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Software Displays “Purchased” in the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch 2 or Nintendo Switch

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

Steps when a specific game or DLC item is marked as "Purchased", but you can't redownload it.

Note: When a game or DLC is listed as Purchased when browsing or searching in Nintendo eShop, or displays "Virtual Game Cards" or "Hidden Software" on the details page, it means the game has already been purchased by the Nintendo Account used to access the Nintendo eShop.

What to do

  1. Scroll through the HOME Menu to see if the game is already downloaded to your console.
    • You may need to select All Software to view your full list of downloaded games.
  2. If the content does not appear, redownload it by loading the virtual game card for the game or DLC.
    • 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.

    • Game or DLC does not appear in list of virtual game cards

      This may be because you have hidden the virtual game card, or disabled redownload of it from Nintendo eShop.

      • To check if you have hidden the 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 the user linked to your Nintendo Account.
        3. If prompted, enter your user verification PIN or enter your Nintendo Account password.
        4. Scroll down and select Can't Find Software? No encuentro ciertos programas Logiciels introuvables? Não consegue encontrar um software específico? . The 'Can't Find Software?' button called out in the virtual game card menu El botón ‘¿No encuentros ciertos programas?’ aparece en el menú de la tarjeta de juego virtual. Le bouton ‘Logiciels introuvables?’ affiché dans le menu de la carte virtuelle de jeu. O botão 'Não consegue encontrar um software específico?' apareceu no menu do cartão de jogo virtual.
        5. Select View Hidden Virtual Game Cards Ver tarjetas de juego virtuales ocultas Voir les cartes de jeu virtuelles masquées Ver cartões de jogo virtuais ocultos . The 'View Hidden Virtual Game Cards' button El botón ‘Ver tarjetas de juego virtuales ocultas’. Le bouton ‘Voir les cartes de jeu virtuelles masquées’. O botão 'Ver cartões de jogo virtuais ocultos'.
        6. If prompted, sign in to your Nintendo Account.
        7. Select the virtual game card you would like to unhide.
        8. Select Options Opciones Options Opções .
        9. Select Unhide Mostrar Ne plus masquer Exibir . The virtual game card will now appear again in the list of all of your virtual game cards.
      • To check if you have disabled redownload of the content (item displays as "Hidden Software" in Nintendo eShop):
        1. Return to the details page for the game or DLC in Nintendo eShop.
        2. Press the + button or - button 5 times—the page will update to say "Virtual Game Cards", and you will be able to redownload the content by loading the virtual game card.

Situation not resolved

If the game or content still does not appear, or is not listed with your virtual game cards, please follow Digital Content is Missing from Nintendo Switch 2 or Nintendo Switch (Games, DLC, Etc).

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