Can A Nintendo Switch Be Blacklisted or Banned

Carrying the Nintendo Switch around with you wherever you go also brings in a potential risk factor of the console being stolen. Now you might be wondering if it is possible to blacklist a Nintendo Switch if it gets stolen.

Well, the answer is Yes, a Nintendo Switch can definitely be blacklisted as long as it is reported stolen. You can give all the documents and credentials to Nintendo Officials, including the account details and Serial number. They will ban the console digitally from the Eshop and also from downloading any software updates.

If you don’t want your children on the Switch, or you don’t want people to access the games on your Nintendo Switch, we’ll show you how you can lock out your console. Other than that, you’ll also be informed about what to do if your Nintendo Switch is banned.

This guideline is all about the details regarding Nintendo’s Security. So, hang with us till the end to get to know everything you need to know.

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Can You Track a Stolen Nintendo Switch?

As probably everyone is aware, it is possible to track stolen devices due to a built-in GPS inside them. However, if you consider the Nintendo Switch, it lacks a dedicated GPS but however, can be tracked if reported to the police. Every handheld console does not come with a GPS. If you consider Sony’s PSP, you’ll be surprised to find GPS built-in to the handheld console.

But sadly, the Nintendo Switch lacks this feature which makes things a bit more complicated. Although there’s no comparison between the PSP and Nintendo Switch, as the PSP is much more advanced, it’s still a bummer to not have GPS tracking on the Switch.

We are raised with a question here now. Why hasn’t the Nintendo Switch added a GPS feature to the console when Sony did it back in 2006? Well, if you take a look at the PSP’s GPS, it really was a complete failure. However, the GPS gadget was more important for gaming purposes, having the job of monitoring your location.

Now you may be wondering, how can I recover my stolen Nintendo Switch? Now that we’re aware of the fact that it isn’t possible to track the Nintendo Switch, what can we do? Well, if I am being honest with you, if you have lost your Nintendo Switch, there’s a very low possibility of you ever finding the console as it lacks a unique code that allows you to track the device.

One thing can do is you can contact the police to list your Nintendo Switch as a stolen item. Give your Nintendo Switch details to them and pray your console is recovered. You can also give the details of your console to Nintendo Support. They may be notified about the Nintendo Switch being reported stolen. The main reasons for this are Deactivating the Nintendo account and removing all the data on the Switch.

The Nintendo Support staff may ask you for the Serial number of your stolen console. If they do this, they’ll be able to record your stolen Switch in their own database. The serial number may also be used to examine the current state of your console. This way, the next person who tries to create an account or log in with your Nintendo Switch will be digitally blocked from all servers. They won’t be able to play online games or have them updated.

Moreover, the Nintendo Switch won’t receive any software updates either. This will render the Nintendo Switch useless for them and also save any of your personal data located on the Switch.

Can A Nintendo Switch Be Locked?

Yes, of course, the Nintendo Switch can be locked. However, the lock is without a password and is only for the purpose to avoid any accidental touches on the screen and accidentally launching games. The lock also prevents the console from going into sleep mode.

The following are the steps to lock your Nintendo Switch:

Find your way to the settings.
In settings, scroll your way down to Screen lock.
Turn this setting to On.

You must remember that this method will only lock the screen of your Nintendo Switch in times of prolonged inactivity. This will not allow you to set any sort of passcode or security key to prevent people from lurking on your Switch. Having a proper security lock on your Nintendo Switch must be a thing as any console has it.

Considering the PlayStation and Xbox, both have the option of adding security keys. Moreover, every mobile phone has them as well. Sadly, the Nintendo Switch lacks any feature of such type. However, such a feature is very important, especially on a device you take with you on the go.

This is a huge issue for people who want to protect their Nintendo Switch from strangers. Regrettably, Nintendo hasn’t put out a proper solution to this yet, leaving users at risk of data theft. While you cannot do anything about this constraint, you can consider some alternatives. It is possible to put a lock screen with a passcode if you follow a series of steps.

You can use the Mobile Switch Parental Controls software as an unauthorized way to set a password on your Nintendo Switch. Using a Master Key, the parental controls on the console can be evaded. Anyone can use the Nintendo parental Control PIN Reset Website to get a Master Key for their personal account.

Lock Your Switch with Passcode

If you want to lock your Switch with a passcode while using an alternative method, follow through with this segment. The following are the steps to lock your Nintendo Switch with a passcode.

Install The Application

If you want to lock your Nintendo Switch with a passcode, you must download the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls application on your smartphone. This application is available both on Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.

The following are the steps through which you can download the Nintendo Parental Control App:

Go to the app store on your smartphone.
In the search, type in Nintendo Switch Parental Controls.
Now you must download and install the application.

Once you have downloaded the application, you must now register your Nintendo Account with it.

Link Your Nintendo Account

This application will only put a passcode on the account you have registered with your Nintendo Switch. You’ll have to connect yours by registering it.

Go through the steps below to link your Nintendo account:

Launch the Nintendo parental control application.
Register the app with your Nintendo account.
You may now select the account for linking.
You will be provided with a code. Go ahead and copy it.
Using your Nintendo Switch, find your way to settings.
In settings, scroll your way down to Parental Controls and click on Parental Control Settings.
Select “I have the app installed. What’s next?”
Put in the six-digit code you copied earlier.
Now go ahead and click on Link Account.

And that’s it; now your account is linked. Once that is done, all you have to do is set restrictions now.

Set a Restriction Level

The passcode you set will only appear once you raise the restriction levels on it. You can have the lock applied to your device for a limited time, or you can have it applied all the time. All of this will depend on your restriction level.

Go through the following steps to set a restriction level on your parental control application:

Go ahead and launch the Nintendo Switch Parental Control App.
Now find your way to settings.
You’ll see an age restriction tap. Go ahead and set it to none.
You must now set the daily limit.
The get the best security, set the daily limit to every day and have it set on 0 minutes.
Next, you must enable Suspend Software.
Once all of that is done, click next and then put in your PIN code.

And there you go; you have set up a passcode on your Nintendo Switch. Now, every time you try unlocking your Nintendo Switch, you’ll be asked to provide a PIN code to access your device. Without knowing the pin, no one will be able to access your device.

Why Does a Switch Get Banned?

The Nintendo Switch has gained immense popularity worldwide, and these days, hackers have entered the game too. The hackers plan on making everything free, or they just cheat around in games to win unfairly. Luckily, Nintendo is very strict when it comes to hacking attempts or modding your device.

If Nintendo catches you trying to use hacks or Mods with your device, they will automatically be forced to ban your Switch. Now, this may seem like you won’t be allowed to use your Nintendo Switch ever again. However, this is not the case, and the device can be recovered. If your Nintendo Switch has been banned, you’ll still be able to use it and play games.

However, you’ll lose all access to online content. This means you won’t be able to play games with your friends and family. You will also lose access to the EShop.

On top of that, you won’t be getting any new software updates either. You might find a way around all of this by using emulators to play online. However, they lack the charm of playing online as you used to when everything was normal.

What most people do when their Nintendo Switch gets banned is they sell the device and buy a new one. Although Nintendo banned your Switch console, they have not banned you as a user. This allows users to purchase a new device and log in to enjoy access to online games and the EShop, just like before.

One thing to keep in mind is that if you purchase a new Nintendo Switch, you’ll have to access the settings of your device and shift the primary device from the previously banned console to your new one. This will prevent issues with redownloading games while using the EShop.

There could be many reasons why a Nintendo Switch might be banned. Nintendo takes great care of its community and users. They take their security very seriously and are very strict when it comes to hacking and mods.

Recently, Nintendo has been banning many Switch devices for even the slightest misconduct. Things that can get you banned may include running a CFW (custom firmware) or homebrew launcher, pirating a game, or applying hacks and mods on your device.

What To Do If Your Nintendo Account Gets Banned

Check everything out and think thoroughly about why you might have been banned. Gain more data on what actions you might have performed that actually got you banned from using your Nintendo Switch.
Be honest with yourself and your Nintendo Switch.
If you’ve actually done something dirty, that might be the reason why you were banned. If you’re confident and you’re sure you haven’t done anything, please proceed to the next step.
Try getting in touch with the Nintendo Support team to see if they can help you out in any way. The Nintendo support team is very friendly and will definitely put in their best efforts to help you out regarding any sort of issue.

Nintendo’s Brilliant Method for Detecting Online Switch Piracy

Nintendo has developed brilliant ways through which they can detect systems using or playing pirated games online. This allows them to permanently ban consoles of such type from Nintendo’s networks. Nintendo checks out systems and games when they connect to the Nintendo network. The high level of protection comes through a unique encrypted client certificate which is stored in the trust zone core of each Nintendo Switch unit.

This encrypted certificate is utilized to identify specific hardware logged in to Nintendo’s servers. This means if a console gets banned, it will remain banned permanently from the Nintendo Network. Nintendo also uses encrypted certificates for Switch games themselves. This confirms whether the game is legitimate when it connects online. If you consider physical games, the document for these is unique. The meaning is the game is shared; the system could detect it.

The encrypted ticket used inside the game data syndicates information regarding the game with the distinctive device ID of each console and the Nintendo Account ID that was used to purchase it. If a user downloads an illegitimate copy of a game bought on a different console, the mismatch will be detected by Nintendo as soon as you log in, resulting in an immediate ban on your console from Nintendo’s network.

Nintendo used to prohibit users from using homebrew by preventing access to EShops and online play. However, gaining entrance to their content distribution network was still possible. Meaning it was still possible you had your console’s firmware updated.

Moreover, it was also possible to redownload game archives—this is why most hackers never took getting banned seriously. If the CDN was abused beyond a limit, a super ban was imposed, preventing access to the CDN too.

By elevating the bans to super bans, Nintendo upgraded its security levels. With this, banned users had to search for game updates and firmware files using homebrew tools and connections in order to update their console’s games and firmware. This made things way more difficult for hackers.

Looking into the current scenario, Nintendo does not put a ban on Nintendo accounts. Instead, only your Switch console will be banned. You will still be able to access your Nintendo account on a different Switch device, a personal computer, a3DS, or your mobile phone.

Wrapping It Up

The Nintendo Switch has proved to be one of the best handheld gaming consoles in the market, being seated on the throne for quite some time now. The Switch offers users a wonderful experience to enjoy games and certain applications on the go.

However, the device still lacks certain features which could make the UI more commendable. The most prevalent feature is security. Although Nintendo is super active and is throwing out hackers and mischiefs, it still needs to work harder on its security.

With no option to lock your device and add a passcode, the Nintendo Switch becomes more vulnerable to the threat of theft. If you lose your device, you’re a goner unless you’re very lucky and someone safely returns it to you.

Regardless of that, we hope Nintendo will work on this concern in the future and ensure safety and security for its users. Hopefully, after going through this text, you now know what steps you can take to make your Nintendo Switch more secure by utilizing what you have at the moment. We wish you all the best.

Can You Track a Stolen Nintendo Switch?