How to Factory Reset a Nintendo Switch Before Selling or Regifting It
There are several reasons why you might want to get rid of a Nintendo Switch. You may be selling it because you have a newer model (like the OLED screen version); You could pass it on to a friend or family member; or trade it in to GameStop or a similar company that facilitates the resale of old consoles.
But no matter the reason, you always want to make sure that it has been factory reset and all your personal data has been wiped from it.
Factory resetting your console has many benefits, but the most important is that restoring your device to its original default settings protects any sensitive personal information that might remain on the system. While many people don’t store as much private information on their gaming consoles as they do on a phone or computer, for example, a factory reset is a good practice to protect against potential privacy issues.
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Before you reset…
Nintendo offers some tips and suggestions to keep in mind before resetting. First, the company advises that resetting your Nintendo Switch should take about five minutes for consoles running OS version 10.0.0 or later.
In addition, the company explains what data is lost when you initialize your Switch (Nintendo’s term for factory reset). This list is pretty basic and includes save data, screenshots, and user info that has been saved to the device.
Follow the detailed instructions here to move your account and saves to a new Switch.
If you only want to erase specific data, you can use Nintendo’s data management settings to choose what to erase without having to completely reset your device.
It’s important to note that your Switch must be connected to the internet while you factory reset or initialize your device, and your Nintendo accounts will be disconnected during the reset.
How to reset your switch
Resetting your switch is a fairly simple process. All you have to do is walk system settings In the main menu, scroll down to system and select it. Once you’re in systemscroll to the bottom of the menu and select formatting options. It’s important to note that if you’ve enabled parental controls on your Switch, you’ll be asked to enter your parental controls PIN once selected formatting options.
After you enter formatting optionsyou have to select Initialize console to factory reset your switch. Read the information presented to you on the screen and click on it Next. Finally select Initialize to complete the factory reset process of your Nintendo Switch.