Nintendo Switch Parental Controls: A Beginner Guide to the App

Want to limit how long a child plays on Nintendo Switch, or block games that are too mature? The free Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app on your phone handles both. Here is how to set it up, what each setting does, and where the app stops.

What You Need Before You Start

A Nintendo Switch console that is linked to the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app on your phone or tablet. Nintendo keeps the linking steps in a separate help article.
An internet connection on the console. Nintendo says the limits you set turn on as soon as the console connects online.
A PIN. Nintendo says you need the Parental Controls PIN to change settings later.

How to Set Up Parental Controls in the App

Follow these steps, which match Nintendo’s own setup page:

Link your Switch to the app if you have not already.
Open the app on your phone or tablet.
Select Parental Controls in the lower-right corner.
Pick the setting you want to change: Play-Time Limit, Restricted Features, Allow List, PIN, or Shared Parental Controls.
Tap the red Save button to confirm each change.
Turn the console on and connect it to the internet so the new rules start.

Set a Daily Play-Time Limit

Nintendo says the daily limit scrolls from No Limit up to 6 hours. Turn on Vary by Day if weekends should be different from school days. You can also add extra time for one day or turn the limit off for that day.

Bedtime is a second tool. Nintendo says gameplay can stop at a set time between 4:00 PM and 11:45 PM, and the console can be used again between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM. If you turn on both a limit and Bedtime, Nintendo says the console uses whichever comes first.

Pay attention to Suspend Play When Time’s Up. Nintendo says that when it is on, the game is stopped at the limit. When it is off, a message appears but the game stays playable.

Choose a Restricted Features Preset

Presets are the fastest way to block games by age. Nintendo lists three:

Teen: blocks software rated for ages 17 and up. Chat and social media posting stay open.
Pre-Teen: blocks software rated for ages 13 and up, plus in-game communication and posting screenshots or videos to social media.
Child: blocks software rated for ages 8 and up, limits communication and social media, and restricts VR Mode (3D visuals).

Want more control? Pick Custom Settings to choose the age limit and rating group, such as ESRB or PEGI, and to turn communication, social posting, and VR Mode on or off. Nintendo says the VR option should be restricted if a child age 6 or younger uses the console.

Allow One Game That Is Blocked

The Allow List lets you exempt a title from the age block. Nintendo says it needs system version 5.0 or higher, and a game must have been played on the console before it shows up in the list. Allowed games still follow your play-time limits.

What the App Does Not Control

Some choices live in a Nintendo Account instead. Nintendo says eShop spending, friend suggestions, and sharing of information with third parties are handled through the child’s supervised account and the parent or guardian account, not the app.

Many controls also apply to the whole console. Nintendo says to set them with the youngest player in mind. Games blocked by age also hide their screenshots and videos in the album.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set limits without the phone app?

Yes. Nintendo says you can set controls directly in System Settings on the console. That route does not give you play-time limits or play history, so the app is the better pick for time rules.

What happens if I unlink the app?

Nintendo says all Parental Controls restrictions are removed from the console when the app is unlinked. Think twice before unlinking.

What if I forget the PIN?

Nintendo has a separate help article for a forgotten PIN. Write the PIN down somewhere safe. Also, the on-screen “Show” option for typing a PIN lets people in the room see it.

Once the rules are saved, you can check how long your child has played with the steps in our guide to checking Nintendo Switch play time. Does your family want one shared limit or a different limit on weekends?

Image Credit: Kamil Switalski on Unsplash