Information:

An Error Message is received during the system update, after which the Nintendo eShop and System Settings are inaccessible.

What To Do:

If this issue persists, please call us at 1-800-255-3700 for further assistance. Representatives are available seven days a week from 6 am to 7 pm Pacific time.

Situation:

• The system is not counting steps when it is closed
• The system responds incorrectly or not at all when playing a game with motion controls

Important Note! During normal operation, steps will only register when the system is closed and in Sleep Mode.

What to do:

1. Check the software manual to make sure the game supports motion controls.
2. Turn off the Nintendo 3DS and close it.
3. Remove any game cards that are in the unit.
4. Grasp the system along the edge that has the game Card slot.
5. Gently slap the bottom of the system (near the serial number sticker) into the palm of your hand.
6. Turn the system on and make a note of the number of steps displayed on the HOME Menu.
7. Close the system (this puts it into Sleep Mode) and shake it gently with both hands five or six times.
8. Open the system and check to see if it registered any steps.
• Additional information on steps can be found in the Operations Manual.

Still Not Resolved:

• If the Nintendo 3DS still responds incorrectly to motion or does not respond at all, it will need to be repaired. To begin the repair process, click here.

Situation:

• The HOME Menu icons spin rapidly on the upper screen

Information:

• This is a normal feature of the Nintendo 3DS.
  • There are different animations built in for different applications
  • These animations are affected by the motion of the system
  • These animations are also affected by sound (input from the microphone)
  • If the system is in a loud setting, such as outdoors, in traffic, or a café, the ambient noise may be causing the icons to spin quickly
• Try reducing noise around the system to see if the icons slow.
• Try setting the system on a stationary surface.

Still Not Resolved?

• If the HOME Menu icons are still spinning rapidly regardless of environment, the system will need to be repaired. Please click here for the repair options in your country.

Situation:

• The Nintendo 3DS is not receiving Play Coins
• Play Coins are not registering

Important Note! During normal operation, steps will only register when the system is powered on and in Sleep Mode (closed).

Information:

• After 100 steps the Nintendo 3DS will earn one Play Coin.
• Up to 10 Play Coins can be collected in one day, up to a maximum of 300 Play Coins at one time.
• A maximum of seven days’ worth of steps and play-time data can be recorded while Nintendo DS or Nintendo DSi software titles are left running. The software must be exited once during that time to save the recorded step data.

Still Not Resolved?

• If the above information did not help resolve the issue, try the troubleshooting "Not Accurately Registering Motion or Counting Steps."

Situation:

• Media files (audio, video, Flash, etc) will not play on the Nintendo 3DS Browser

Information:

This is normal, as the Nintendo 3DS Internet Browser does not support any form of streaming media, including movies and sound.

Related Articles:

Situation:

• Certain graphics / images will not load on the Nintendo 3DS Internet Browser

Information:

Websites that use Flash, PDFs, Java and so forth, cannot be displayed. Additionally, the Nintendo 3DS Browser cannot download any plug-ins of any kind.

Related Articles:

Situation:

• Websites accessed via the Nintendo 3DS Internet Browser are not loading, or are loading very slowly

Situation:

• Error Message: "Cookies Not Enabled"
• Appears when accessing certain websites

Important Note!

• There is no way to disable cookies on the Nintendo 3DS Browser. Cookies are always turned on.

What to do:

1. Delete the cookies associated to the Browser, and try accessing the website again. (How to)
2. If it is still not working, then there may be some sort of compatibility issue between the website and the Browser.

Related Articles:

Situation:

• Unable to adjust the depth when taking 3D pictures or the pictures appear blurry or grainy

Important Note!

• The inner camera is designed to only take 2D pictures.
• The depth slider is used to adjust the 3D effect when taking pictures with the outer cameras.

What to do:

• Check the lenses of the outer cameras for dust or dirt, and clean them if necessary. (How to)
• Do not point the cameras directly into strong light sources.
• Check Parental Controls to see if "Display of 3D Images" is restricted. (How to)
• If the image seems out of alignment, try calibrating the outer cameras. (How to)

Still Not Resolved:

• If the Nintendo 3DS is still unable to take a clear 3D picture, it will need to be repaired. To begin the repair process, click here.

Related Articles:
How to Clean the Camera Lenses
3D Image Troubleshooting

Situation:

• When trying to enter the Nintendo eShop, a message displays that you must first agree to the user agreements

Important Note!

• Before entering the shop, the User Agreements must be accepted from the System Settings.

What to do:

1. From the HOME menu, select "System Settings."
2. Select "Internet Settings," then "Other Information."
3. Select "User Agreement," then "View User Agreement."
4. Select the language, then select "I Accept."

Situation:

• A downloaded game or application is experiencing problems such as freezing, error messages, etc

What to do:

1. Use the Nintendo 3DS Download Repair Tool to check the game or application for errors and repair if necessary. (How To)
2. Even if no errors are found, you can choose to run the repair tool.
3. Start the game or application again to see if the problem is still happening.

Still Not Resolved:

• The problem is not with the game or application. Click here to see the Nintendo 3DS system troubleshooting.

Situation:

• When attempting to add funds with a credit card, a billing address error appears

Situation:

• A Nintendo 3DS Prepaid Card was purchased from another region

Important Note! Currently, Nintendo 3DS Prepaid cards are only available for use with consoles in the United States of America.

What to do:

• Nintendo 3DS Prepaid cards are only intended for use with systems from the same region.
• We are unable to exchange Nintendo 3DS Prepaid Cards designed for sale in one region for prepaid cards in another region.
• We recommend you work with the retailer you purchased the card from, or find another use for it, such as giving it as a gift.

Situation:

• When attempting to download from the Nintendo eShop, a message appears that says the battery is low, and it won't download the item.

What to do:

• The system will need to be plugged in or placed on the charging cradle to continue with the transaction. This safety feature was added to prevent the system from shutting off in the middle of a download and possibly corrupting the data as a result.

Situation:

• The prices in the Nintendo eShop are showing in a different currency (for example, MX$ 2.99)

What to do:

• Prices in the Nintendo eShop are based on the region the Nintendo 3DS system is currently set to. Update the system's region settings to the correct region. (How to)

Situation:

• A digital download version of a game is taking a long time to download to the system.

Information:

• The time it takes a game to download varies, and is dependent on the title being downloaded.
• Due to the larger and variable size of these titles, some downloads could take some time. Additionally, factors such as the speed of your Internet connection will affect the amount of time it takes to download a game.
• For additional system stability, try connecting your Nintendo 3DS system to the Nintendo 3DS AC Adapter when downloading.
• If a download has not completed after several hours, please switch off the console and try again.

Related Articles:
How to Redeem a Download Code

Situation:

• AR Cards have become damaged or lost, and replacement AR Cards are needed

What to do:

1. Click here to download the AR Card images.
2. Print the AR Cards. These print outs provide the same functionality as the AR cards and can be used as replacements.

Situation:

• The Nintendo 3DS cameras are not recognizing the AR Card

Important Note! You must start AR Games using the Question Mark Card.

What to do:

• Check the distance and the angle from the AR Card. The Nintendo 3DS system should be 14 inches away and be held at a 30 degree angle relative to the card.
• Make sure the card is centered on the screen.
• Make sure the game play area is well-lit.
• Make sure a bright light source is not reflecting off the card.
• Make sure the camera lenses are clean. (How to)
• Make sure the card is not damaged or dirty.
• Print a new set of cards from support.nintendo.com/ARcards

Still Not Resolved:

Related Articles:
How to Start Using AR Games
How to Use The Star Pics Feature (Character Cards)
AR Card Replacements (Lost or Damaged)
How to Clean the Camera lens

Situation:

• The system is freezing (locking-up) when attempting to use the camera

What to do:

1. Hold down the POWER button to power off the system.
2. Continue to use the system to see if the error reoccurs.
3. General system stability can be improved by applying the System Update that was made available on March 24th, 2011. Try applying this System Update and see if the issue improves. (How to)

Still Not Resolved:

• The system will need to be repaired. Please click here for the repair options in your country.

Situation:

• Error Message: Error Has Occurred while attempting to load the Nintendo 3DS Camera application

What to do:

1. Hold down the POWER button to power off the system.
2. Continue to use the system to see if the error reoccurs.
3. General system stability can be improved by applying the System Update that was made available on March 24th, 2011. Try applying this System Update and see if the issue improves. (How to)

Still Not Resolved:

• The system will need to be repaired. Please click here for the repair options in your country.

Related Articles:

Situation:

• No sound is coming out of the speakers
• Sound is faint, even at the highest volume setting
• Sound is only coming from one speaker

What to do:

1. Turn the power off, then back on to reach the HOME Menu.
2. Slowly turn the volume all the way up.

• If sound can be heard clearly, the problem could be with a game or a feature's settings. Check the game manual for additional information.

Still Not Resolved:

• If the speakers are still not functioning properly, the system will need to be repaired. Please click here for the repair options in your country.

Related Articles:
Volume or Sound Quality Problems

Situation:

• One or more songs do not play or are missing segments
• Music skips or stops during playback

What to do:

• Check for compatible music file extensions (.mp3, .m4a, .mp4, .3gp)

• File formats cannot be successfully changed by typing in a different file extension and must be converted. (How to)
• MP3 files must have .mp3 as the file extension

• Check if the music file is copy-protected. (How to)
• Make sure none of the music files are in the Nintendo 3DS folder on the SD card.
• Delete the picture file associated to the file's album.
• Convert the music files to another compatible file type.

Still Not Resolved:

• If music still won't play after trying the above, the system will need to be repaired. Please click here for the repair options in your country.

Related Articles:
How to Save Music Files to an SD Card

Situation:

• The Nintendo 3DS camera is unable to detect or recognize a face
• The Nintendo 3DS camera is recognizing a face, but the gender or age descriptions are incorrect

Important Note!

• The surrounding environment, hair or beard color, facial and hair decorations, can all interfere with facial recognition.
• Differences in facial features may make the facial recognition process fail.

What to do:

• Take photos in a well-lit area.
• Face the screen directly, and not from an angle.
• Move bangs or hair out of your face so the cameras can recognize your eyebrows.
• If you wear glasses, remove them.
• Clean the camera lenses. (How to)

These symptoms are not the result of a broken or defective unit, so a repair or replacement will not stop this from happening.

Continue to experiment with the suggested tips above to see if you can resolve the issue.

Situation:

• The system's upper screen goes black or blank, but the system isn't frozen or locked-up
• Can occur while using the outer cameras
• Can occur during game play

What to do:

1. Press and hold the POWER Button down until the system powers off. Then power the system back on.
2. General system stability can be improved by applying the System Update that was made available on March 24th, 2011. Try applying this System Update and see if the issue improves. (How To)

Still Not Resolved?

• If the Nintendo 3DS system's upper screen sill goes blank, the system will need to be repaired. Please click here for the repair options in your country.

Situation:

• Unable to add friends to the Friend List feature via wireless communications or the Internet

Important Notes!

• The friend list feature is available only when using Nintendo 3DS software titles.
• Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi titles have built-in friend list features.

What to do:

• Check the Parental Controls to see if “Friend Registration” has been restricted. (How to)

• Make sure wireless communications is enabled. (How to)

• Check to see if the friend is already registered in the Friend List.

• The system cannot register the same friend more than once.

• Make sure there are not more than 100 friends in the Friend List.

• The system is unable to register more than 100 friends at a time.

• Friend registration is not complete until both users complete the registration for each other. (How to)

Still Not Resolved:

• If the system is still unable to register friends, it will need to be repaired. Please click here for the repair options in your country.

Situation:

• The Nintendo 3DS is unable to exchange StreetPass data with a specific user or group of users
• The Nintendo 3DS is unable to StreetPass with systems it has previously exchanged data with

Important Note!

• After exchanging StreetPass data with someone you will be unable to exchange with them again for a minimum of 8 hours.
• If you recently performed a system transfer, both systems need to be run through the setup process and StreetPass needs to be enabled on both systems before they will be able to exchange StreetPass data.

What to do:

• Make sure wireless communication is enabled.
• Make sure the software in use has StreetPass activated. (For information on activating StreetPass for a specific title, refer to the software manual.)
• Clear your blocked-user settings. The person you are trying to exchange with may have been accidentally blocked by you during a previous exchange.
• Deactivate StreetPass for the application in question. (How To)

  • If you are having trouble with multiple applications, deactivate StreetPass for StreetPass Mii Plaza.

• Reactivate StreetPass for the title in question by launching the software from the HOME Menu.
• Put both systems into sleep mode and wait a few minutes to see if they exchange StreetPass data.

Still Not Resolved?

If the above troubleshooting does not resolve the issue, please call us at 001 (425) 558-7078. Representatives are available from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., Pacific Time, 7 days a week.

Situation:

What to do:

• Make sure your wireless communication is enabled.
• Make sure the software in use has SpotPass activated. (For information on activating SpotPass for a specific title, refer to the software manual.)
• The speed of your connection depends on your location’s specific Wi-Fi network and the number of people accessing the network simultaneously. Ensure you are within an ideal range of an access point so the strongest possible signal is received.
• You may not have the latest system update on your device. For more information, please go to the System Update Page

Situation:

• Hats or other Mii accessories unlocked in StreetPass Mii Plaza aren't appearing in the Mii Maker

Information:

• Items or accessories unlocked while playing StreetPass Mii Plaza are only usable in StreetPass Mii Plaza. They are not accessible from the Mii Maker.

Situation:

• When purchasing Puzzle Pieces with Play Coins some are duplicates

Information:

The puzzle pieces purchased with Play Coins are randomly selected for any incomplete puzzle. There is no way to guarantee which piece will be purchased.

If the purchased piece has already been received by a player, a new piece will not be generated.

Related Articles:

Situation:

• General troubleshooting for issues in the StreetPass Mii Plaza
• Includes any features within the StreetPass Mii Plaza (StreetPass Map, Puzzle Swap, etc)

What to Do:

• General system stability can be improved by applying the current System Update. Try applying this System Update and see if the issue improves. (How To)

Still Not Resolved?

• If the system is still experiencing issues after performing the update, it will need to be repaired. To start the repair process, please click here for the repair options in your country.

Situation:

• There is an offensive Mii character in the StreetPass Mii Plaza

What to do:

1. From the HOME Menu select StreetPass Mii Plaza, and tap "Open."
2. Using the Circle Pad or Directional Pad, select the Offensive Mii and press the A button.
3. Select "Delete" and press the A button.
4. Select "Delete" again and press the A button.
5. Select "Delete" a final time, and press the A button.
6. Select "Block" to prevent that user from being able to send further Mii characters.
   • If "Don't Block" is selected future Mii characters from that creator may show up on your system via StreetPass Mii Plaza.

Related Articles:

Situation:

• The system is freezing (locking-up) while playing Face Raiders

What to do:

1. Hold down the POWER button to power off the system.
2. Continue to use the system to see if the error reoccurs.
3. General system stability can be improved by applying the System Update that was made available on March 24th, 2011. Try applying this System Update and see if the issue improves. (How to)

Still Not Resolved:

• The system will need to be repaired. Please click here for the repair options in your country.

Situation:

• The video is not recording in 3D

Important Notes!

• The inner camera is designed to only record in 2D.
• The depth slider is used to adjust the 3D effect when shooting video with the outer cameras.

What To Do:

• Only systems with menu version 3.0.0 or higher can record video in 3D. Make sure the system has been updated to the correct version. (How To)
• Check to ensure the 3D depth slider is pushed up. A small 3D square will appear in the top right corner if 3D is being used.
• Verify that the SD Card is inserted correctly. (How To)
• Check the lenses of the outer cameras for dust or dirt, and clean them if necessary. (How To)
• Do not point the cameras directly into strong light sources.
• Check Parental Controls to see if “Display of 3D Images” is restricted. (How To)
• If the image seems out of alignment, try calibrating the outer cameras. (How To)

Situation Not Resolved:

If the above troubleshooting does not resolve the situation, the Nintendo 3DS system will need to be repaired. To begin the repair process, click here.

Situation:

• The PIN set when saving credit card information has been forgotten

Important Note!

Once deleted, credit card information cannot be recovered.

Information:

• The system will allow three attempts to enter the correct PIN for using the saved credit card information. After three failed attempts, the credit card information is deleted and must be completely re-entered the next time funds are added.
• Nintendo is unable to unlock or recover credit card information.

Related Articles:

How to Add Funds with a Credit Card
Do I Have to Save My Credit Card Information in the Nintendo eShop?
Can I Access Credit Card Information Stored in the Nintendo eShop?

Situation:

• The error message "This QR Code is not supported" is displayed when attempting to scan a QR Code

Important Note!

Click here if the upper screen is blank.

What To Do:

• Mii Maker QR Codes can only be read through the Mii Maker application.
• Verify that the QR Code is being scanned correctly. (How To)
• The Nintendo 3DS can only scan QR Codes for Nintendo eShop or for a website address. Verify that the QR Code is one that the system should be able to read.
• Try scanning a test QR Code.

  

• If a vital portion of the QR Code is blurry, obscured, altered, or missing, the camera will not scan it.
• If more than one image or QR Code is inside the frame, the camera may not be able to scan accurately.
• If scanning a QR Code on a Nintendo 3DS Prepaid Card, try using the Activation Number to add funds if the QR Code will not scan.

Situation Not Resolved:

If the Nintendo 3DS is still unable to scan QR Codes, the system may need to be repaired. Click here to begin the repair process.

Situation:

• A note in Swapnote states that it cannot be opened until a specific date. No date is available

Information:

• Date stamping is an unlockable feature in Swapnote.
• Notes can be locked for up to 7 days from the day they are sent.
• Date stamped notes can be opened and replied to normally on and after the specified date.

Related Articles:
How to Unlock Features in Swapnote

Situation:

• I did not receive a special note with a promotional item.

What To Do:

• Special Notes are only transmitted for a limited time.
• Make sure Swapnote is set up to receive special notes. (How To)
• Some promotional items are only viewable once all features are unlocked.
• Some promotional notes will only be received after the related game has been played on the system.

Related Articles:
How to Change Parental Controls

Situation:

• When accessing Swapnote, you receive error message: Could not repair the note-management file. Please press HOME to return to the HOME Menu.

Important Note! All saved notes will be deleted when deleting the Swapnote Extra Data.

What to Do:

• Delete the Swapnote Extra Data. (How To)

Still Not Resolved?

• If the error occurs after the Extra Data has been deleted, the system will need to be repaired. Please click here for the repair options in your country.