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Change the country/region on your Nintendo Account website, not by resetting the console. Keep the same Nintendo Account linked to your Switch: that account retains the digital purchase history and lets you redownload eligible games. Before saving the new country, use up the old eShop balance, cancel renewals and outstanding digital pre-orders, then protect saves with Nintendo’s supported cloud or transfer tools. DLC is the major exception to assume nothing about—add-ons can be tied to the software’s market.
What changes when you switch countries
Your Nintendo Account has a Country/region of residence setting. Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 follows that setting; Nintendo states that the eShop will always match the country configured on the account. Changing it changes the storefront associated with that account the next time the console connects. It does not erase the account, unlink the console, or create a replacement library.
The account remains the owner of its purchase history, downloadable software access, account funds, and Nintendo Switch Online status. A newly created account would have a separate purchase history and separate funds, so creating one is the wrong workaround if your goal is to keep existing games.
Country changes are different from the console’s language, region, date and time options. You do not need a factory reset or a Switch-to-Switch 2 system transfer to change the eShop country. Those system settings can remain exactly as they are while the account storefront changes.
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The change is made online, but the console needs to connect to Nintendo eShop before the new storefront appears. If the old shop is still visible immediately afterward, close eShop, make sure the Switch is online, and open it again so the account can refresh.
Complete these checks before changing the country
Nintendo can refuse the change while certain account transactions are still open. Resolve every item below while the account is still set to its old country.
| Check | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| eShop balance | Funds do not move to the new country. In Nintendo’s Americas procedure, any nonzero balance blocks the change. | Spend the entire balance on eligible games, DLC, in-game content or Nintendo Switch Online time. Do not leave even a small remainder. |
| Automatic renewals | An active renewal for Nintendo Switch Online, Pokémon HOME Premium, a pass or an in-game subscription can prevent the country update. | Turn off or cancel each renewal in the relevant Nintendo Account subscription settings and wait for the cancellation to register. |
| Digital pre-orders | An outstanding downloadable-content pre-order that is not yet available is another listed blocker. | Cancel qualifying digital pre-orders before attempting the country change. |
| Account email access | Recovery messages and ownership checks go to the account email. Losing that address can prevent access to purchased software or saves. | Confirm that the email still works and that you can receive Nintendo messages before you begin. |
Keep records of any subscription cancellation and check that the balance shows zero on the account page. A transaction that has just been cancelled may need time to finish processing; retry only after the account reflects the change.
Do not start by deleting the Switch user, unlinking the account or initializing the console. None of those actions clears an account-level blocker, and they can remove local user and save data you are trying to protect.
How to change the Nintendo Account country/region
- Sign in to the Nintendo Account website. Use the account that is linked to the Switch user who owns the games. Do not sign in with a newly created account.
- Open User Information. This section contains the profile and residence settings.
- Edit the profile. In the Profile area, select Edit.
- Choose the new residence. Select the required value for Country/region of residence. When changing to Canada, Nintendo requires the applicable province field as well.
- Save and confirm. Select Save changes, then accept the confirmation prompt. If Nintendo reports a balance, renewal or pre-order error, return to the checklist and clear that item.
- Reconnect to eShop. Open Nintendo eShop on the Switch while it is online. Nintendo says the storefront will match the new account country the next time the console connects.
The country setting is an account property, so the change applies anywhere that same account is used. You do not have to format the console, delete a user, or transfer the whole system.
Use the account that actually owns the software, even if several family members use the console. Changing another family member’s country will not move the purchasing account’s storefront or make its library appear under a different user.
Will your games and purchases disappear?
No. A country change is not an account deletion. Nintendo manages downloadable-software purchase history through the Nintendo Account, and linking that same account to the console brings the account information with it. Your eligible purchases remain associated with the account and can be redownloaded from the account’s eShop history after the storefront updates.
Keep the original Switch user linked to the original Nintendo Account. Removing that user, replacing the account or buying again under a different account creates a separate ownership record. A new account will not inherit the old account’s games, funds or purchase history.
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The eShop balance is the important financial exception: it is country-specific and does not carry over. Spend it before the change rather than expecting a refund or automatic conversion. Payment information and Nintendo Switch Online status are also managed at the Nintendo Account level; review the account after changing countries and make sure any service you intend to use is active under the new storefront’s terms.
Downloadable software may need to be downloaded again if it is not currently on the console. That is an access and storage issue, not proof that ownership was lost. Confirm that the same account appears in the Switch user profile before troubleshooting a missing redownload.
Protect save data before you change anything
Changing the country setting should not itself delete local saves, but Nintendo’s save systems have title and transfer exceptions. Make a backup or transfer plan before you alter account settings, especially if the console contains a single copy of an important island, campaign or profile.
Use Save Data Cloud when the title supports it
If the game supports Nintendo’s Save Data Cloud feature and the account has the required Nintendo Switch Online membership, upload the latest save from the Switch’s data-management settings. Confirm that the upload completed and note the date shown for the backup. Cloud support is not universal: a game can omit the feature or impose its own rules, so the absence of a cloud option is not an error you can fix by changing regions.
Check the title itself rather than assuming that every game on the console is covered. A cloud backup is useful only when the game and membership support it, and it should be completed before you remove a user, move to another console or begin other account maintenance.
Use Nintendo’s save-data or system-transfer workflow when cloud backup is unavailable
Nintendo provides a direct save-data transfer process between consoles. Follow the on-screen instructions for the source and target systems and keep both consoles powered and connected until the transfer reports completion. The transfer documentation lists exceptions and warns that some data can be erased depending on the method, so read the instructions for your exact transfer path rather than treating it as a universal backup.
A transfer is a separate operation from changing the eShop country. Do not perform a full Switch-to-Switch 2 transfer simply to change storefronts. If you do need a transfer for another reason, identify which console is the source and which is the target, read the title exceptions first, and verify the resulting save on the target system.
Handle title-specific exceptions separately
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a prominent example of a game with its own island-transfer requirements. Other titles can also have special rules. Look for Nintendo’s instructions for the individual game before deleting a user, initializing a console or starting a system transfer. A general cloud restore should never be assumed to cover a title that Nintendo excludes.
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- Nintendo Switch 2 uses a new standard of expandable memory card called microSD Express (sold separately). This kind of memory card is needed for faster access speeds and to ensure games will run smoothly.
- Please note: Nintendo Switch 2 is only compatible with microSD Express cards. If the microSD cards you have used for Nintendo Switch do not support microSD Express standards, you cannot use them with Nintendo Switch 2.
Keep the original account credentials available during any recovery or transfer. Nintendo warns that losing access to the account email can prevent use of purchased downloadable software or save data, so confirm that recovery messages can reach you before making changes.
Do not confuse a microSD copy with a save backup
Screenshots and videos stored on a microSD card can be moved as part of Nintendo’s media-transfer guidance. Downloaded software data may transfer or redownload automatically, depending on the transfer. Save ownership and account permissions remain tied to the Nintendo Account and supported save tools; copying a card alone does not preserve those rights or replace a save-data backup.
DLC and regional compatibility: the risk that remains
Games and add-ons are not guaranteed to be interchangeable across storefronts. Nintendo Hong Kong support specifically warns that Hong Kong-market software may not work with additional content bought from a non-Hong Kong Nintendo eShop, and that overseas software may not work correctly with add-on content bought from the Hong Kong eShop.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Before buying, redeeming or downloading DLC after the change, identify the game’s market or regional version. Match the add-on’s eShop region to the software’s region whenever possible. Check the game package, software information screen or publisher’s support page for the version identifier. If you own an imported cartridge, do not assume that an expansion purchased in your new country will attach to it.
Base-game ownership and DLC compatibility are separate questions: the original account can retain the game while a mismatched add-on remains unusable. Avoid redeeming a code until you have confirmed that the code’s market matches the installed software.
This applies to expansion packs, downloadable costumes, in-game content and other add-ons, not just major story DLC. If a title has separate regional releases, verify the market before spending the new country’s funds. Keeping the same Nintendo Account protects the purchase record, but it cannot make incompatible software and add-on regions work together.
If Nintendo will not let you change the country
The error message identifies the usual causes. Work through them in this order:
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- Outstanding balance: open the old-country eShop and spend the remaining funds. In regions where a nonzero balance blocks the change, the account page will continue to reject the request until the displayed balance is zero.
- Active renewal: review Nintendo Switch Online, Pokémon HOME Premium, passes and in-game subscriptions. Disable automatic renewal for each service, then allow the account to update before trying again.
- Unreleased digital pre-order: cancel downloadable-content pre-orders that have not become available. A physical order is not the item Nintendo identifies in this warning; the blocker is an outstanding digital pre-order.
- Incorrect profile path: confirm that you edited User Information → Profile → Edit on the account that owns the games. Changing a different family member’s account will not change the storefront for your purchasing account.
- Country-specific fields: supply the required province when selecting Canada. A missing required field can prevent the save even when the balance and subscriptions are clear.
If all listed blockers are cleared but the website still refuses the change, sign out, sign back in and check that cancellations have completed. Keep the original account intact while seeking Nintendo Support; deleting it or making a replacement account removes the very purchase history you are trying to preserve.
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Account country versus console settings
The eShop storefront is controlled by the Nintendo Account’s country setting. The Switch’s language, time zone, date, clock and other system preferences are separate. You can change those console preferences without changing the storefront, and you can change the storefront without changing the console’s language.
Nintendo’s transfer documentation treats language, region, date and time settings as non-transferable during a Switch-to-Switch 2 transfer. That is another reason not to start a full system transfer merely to obtain a different eShop country. A factory reset can remove local users and saves while doing nothing to move account funds or ownership.
Using a microSD card after the change
A Nintendo Switch-compatible microSD card can be useful if the new storefront requires large redownloads and the console lacks free storage. Nintendo’s transfer guidance discusses moving screenshots and videos on microSD and explains that purchased downloadable software may transfer or automatically redownload.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe card is only storage. It does not carry Nintendo Account ownership, convert an eShop balance, make a region-mismatched DLC package compatible or substitute for Save Data Cloud or a supported save transfer. Keep the original account credentials even when all game files are stored on removable media.
Verify the console after the storefront updates
Once the eShop opens under the new country, perform a controlled check before making a large purchase:
- Open the account’s redownload or purchase-history area and confirm that a previously purchased game appears.
- Start a small redownload or update only after confirming that sufficient storage is available.
- Check the account page for the expected country and verify that no old balance remains.
- Review Nintendo Switch Online and other subscriptions to make sure the status shown is the one you expect.
- For each DLC purchase, compare the add-on’s market with the installed game’s market before redeeming a code.
- Open an important game and confirm its local save. If you used cloud backup or a transfer, verify the restored date and progress rather than assuming the operation succeeded.
If a game is missing from the redownload list, first check that the same Nintendo Account is linked to the Switch user who bought it. A different account, rather than the country change, is the usual explanation for a missing purchase history.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the change does not solve
- It does not move an eShop balance from one country to another.
- It does not merge two Nintendo Accounts or combine their libraries.
- It does not guarantee that DLC from one market works with software from another.
- It does not back up saves automatically.
- It does not change the console’s language, clock or date settings.
- It does not eliminate title-specific transfer rules, including the requirements for Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
- It does not make an imported game compatible with every add-on sold in the new country.
- It does not make a microSD card a substitute for account access or supported save backup.
The safest sequence is therefore: secure account access, empty the old balance, cancel renewals and digital pre-orders, back up or transfer saves with the supported Nintendo method, change the country on the website, reconnect eShop, verify the library and saves, and only then purchase region-matched DLC.
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How do I change my Nintendo Switch region?
Sign in to the Nintendo Account website, open User Information, choose Profile and Edit, select the new Country/region of residence, save the change and accept the confirmation. Reopen Nintendo eShop on the online Switch so it can match the new account country.
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Will I lose my games if I change my Nintendo Account country?
No, provided you keep the original Nintendo Account linked to the Switch user who bought them. The account retains its downloadable-software purchase history and eligible games can be redownloaded. A new account has a separate library and does not inherit those purchases.
Can I change region without losing save data?
Changing the account country does not itself delete local saves, but make a supported Save Data Cloud backup or use Nintendo’s save-transfer process first. Cloud support and transfer behavior vary by title, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons has its own island-transfer requirements.
What happens to my eShop balance when I change country?
The balance does not carry over. In Nintendo’s Americas procedure, a nonzero balance also blocks the country change. Spend the funds on eligible games, DLC, in-game content or Nintendo Switch Online time before saving the new country.
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Why is Nintendo refusing my country change?
Check for a remaining eShop balance, an active automatic renewal for Nintendo Switch Online, Pokémon HOME Premium, a pass or an in-game subscription, and an outstanding downloadable-content pre-order. Also confirm that you used User Information → Profile → Edit and supplied a required province when selecting Canada.
Will DLC still work after changing Switch region?
Not always. Add-ons can be tied to the software’s market. Nintendo Hong Kong support warns that Hong Kong-market software may not work with non-Hong Kong add-ons and vice versa. Match the DLC eShop region to the game’s regional version before buying or redeeming it.
Do I need to reset my Switch or change its language settings?
No. The storefront follows the Nintendo Account country setting. Console language, date, time and related system settings are separate, and a factory reset or full system transfer can create unnecessary risk for local users and saves.
Can a microSD card preserve my games and saves during the change?
A compatible microSD card can help store screenshots, videos and downloaded software during redownloads or a transfer. It does not carry Nintendo Account ownership, convert an eShop balance, guarantee DLC compatibility or replace cloud backup or a supported save transfer.
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The Bottom Line
Change the country on the existing Nintendo Account website profile, not on the console. Empty the old eShop balance, cancel renewals and digital pre-orders, protect saves with Nintendo’s supported tools, and keep the original account linked. Your games remain available through that account, but DLC must match the game’s regional market.
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