How to Enable 2FA on Nintendo Account

Your Nintendo Account stores your digital game library, Nintendo eShop purchase history, Nintendo Switch Online membership, and any stored payment methods. Nintendo accounts are a frequent target for takeover attempts — attackers want your game library and any stored payment credentials. Enabling two-factor authentication is the most effective way to protect your account.

How to Enable 2FA on Your Nintendo Account

Nintendo 2FA must be enabled through the Nintendo website — it cannot be configured directly on the Switch console.

1. On a computer or phone, go to accounts.nintendo.com and sign in.
2. Click your profile icon and select User Settings.
3. Click Sign-in and security settings in the left menu.
4. Under "2-Step Verification", click Edit, then Submit to confirm your email address.
5. Follow the on-screen steps — Nintendo will send a verification code to your email to confirm your identity before enabling 2FA.
6. Once verified, Nintendo displays a QR code. Open your authenticator app, add a new account, and scan the QR code.
7. Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app to complete setup.
8. Save your backup codes. Nintendo provides a set of backup codes. Download or write these down and store them safely before closing the page.

Why Nintendo Accounts Are Targeted

Nintendo accounts are valuable to attackers for several reasons. Your digital game library can be worth hundreds of pounds. Stored payment methods can be used to make unauthorised eShop purchases. In 2020, Nintendo suffered a large-scale credential stuffing attack that compromised over 300,000 accounts — many through reused passwords from other sites. Enabling 2FA directly prevents this type of attack.

Backup Codes — Essential

Nintendo provides 8 single-use backup codes when you enable 2FA. These are your lifeline if you lose your phone or delete your authenticator app. Each code works exactly once. Store them in a password manager, a secure notes app, or printed in a safe location. If you lose your codes and cannot access your authenticator, recovery through Nintendo's support process can take days and requires identity verification.

To generate new backup codes, go to your Nintendo Account security settings and click Regenerate backup codes. This immediately invalidates the old ones, so update your stored copy right away.

Signing In After Enabling 2FA

After enabling 2FA, the next time you sign in on the Nintendo website or link your Switch to your account, you will be asked for a 6-digit code from your authenticator app. On your Nintendo Switch, once signed in, you will not be asked for 2FA again during normal use. The 2FA step only applies when signing in from a new device or after signing out.

Transferring 2FA to a New Phone

If you get a new phone, you need to re-link your Nintendo Account to your authenticator app on the new device. If you still have your old phone, add your Nintendo Account to the new authenticator app first, then remove it from the old one. If you no longer have your old phone, use a backup code to sign in, then disable and re-enable 2FA to generate a new QR code for your new device.