The Nintendo Switch has become a hugely popular console for on-the-go and at-home gaming. To access digital games, online play, and other services, you need a Nintendo Account. But sometimes you may need to log out of your account on your Switch.
In this detailed guide, we’ll cover the steps to log out of your Nintendo Account on Switch through system settings or the eShop. We’ll also explain how to de-register accounts entirely from a console.
Follow along to learn how to manage logins for your Switch gaming.
Overview of Nintendo Accounts and Switch
First, let’s briefly cover how Nintendo Accounts work on the Switch console.
The Nintendo Account system allows you to access digital content, online play, cloud saving, and other services on your Switch. You connect your account by signing in with your email and password on the console.
Your account can only stay actively logged into one Switch device at a time. So if you want to use your account on a different Switch, you need to log out of the previous one.
Multiple user profiles can exist on a single Switch, each with their own linked Nintendo Account if desired.
With this background in mind, let’s look at some reasons you may want to log out of an account on Switch.
Reasons to Log Out of Your Nintendo Account
There are a few main scenarios where logging out of your Nintendo Account on a Switch makes sense:
- Selling or giving away your Switch console – you’ll want to log out and de-register your account.
- Linking your account to a new or different Switch – it can only stay actively logged into one console at a time.
- Letting someone else use your Switch temporarily – log out to keep your account secure.
- Troubleshooting account connectivity or sign-in issues – logging out and back in may help.
- Switching which user profile your account is linked to – each profile can have its own login.
- Adding a new user profile for a family member’s Nintendo Account – log yours out first.
These are common use cases where logging out helps manage device access or solve problems. Now let’s go over the step-by-step process.
Step-by-Step Guide to Log Out Through System Settings
The most direct way to sign out of your Nintendo Account on a Switch is using the System Settings menu:
- From your Switch’s home screen, open System Settings.
- Navigate to the Users menu and select your user profile.
- Scroll down and select the “Unlink Nintendo Account” option.
- You may be prompted to enter your account password to confirm it’s you.
- After entering the password, your Nintendo Account will be logged out of that user profile.
- The user icon will change to a generic guest icon when the account is unlinked.
This completely dissociates your Nintendo Account from that specific user profile and Switch. Use the same steps to log out of a family member’s account.
Logging Out Using the eShop Method
Another way to log out of your Switch is through the eShop store:
- Launch the Nintendo eShop from your Switch’s main menu.
- Navigate up to your user icon in the top-right corner.
- Select your icon and scroll down to choose the “Sign out” option.
- Confirm you want to sign out on the prompt.
- This will log you out and return you to the main eShop menu.
- Your user icon will change to a generic guest icon when signed out via this method too.
The eShop approach is a quick way to temporarily log out your account if needed. But it doesn’t fully unlink the account like the System Settings method does.
How to Fully De-register an Account from Switch
If you want to permanently remove a Nintendo Account from a Switch you can fully de-register it:
- Go to the Nintendo Account website and log into your account.
- Under Linked Devices, find your Switch and select De-register.
- Confirm you want to de-register the device when prompted.
- That Switch console will no longer be linked or registered to your Nintendo Account.
De-registering is useful when getting rid of a Switch or transferring ownership. It ensures the console is completely removed and unable to access your account.
What Happens When You Log Out of an Account?
When you log out of your Nintendo Account on a Switch, here are some key things to note:
- Any downloaded games and DLC will remain installed, but you’ll need to log back in to play them.
- Your cloud saves will stop syncing until you re-link your account.
- Friends list and social features become unavailable until you sign in again.
- Your Nintendo Account wallet balance remains untouched during log out.
- Play activity tracking pauses and resumes when you eventually log back in on a device.
So in summary, logging out puts your account functionality on hold. But your purchases, funds, and game data all remain ready for when you sign back in again.
Logging Back Into Your Nintendo Account After Logging Out
Once you’ve logged out of your Switch, getting logged back into your Nintendo Account is simple:
- On the login screen select “Link Nintendo Account” and enter your details.
- Or scan the QR code provided when you log into your account via the website.
- Enter your email and password manually if you don’t have the QR code.
- Your cloud saves, friends, and games will sync back up after logging back in.
You can repeat the login/logout process as often as needed. Just remember your account credentials each time.
Nintendo Account Security Tips
To help keep your Nintendo Account and Switch secure, keep these tips in mind:
- Enable two-factor authentication for stronger login protection.
- Use a strong and unique password just for your Nintendo Account.
- Never share your login details or leave them saved on shared devices.
- De-register old Switch consoles you no longer use.
- Check your account history for unauthorized purchases or password change attempts.
- Make sure the email on your account is current and accessible by you.
- Contact Nintendo immediately if you notice suspicious account activity.
Troubleshooting Login Problems
If you’re having issues getting logged into your Nintendo Account on Switch, try these troubleshooting steps:
- Double check you’re entering the correct email and password.
- Confirm your internet connection is stable.
- Manually type out your details rather than autofilling.
- Reset your password via the Nintendo Account website if needed.
- Power cycle your Switch and router if connection problems persist.
- Clear out old stored login information and re-enter current details.
- Contact Nintendo Support if problems continue after trying these steps.
FAQ About Logging In and Out of Nintendo Accounts
Does logging out delete any game data?
No, logging out does not delete your downloaded games or game data. But you’ll need to log back in to access them.
Can I use my Nintendo Account on multiple Switches?
You can only stay actively logged into your Nintendo Account on one Switch at a time. Log out to use it on another device.
What happens to my wallet funds when I log out?
Your Nintendo Account balance remains untouched when you log out. The funds will still be there when you sign back in.
Does Factory Resetting a Switch also log out accounts?
Yes, doing a factory reset on a Switch will log out and de-register any currently linked Nintendo Accounts.
Can child accounts log out themselves?
No, only the parent account that manages a child account can log the child out or unlink the account.
Conclusion
Hopefully this guide has helped explain the various ways to log out of your Nintendo Account on a Switch console. The key methods are using System Settings, the eShop, or the Nintendo Account website.
Logging out helps manage security, device access, account switching, and troubleshooting. Just remember it pauses your digital content and online functionality until you log back in.
Let us know if you have any other tips or questions about managing logins for your Nintendo Account and Switch!
Help other Switch gamers by sharing this guide on how to log out of Nintendo Accounts! And leave a comment below if you have any additional logging out advice.
