So you got a new Nintendo Switch, created a user profile, and linked your lifelong Nintendo Account to play some games. But now your roommate wants to play too and needs to add their own account. How do you unlink your Nintendo Account from the Switch you both share?
It‘s actually not as intuitive as on other consoles – here‘s what to know.
In this step-by-step guide, we’ll cover:
- The difference between account types on the Nintendo Switch
- Exactly why you can’t just “unlink” a Nintendo Account
- How to delete the connected user profile to remove a linked Nintendo Account
- Helpful account tips after getting one unlinked
I‘ll be explaining each concept from a place of expertise – no need to feel overwhelmed. Let‘s get you and your roommate gaming in harmony.
Nintendo Account vs User Account: Vastly Different
First things first – we need to understand the two very distinct account types at play on the Switch:
Nintendo Accounts represent your broader Nintendo ID that persists across hardware generations. These accounts let you redownload legacy content, play mobile games, and carry purchases across devices.
User accounts are specific to the Switch itself. They identify distinct players sharing a console and keep game saves and profile data separate for each.
Here is a quick comparison:
| Nintendo Account | User Account | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Unified ID spanning devices | Profile for each player on one Switch |
| Number Allowed | One per User Account | Up to eight per console |
| Stores | All of your Nintendo purchases ever | Game saves for that user |
| Friends/Community | Friends List | None, tied to the user |
| Online Subscription | Can enable for self only* | Enables online play for that profile |
(* Can share your NSO subscription with other accounts through a family membership)
The key distinction comes when you first set up your Switch – you‘re prompted to link your overarching Nintendo Account to a specific user profile on the console.
This merges your broader online identity and purchase history into that one localized user account. And this linkage cannot be removed!
You may be wondering…
Why No Simple “Unlink” Like on Xbox or PlayStation?
On other modern gaming platforms like Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, unlinking your broader account from a console is straightforward. You can easily de-register your account from a specific device.
But that is not possible directly with Nintendo Accounts. That linkage gets fully inherited into whichever user profile you first connect it to.
Nintendo did permit players to unlink and relink accounts freely for a while after launch. However that functionality was permanently removed in a 2018 system update, likely for anti-piracy reasons.
So once merged, your Nintendo Account and LuckUser93 local user profile become one – even as you sign in across new future Switch consoles.
How to Finally "Unlink": Delete the User Entirely
With no dedicated unlinking capability anymore, removing your Nintendo Account from a specific Switch now requires fully deleting the local user profile it’s bonded to.
Only by erasing that associated account can you effectively break the chain back to your Nintendo ID on that device.
Let me walk you through it:
Step 1: Power On Your Switch
Press the power button on your console or controller to turn on your Switch as normal and reach the main menu:
[Insert photo of powering on Switch console]Step 2: Open System Settings
Scroll down and select the little gear icon in the bottom menu bar to enter System Settings:
[Insert screenshot of selecting System Settings icon]Step 3: Choose "Users"
Now on the left settings sidebar, choose “Users” to access all registered accounts:
[Insert photo of selecting Users category]You‘ll see a list of every user profile set up.
Step 4: Select "Delete User"
Scroll all the way down this list of profiles and select “Delete User” to initiate removal of that account.
[Insert screenshot specifically indicating Delete User option]Then begins the erasure process…
Step 5: Confirm Delete Steps
You‘ll now get two warnings to confirm:
- Removal of any enabled Parental Controls
- Deletion of the entire user profile and all its linked Nintendo Account data
Read carefully then select “Next” on both until you reach the final confirmation.
[Insert screenshots walking through multiple warning screens]Note that game saves not backed up to the cloud will be erased!
Step 6: Press "Delete This User"
On the last screen specifically asking “Are you sure?”, press the vivid red button labeled “Delete This User.”
[Insert photo of red Delete This User button]This will instantly and irreversibly unlink the account and data tied to it.
Step 7: Return to Settings
You‘ll now get a final message informing you the deletion succeeded.
Press “OK” – this takes you back to the Users menu where you can register another profile.
[Insert screenshot showing confirmation message post-deletion]And that completes the account unlinking process! By deleting the user attached to your broader Nintendo ID, you‘ve now effectively removed the link on a console level.
While extreme, this achieves the end goal if needing to wipe records of your account from a shared family Switch.
You may next wonder about re-adding your account or creating new users…
Account Post-Deletion: Re-Linking & New Users
Now back in System Settings > Users, you have a blank slate without your previous account. Where to go from here?
If you just needed a breakup with that specific Switch, you can easily relink your original Nintendo Account to a fresh user profile. Just connect it when adding a new account for instant access to your full download history and subscription.
Otherwise, you or other household members can freely generate additional new user profiles for individual play data. Up to eight accounts can access one Switch console.
Take this chance to consider if a family Nintendo Switch Online plan makes sense. It lets you share a single subscription with other profiles at a discounted rate.
And look into the cloud save capabilities too for keeping certain game data protected if you delete local users again down the road.
Handy tools for a shared, ever-evolving Switch environment!
I know that explanation got a bit more technical than most “ unlink account” guides you‘ll find. But you may appreciate having all the background concepts and post-deletion options clarified in detail.
Let‘s wrap up with some common questions from users like yourself:
FAQ: Your Nintendo Account & Switch Queries
Why can’t I view my friends or purchase history after deleting a user?
These details are tied to your Nintendo Account itself, while friends and eShop tokens are assigned per user account instead. Be sure you‘ve re-linked your ID to a new profile!
Do I lose my game saves if I deleted the attached user account?
Unfortunately yes, unless you manually backed up saves to Nintendo‘s cloud service. You can redownload any digital purchases though.
Can I just create a dummy user and re-add my main one after unlinking?
You certainly can! Some folks use this workaround to retain profile data, while still effectively removing the visible link to their Nintendo Account.
Does my Nintendo Online family plan still work after deleting and re-adding accounts?
No interruption at all! The family membership stays active so long as you re-link your account to a new user profile in a reasonable timeframe.
I hope this complete walkthrough gives you confidence to manage your Switch accounts – whether unlinking your own or troubleshooting the whole family‘s! Feel free to reach out to me directly if any other questions come up.
