How To Set Up Nintendo Switch Parental Controls (2026 Guide for Console and App)

In today’s online world, parental controls are a must. Game restrictions help you keep your kids safe from exposure to overly mature or inappropriate content.

Nintendo’s parental controls will cover your Switch, but not the other devices your children might be using while they game. Switch parental controls can be managed directly on the Switch itself or through the dedicated Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app on your smartphone.

The app offers a few more features, so I recommend going that route. I’ll walk you through how to set up parental controls on the Nintendo and cover what settings you can control.

I’ll also cover third-party parental control apps that work with Switch and also offer broader protections for children and teens.

Set up Nintendo Switch Parental Controls on console

Here’s how to set up parental controls directly on your Switch console:

1. Grab your Switch and select System Settings on the HOME Menu.
2. Scroll down to Parental Controls and select Parental Controls Settings (if you’re setting them up for the first time) or Change Settings (if you’re adjusting settings).
3. Go through the prompts* and then select Restriction Level.
4. You can choose between three preset restriction levels or opt for custom settings. The three presets are Teen, Pre-Teen, and Child.
5. You’ll be prompted to set a PIN once you’ve chosen your settings. This can be between four and eight characters.

To change your settings, follow the same steps. You’ll be prompted to enter your PIN before making any adjustments.

*Steps for setting up Nintendo Switch Parental Controls for the first time on the console.

Set up Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app

Start by downloading the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app for iOS or Android. Then you’ll need to link your Switch to the app.

This process looks like a lot of steps, but really you’re just signing in to the app, getting a code, and entering it on your Switch.

Once you’re set up, follow these steps to manage your parental controls:

1. Launch the Parental Controls app on your device.
2. Select Parental Controls in the bottom right corner.
3. Select the setting you want to adjust. Choices include Play-Time Limit, Restricted Features, Allow List, and PIN.
4. Tap Save to save your changes. Settings will update on the Switch the next time it connects to the internet.

What do Nintendo Switch parental controls do?

Nintendo offers a lot of useful parental controls for the Switch — everything from setting time limits to restricting in-game communication, and even allowing certain games to bypass parental controls.

• Play-Time Limit: This feature lets you set a daily time limit for gaming. You can also set a bedtime, which causes gameplay to stop at a preset time each day.
• Restricted software: You can restrict games based on rating category — for example, ages 6+ or 13+.
• Software rating organization: This lets you choose the software rating organization restrictions are based on, such as the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board). ESRB is the primary rating organization for the U.S.
• Posting screenshots/videos to social media: This disables the ability to share to social media from the Switch.
• Use of VR mode (3D visuals): Disables 3D mode (used with VR goggles).
• Allow List: Lets you exempt specific games from parental controls (play-time limits still apply).
• PIN: Lets you change your parental controls PIN.

Nintendo Switch presets

There are also three presets you can choose based on your child's age. Here’s what each preset includes:

Teen

• Restricted software: Games rated 17+ (ESRB rating Mature)
• Software rating organization: Varies by region
• In-game communication with others: Not restricted
• Posting screenshots/videos to social media: Not restricted
• Use of VR mode (3D visuals): Not restricted

Pre-Teen

• Restricted software: Games rated 13+ (ESRB ratings Teen and Mature)
• Software rating organization: Varies by region
• In-game communication with others: Restricted
• Posting screenshots/videos to social media: Restricted
• Use of VR mode (3D visuals): Not restricted

Child

• Restricted software: Games rated 8+ (ESRB ratings Everyone 10+, Teen, and Mature)
• Software rating organization: Varies by region
• In-game communication with others: Restricted
• Posting screenshots/videos to social media: Restricted
• Use of VR mode (3D visuals): Restricted

Other Nintendo Switch parental control apps

While Nintendo Switch Parental Controls does a solid job of protecting your children on the Switch itself, they don’t do anything on the other devices that kids might use while they play, such as phones or tablets.

Some of the best parental control apps that offer complete protection, including on Switch, are Aura, Qustodio, and Bark.

In addition to strong parental controls, Aura provides a robust all-in-one privacy suite and unique well-being features that offer science-backed insights into your child or teen’s online behaviors.

Qustodio is an excellent option for screen time management thanks to strong time limits and app blocking. Meanwhile, Bark’s strength is content monitoring. It uses AI to monitor a huge number of social platforms for potentially harmful content and then alerts you to its findings.

Bottom line: Are Nintendo Switch Parental Controls good enough?

Yes, the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app is solid and will go a long way toward helping safeguard children from excessive screen time or inappropriate content for their age or maturity level. However, it does have some flaws.

The biggest issue with Nintendo Switch Parental Controls is its all-or-nothing nature. You can’t set different time limits or rating restrictions on a per-user basis, so if you have children of different ages, the older ones may get locked out of content that would otherwise be appropriate for them.

On the plus side, the bedtime mode is excellent — it puts a hard stop on the device, regardless of whether it’s currently in use. You can also set a variety of schedules for different days of the week. In addition, the activity monitoring is very useful, giving parents a clear breakdown of where kids are spending their time.

Ultimately, we think the Switch’s parental controls are a great tool. Just be aware of the limitations and remember that no parental controls are a substitute for education and open communication.

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