Guide for Parents/Guardians: Getting Started with GameChat on Nintendo Switch 2

Complete these steps

• Set up a Nintendo Account family group
  1. Add your child’s Nintendo Account to your family group.
     • If your child does not have a Nintendo Account already, these steps also include creating one for them.
  2. Assign your own account the Parent/Guardian role.
     • How to set a Nintendo Account as a Parent/Guardian
       1. Log in to the admin Nintendo Account for the family group.
       2. Select Family group.
       3. Select the Nintendo Account that you want to set as a parent/guardian account.
          • Parent/Guardian status can only be set to non-supervised Nintendo Accounts for users aged 18+.
       4. Click Set as parent/guardian to complete the process. The parent/guardian can assign the supervised role to other Nintendo Accounts in the family group, as well as manage Nintendo eShop restrictions for any supervised accounts in the family group.

       For more information, please read How to Assign Nintendo Account Family Group Roles.

  3. Assign your child’s account the Supervised role.
     • How to set a Nintendo Account as Supervised

       Note: Nintendo Accounts added for children who are subject to verifiable parental consent laws are automatically set as a supervised account. You may find our information on adding a Nintendo Account to a family group helpful.

       1. Log in to an admin or parent/guardian Nintendo Account in the family group.
       2. Select Family group.
       3. Select the Nintendo Account that you want to set as a supervised account.
       4. Select Set as supervised account, then OK. A verification email will be sent to the email address that you entered.
       5. The owner of the other Nintendo Account will need to do the following to agree:
          1. Open the email and click the verification link.
          2. Sign in to their Nintendo Account.
          3. Click Accept to set their account as Supervised.
       6. Once the Nintendo Account owner has agreed, their account will appear as Supervised in the family group.

       For more information, please read How to Assign Nintendo Account Family Group Roles.

  4. Register a phone number to your Nintendo Account.
  5. If you have not already done so, link your child's Nintendo Account to your Nintendo Switch 2 system.
• Link your Nintendo Switch 2 console to the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls smart device app
  1. Download the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app on your iOS or Android device.
     • How to download the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app
       1. Visit p.nintendo.com using your smart device.
       2. The link should redirect you to the App Store (iOS) or the Google Play Store (Android).
       3. Select the appropriate option to download/install or update the application.

       For more information, please see How to Download or Update the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls Smart Device App.

  2. On your smart device, open the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app and select Start on the title screen.
  3. Review the overview information and select Next.
  4. Decide whether you'd like to send usage data for the app, then select either Send Data or Don't Send.
  5. Tap Sign In / Create Account. The application will launch http://accounts.nintendo.com in the device Internet browser.
  6. Sign in to your existing Nintendo Account or create a new one.
  7. Your Nintendo Account nickname will appear on the screen. Tap Select this account to confirm.
  8. You will be returned to the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls application. Select Next.
  9. A Link Code will appear on the screen of your smart device.
  10. On the Nintendo Switch 2 console, select System Settings from the HOME Menu.
  11. Scroll down to highlight Parental Controls.
  12. Select Set Up Parental Controls , then App Has Been Installed.
      • "Change Settings" appears instead of "Set Up Parental Controls"

        This means you have already set up Parental Controls on the system without using the app.

        1. Select Change Settings.
        2. Enter your PIN.
        3. Select Set up in the (free) Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app.
        4. Select App Has Been Installed, then select Next to verify that you have the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app.
  13. Enter the six-digit Link Code from your smart device. Select OK.
  14. Select Link to link the Nintendo Switch to your smart device, then select OK on both the console and your smart device.
• Set up parental controls for GameChat in the smart device app
  1. In the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app, select GameChat.
  2. Review the information about this feature and select Next.
  3. Select Set Up Parental Controls.
  4. Select the user that you want to set up controls for. This should be an account set as Supervised in your Nintendo Account family group.
     • No users available to select

       If you have not already done so, link your child's Nintendo Account to your Nintendo Switch 2 system.

     • Unable to select a specific user

       Please follow Unable to Select User to Set Up Parental Controls for GameChat.

  5. Verify the phone number registered to your Nintendo Account. You'll receive a text message with a verification code to enter.
     • Don’t have phone number registered

       You'll need to register a phone number to your Nintendo Account to continue setting up GameChat.

  6. Review the terms of service, then select I Agree.
• Set up GameChat with your child
  1. Press the C Button botón C bouton C botão C to open the C Menu.
  2. Select the user account you want to set up GameChat for.
     • Prompted to link Nintendo Account

       A Nintendo Account is required to use GameChat. If none are linked to the system, you will be prompted to link one.

  3. A server connection test will be performed to ensure that GameChat is usable in your network environment.
     • Test unsuccessful/received an error code

       Look up the specific error code you received to troubleshoot the issue with your network connection.

  4. Once the test is complete, select Start.
  5. Select Next.
  6. Review the information about GameChat on screen, then select Next.
  7. Select GameChat Terms to review the Terms of Service.
  8. After reviewing the terms, check the I consent to the GameChat Terms box, and then select Next.
  9. You’ll need to pick friends to use GameChat with. Select Select Friends and Request Approval.
  10. Select all the Nintendo Switch 2 friends that your child wants to use GameChat with, then select Next.
      • If you would like to only start with a few approved friends, you can approve more later.
      • Please note that even after you approve someone, that person (or their parent/guardian) also needs to approve your child on their end before they can use GameChat with each other.
      • If your child has not added any friends yet, you will be unable to proceed past this point.
  11. You will be prompted to send a request for approval. Select Send Request, then select OK.
  12. In the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app, select the notification for the approval request, then select New chat-approval requests.
  13. For each user you would like to approve, perform the following steps:
      1. Select the user.
      2. Ask your child about this friend.
      3. Select Next.
      4. Decide whether to approve the friend.
      5. If you approve them, make a note to keep track of who the user is and why they were approved.
      6. After entering a note, select Finish, then select OK.
  14. On the Nintendo Switch 2 console, select Next.
  15. Review some important reminders about using GameChat with your child. Select I Understand after reviewing each page.
  16. Setup is complete! To get the most out of parental controls for GameChat, please read our guide on managing your child's GameChat experience.
  17. Once your child is ready to try this feature, follow our steps for how to start or join a GameChat room.