digital Content.

      • DLC is not available for redownload

        If you previously played DLC for the game but you cannot find it to redownload it, a different user purchased the DLC.

        The user that purchased the DLC will need to redownload it to your console. If they no longer use your console, you will need to purchase the DLC from the Nintendo eShop in order to play the DLC with your game.

    7. Open the game again — it should now start.
    8. If the error message appears again, check what region the game is intended for.
      • How to check physical software region compatibility
        1. Select the icon for the game from the HOME Menu.
        2. Press the + Button or - Button on your controller to access the software menu.
        3. Select Software Information.
        4. Select Support Information.
        5. The supported regions for the software will display. Contact information for supported regions displayed in the Support Information menu
    9. Check what country/region the DLC is intended for.
      1. Visit accounts.nintendo.com and sign in with the Nintendo Account that you used to make the purchase.
      2. In your profile information, verify that the country/region of residence for your account matches the compatible regions for your version of the game.
    10. Compare the supported regions for the game and DLC to see if they are both intended for the Americas.
    11. Check the publishers of the game card and the DLC.
      • How to check the game publisher

        For a game card:

        Check the game card's label. The publisher's logo appears near the center of the card, under the game's title.

        For DLC:

        1. Select the icon for the game from the HOME Menu.
        2. Press the + Button or - Button on your controller to access the software menu.

        The publisher displays below the game's title at the top of the screen.

    12. Compare the publishers of the game card and DLC to see if they are different.
    13. Check the HOME Menu to see if the game icon is shown more than once.
  • Error occurs when starting a virtual game card (downloaded game)
    1. Restart the console.
    2. Check for any available software updates for the game.
    3. Make sure the game (and any DLC you are trying to access) has been loaded as a virtual game card.
      • How to load a virtual game card
        1. Select Virtual Game CardsThe Virtual Game Cards icon shown on the Nintendo Switch HOME Menu. Tarjetas de juego virtualesEl icono de tarjetas de juego virtuales se muestra en el menú HOME de Nintendo Switch. Cartes de jeu virtuellesL’icône des Cartes de jeu virtuelles affichée sur le menu HOME de la Nintendo Switch. Cartões de jogo virtuaisO ícone dos Cartões de jogo virtuais exibido no Menu HOME do Nintendo Switch. from the HOME Menu.
        2. Select your user.
        3. If prompted, enter your user verification PIN or enter your Nintendo Account password.
        4. Select the game you want to load from the list of your virtual game cards.
        5. Select Load on This System Cargar en esta consola Charger sur cette console Carregar neste console .
        6. If not already downloaded, the icon for the game will appear on the HOME Menu and it will begin downloading. Once downloaded, all users on the console where the game is loaded can play the game.

        For more information, read the Virtual Game Card Guide.

      • The game cannot be loaded as a virtual game card on this console

        If you have enabled the Online License setting and are trying to play a game that is not loaded as one of your virtual game cards, make sure the full game (and any DLC) has been downloaded to the console.

    4. Open the game again — it should now start.
    5. If the error message appears again, check that you have purchased both the game and the DLC you are trying to access.
    1. Do you have both the full game and the DLC?
      1. If you have both the game and DLC but the error still appears, check what region the game is intended for.
        • How to check downloadable software region compatibility
          1. Select the icon for the game from the HOME Menu.
          2. Press the + Button or - Button on your controller to access the software menu.
          3. Select Software Information.
          4. Select Support Information.
          5. The supported regions for the software will display. Contact information for supported regions displayed in the Support Information menu
      2. Check what country/region the DLC is intended for.
        • How to check DLC region compatibility
          1. Visit accounts.nintendo.com and sign in with the Nintendo Account that you used to make the purchase.
          2. In your profile information, verify that the country/region of residence for your account matches the compatible regions for your version of the game.
      3. Compare the supported regions for the game and DLC to see if they match.

      If you have not purchased both the full game and the DLC, you will not be able to access the DLC. You will need to purchase the full game from the Nintendo eShop in order to play the DLC.

      • If someone else that uses your console purchased the game or DLC, it must be loaded as a virtual game card so that you can play the game or DLC. If they have not loaded their virtual game card on your console, they are the only one who can play the game or DLC on your console.

      For additional assistance, please contact us.

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