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If you’re like most parents, you probably set up a parental control PIN for your Nintendo Switch to keep your kids from accidentally making in-game purchases. But what happens if you forget the PIN or if your child somehow manages to reset it?
Here’s a quick and easy guide on how to factory reset your Nintendo Switch without the parental control PIN.
Contents
- 1 How to factory reset your Nintendo Switch
- 2 How to do a hard reset on your Nintendo Switch
- 3 How to reset your Nintendo Switch without losing data
- 4 How to reset your Nintendo Switch if it is frozen
- 5 How to reset your Nintendo Switch if it is not responding
- 6 How to reset your Nintendo Switch Parental Controls
- 7 How to reset your Nintendo Switch to its original factory settings
- 8 How to troubleshoot your Nintendo Switch
How to factory reset your Nintendo Switch
If you need to factory reset your Nintendo Switch but don’t have the parental control pin, there are a few ways to do it.
The first way is to contact Nintendo customer service, and they can help you reset it. The second way is to use the Joy-Con controllers to do a hard reset of the system. This will erase all data on the system, so be sure to back up any saved data or screenshots you want to keep before doing this.
To do a Joy-Con hard reset, start by powering off the Switch. Then, press and hold down the volume and power buttons simultaneously for about 12 seconds. The screen will turn black and then boot back up into the main menu. From here, you can access the settings menu and factory reset your Switch.
How to do a hard reset on your Nintendo Switch
A hard reset will reset the Nintendo Switch to a clean slate. All user data and accounts will be deleted, and the system will be restored to its original factory settings. This is useful if you’re having problems with your Switch and want to start fresh or if you’re selling or giving it away.
Here’s how to do a hard reset on your Nintendo Switch:
1) Turn off the console by holding down the power button for at least three seconds.
2) Press and hold the volume up and volume down buttons simultaneously for at least five seconds.
3) Press and hold the power button again to turn on the console. The Switch will now be reset to its factory settings.
How to reset your Nintendo Switch without losing data
First, back up your saved data to an external device or to the cloud. To do this, go to System Settings -> Data Management -> Save Data Cloud (or Save Data Management if you don’t have a Nintendo Switch Online membership). From there, you can back up specific games or your entire User account.
Second, factory reset your Switch by going to System Settings -> Initialization -> Reset Console. When prompted, select “Only delete the user information and settings”. This will leave your game data intact.
Now that your data is safe, you can proceed with the factory reset process. After the reset is complete, you’ll be able to set up your Switch as if it were new.
How to reset your Nintendo Switch if it is frozen
If you are having trouble resetting your Nintendo Switch, the following methods may help.
First, try holding down the power button for twelve seconds. This will force a restart. If the system is frozen, try unplugging the Switch from the dock and restarting it.
If your Switch is still frozen after performing a restart, you may need to reset the system to its factory settings. This will delete all data on the system, so be sure to back up any important files before proceeding. To factory reset your Switch, follow these steps:
1. From the main menu, select “System Settings.”
2. Scroll down and select “System.”
3. Select “Formatting Options.”
4. Select “Initialize Console.”
5. Select “Restore Factory Settings.”
6. Enter your four-digit parental control pin when prompted and select “OK.”
7. Select “Initialize.”
How to reset your Nintendo Switch if it is not responding
Start by pressing and holding the Power button for three seconds. This will bring up the power options menu.
Select “Power Options.”
Next, select “Restart.”
If your Switch still does not respond, press and hold the Power button for twelve seconds. This will force a shutdown.
Once your Switch has powered off, press the Power button again to restart it.
How to reset your Nintendo Switch Parental Controls
If you need to reset your Nintendo Switch Parental Controls for any reason, follow the steps below. Please note that this will delete all of your current parental control settings, so be sure to take note of any important details before you begin.
1. On the Home Menu, select the System Settings icon.
2. Scroll down and select Parental Controls.
3. Select Reset Parental Controls.
4. Enter your four-digit PIN when prompted, then select OK.
5. Select Reset All Settings to confirm.
How to reset your Nintendo Switch to its original factory settings
You may want to reset the Nintendo Switch console to its original factory settings if you are selling or giving it away, or if you are having persistent problems with the console.
Before you reset the console:
-Deactivate any parental controls or restrictions that were set up on the Nintendo Switch console. For more information, see How to deactivate parental controls without a PIN.
-If you have any software or DLC codes for the Nintendo Switch console, make sure to redeem them before resetting the console. For more information, see Redeeming Download Codes.
-Make sure to back up any saved data and user information that you want to keep before resetting the console. See How to transfer save data and user accounts on a Nintendo Switch system for more information.
To reset your Nintendo Switch console to its original factory settings:
1) From the HOME Menu, select System Settings.
2) Scroll down and select System, then Initialize Console.
3) Select Initialize Console again.
4) Select Yes when prompted if you would like to delete all user data and restore default settings on this Nintendo Switch console? All user data will be deleted from the internal storage of this Nintendo Switch console and cannot be recovered after initialization is complete. If desired, select Change Settings then From Local Storage to back up Save Data and User Information before initializing the console. For more information about backing up save data, see How to transfer save data and user accounts on a Nintendo Switch system.”
How to troubleshoot your Nintendo Switch
If you’re having trouble with your Nintendo Switch, there are a few things you can try to get it working again. First, try restarting the console by pressing and holding the power button for three seconds, then select “Restart” from the menu. If that doesn’t work, you can try resetting the console by holding down the power button for twelve seconds; this will force the Switch to shut down and restart.
If neither of those options works, you may need to factory reset your Switch. This will erase all of your data and settings, so be sure to back up any saves or purchases you don’t want to lose first. To do a factory reset, go into the System Settings menu and select “System,” then scroll down and select “Initialize.” Choose “Initialize Console” from the next menu, then select “Restore Default Settings.” You will be prompted to enter your Parental Controls PIN; if you don’t know it, you can find it by going to nintendo.com/account and logging in with your Nintendo account information. Once you’ve entered your PIN, select “Initialize” again to confirm. Your Switch will now restart and be reset to its factory settings.
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