How to turn on Parental Controls on Nintendo Switch 2

Parental Controls for Nintendo Switch 2 — (Image credit: Nintendo)

Nintendo Switch 2 Parental Controls are how you can ensure child safety, with options to restrict and lock certain gameplay features, keep an eye on your child's playtime and generally manage what they do on the Nintendo Switch 2. If you want to know more, here's how to set up Parental Controls on the Switch.

How to set up Switch 2 Parental Controls

To turn on Parental Controls on the Switch 2, you need the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app, which can be downloaded for iPhone or Google. You'll also need a Nintendo Account of your own, so make sure that you set one up!

Once you have it downloaded, go on the Nintendo Switch 2 itself and go to System settings > Parental Controls > Parental Control Settings.

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You'll then be shown a QR code that you can scan with your phone and from there login – simply follow the instructions to set up the app and link it to the console. From that point on, you should be able to set parental controls and child safety systems on the Switch 2, all from your phone. Some of the options available to you will include:

Daily Play Limits
Control of online "Game Chat" options
Age restrictions on certain games and software
View your child's play habits

Want more help with your new console? We've got full details on the Nintendo Switch 2 setup here, or find out how to transfer games and data from Switch 1 to Switch 2 here!

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Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and Very Tired Man with a BA from Brunel University, a Masters from Sussex University and a decade working in games journalism, often focused on guides coverage but also in reviews, features and news. His love of games is strongest when it comes to groundbreaking narratives like Disco Elysium, UnderTale and Baldur's Gate 3, as well as innovative or refined gameplay experiences like XCOM, Sifu, Arkham Asylum or Slay the Spire. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at Eurogamer, Gfinity, USgamer, SFX Magazine, RPS, Dicebreaker, VG247, and more.