Virtual Game Card Guide
Information about using virtual game cards on your Nintendo Switch console.
Information
The digital games and DLC you purchase through Nintendo eShop are treated as virtual game cards on your Nintendo Switch console. This allows you to digitally load and eject your virtual game cards like you would a physical game card. For example, if you own two Nintendo Switch consoles, you can eject a virtual game card from one console and then load it to the second console.
When a virtual game card for a game or DLC is loaded to a console, it can be played even if the console is not connected to the internet, and other users who are on that console can also play the game or DLC.
You can also lend your games to your Nintendo Account family group members so they can check out the games for themselves.
Getting started with Virtual Game Cards
Your virtual game cards are accessed through Virtual Game Cards on the HOME Menu. Once linked together, you can freely swap your virtual game cards back and forth between up to two consoles as long as they are powered on (or in sleep mode) and have an active internet connection. All other users on your consoles that can load virtual game cards can also play your games or DLC if they are loaded to the console.
If you have not previously loaded virtual game cards on any of your consoles, choose a console you would like to use and make sure it has the latest system update.
When your console is up to date, select Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu to start using your virtual game cards.
Message: A system can be linked with a max of one other system.
This message appears if you already have two consoles that can load virtual game cards associated with your Nintendo Account. If you want to play your digital content on a different console, you have two options:
Change which two consoles can load virtual game cards, as described below.
Review the options described in How to Play Your Games Across Multiple Nintendo Switch Systems if you want to play your games on more than two consoles.
Your can have up to two consoles that can load virtual game cards associated with your Nintendo Account. If you would like to load your virtual game cards on a second console, you will first need to link the consoles—you only need to perform this linking process once, unless you have more than two consoles and want to change which can load virtual game cards.
Follow these steps to link two of your consoles so they can both load your virtual game cards:
Bring the console that can already load your virtual game cards and the second console where you want to load virtual game cards close to each other.
No access to any of the consoles that can load virtual game cards.
If you no longer have access to any of your existing consoles that can load virtual game cards, please contact us for assistance.
Connect both consoles to the internet.
For more information, see How to Connect to the Internet Using a Wireless Network.
Link your Nintendo Account to a user on the second console, if you have not already done so.
For more information, including how to create and link a new Nintendo Account, see How to Link a Nintendo Account to Nintendo Switch.
On the second console:
Select Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
Select the user linked to your Nintendo Account.
If you have enabled user verification, you may be prompted to confirm your identity by re-entering your password or entering a PIN .
Forgot password
If you have forgotten your password, please follow Forgot Nintendo Account Sign-in Info (Email Address, Password, Sign-in ID).
Forgot PIN or entered PIN incorrectly
For more information about user verification, read the User-Verification Settings Guide.
Select one of your virtual game cards that you would like to load on this console.
Select Load on This System .
Select Next.
Bring the console that can already load virtual game cards close to this console and select Systems Are Close Enough.
On the original console:
Select Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
Select the user linked to your Nintendo Account.
If you have enabled user verification, you may be prompted to confirm your identity by re-entering your password or entering a PIN .
Forgot password
If you have forgotten your password, please follow Forgot Nintendo Account Sign-in Info (Email Address, Password, Sign-in ID).
Forgot PIN or entered PIN incorrectly
For more information about user verification, read the User-Verification Settings Guide.
A message about linking to another console will appear. Select Link.
The linking process will begin. Select OK when it is complete.
If prompted, select Load on This System to load the virtual game card you selected earlier on the newly linked console.
These two consoles are now linked and you can load your virtual game cards on both consoles, even if they are not close to each other.
Note that game save data is associated with your Nintendo Account and the console you play on. If you want to use the same save data on both consoles, you can transfer the data or use the Save Data Cloud Backup feature if you have a Nintendo Switch Online membership.
How to transfer save data from one console to another
Transferring save data will remove the save data from the source console and move it to the target console.
You can transfer save data as often as you need.
For details, read How to Transfer Your Save Data To a Nearby Nintendo Switch Console.
How to use Save Data Cloud Backup
For more details, read How to Back Up Save Data on Nintendo Switch and How to Download Save Data Cloud Backups.
You can load the virtual game cards associated with your Nintendo Account on up to two consoles. If you have more than two consoles or are replacing a console with a new one, you can change which consoles can load your virtual game cards.
What if I have more than two consoles that I want to use?
If you have more than two consoles that you want to use to play your digital games, please read How to Play Your Games Across Multiple Nintendo Switch Systems.
To change which two consoles can load your virtual game cards, follow these steps:
Bring at least one of your consoles that can load virtual game cards and the new console you want to use close to each other.
No access to either of the consoles that can load virtual game cards.
If you no longer have access to either of your existing consoles that can load virtual game cards, please contact us for assistance.
Link your Nintendo Account to a user on the new console you want to use to load virtual game cards, if you have not already done so.
For more information, including how to create and link a new Nintendo Account, see How to Link a Nintendo Account to Nintendo Switch.
On the new console:
Select Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
Select a virtual game card you would like to load on the new console.
Select Load on This System.
Select Next.
A message will appear indicating that you already have two linked consoles that can load virtual game cards. Select Next.
Review the information about your two consoles that are currently linked, and select Unlink next to the one you want to unlink.
Select Unlink again.
Message: The system you want to unlink is offline.
Select OK.
Make sure the consoles that will be linked are close to each other, then select Systems Are Close Enough.
On the console that can already load virtual game cards:
Select Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
Select the user linked to your Nintendo Account.
If you have enabled user verification, you may be prompted to confirm your identity by re-entering your password or entering a PIN .
Forgot password
If you have forgotten your password, please follow Forgot Nintendo Account Sign-in Info (Email Address, Password, Sign-in ID).
Forgot PIN or entered PIN incorrectly
For more information about user verification, read the User-Verification Settings Guide.
A message about linking to another console will appear. Select Link.
The linking process will begin. Select OK when it is complete.
If prompted, select Load on This System to load the virtual game card on the newly linked console.
Using Virtual Game Cards
To play your virtual game cards, you need to load them on one of your two consoles that can load virtual game cards. You can freely load and eject them between your two consoles, just like physical games, and you can load as many of them as you want on either console as long as you have enough space to download them—you do not need to eject a virtual game card to load a different one on the same console.
Select Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
Select the user linked to your Nintendo Account.
If you have enabled user verification, you may be prompted to confirm your identity by re-entering your password or entering a PIN .
Forgot password
If you have forgotten your password, please follow Forgot Nintendo Account Sign-in Info (Email Address, Password, Sign-in ID).
Forgot PIN or entered PIN incorrectly
For more information about user verification, read the User-Verification Settings Guide.
Select the game you want to load from the list of your virtual game cards.
How to load multiple virtual game cards at once
When in the virtual game card menu, press X to open the Quick Load menu.
Select all of the virtual game cards you want to load.
Select Load (or press the + button).
Select OK.
If the games were not previously downloaded to this console, the icons for them will appear on the HOME Menu and they will begin downloading automatically.
Select Load on This System.
Loading to a different console
If you have a second console where you can load virtual game cards, you can instead select Load on Other System to eject the virtual game card from this console and load it to your other console (if it is online and powered on or in sleep mode).
Game has been lent to a family member
If you have loaned this virtual game card to someone else, you will not be able to load it to your console until the game is returned after fourteen days, the borrower returns it, or you retrieve it by selecting Collect from Family Group Member.
Message: Unable to load because the software is currently being played.
This indicates that the game you are trying to load is currently being played on your other console that can load virtual game cards. Close the game on the other console, then try to load the virtual game card on this console again.
If you do not have access to your other console because it was lost or stolen, you will need to unlink that console as one of your consoles that can load virtual game cards.
Message: Couldn't collect because the other user's system is offline.
This indicates that the game you are trying to load is currently loaded on your other console that can load virtual game cards, and that console is powered off or not connected to the internet.
Turn the other console on and connect it to the internet, then try to load the virtual game card on this console again.
If you do not have access to your other console because it was lost or stolen, you will need to unlink that console as one of your consoles that can load virtual game cards.
The icon for the game will appear on the HOME Menu—all users on the console where the game is loaded can now play the game.
If the game was not previously installed on the console where you loaded it, the game will begin downloading automatically from Nintendo eShop if the console is powered on or in sleep mode and connected to the internet.
Instead of swapping your virtual game cards between your consoles using the consoles themselves, you can sign in to your Nintendo Account on the Nintendo Account portal and load and eject your virtual game cards from your two consoles that can load virtual game cards.
Visit the Nintendo Account portal.
Select Virtual Game Cards.
Select the game you would like to manage.
Select Load on System (or Load on Other System, if the game is already loaded on a console).
Select the console you would like to load the game to, then select Load .
Message: Couldn't load because target system isn't connected
Virtual game cards can only be loaded on a console if that console is connected to the internet and powered on or in sleep mode. Make sure the console is on and connected to the internet, then try to load the virtual game card onto it again.
Select OK.
How to eject a single virtual game card
Select Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
Select the user linked to your Nintendo Account.
If you have enabled user verification, you may be prompted to confirm your identity by re-entering your password or entering a PIN .
Forgot password
If you have forgotten your password, please follow Forgot Nintendo Account Sign-in Info (Email Address, Password, Sign-in ID).
Forgot PIN or entered PIN incorrectly
For more information about user verification, read the User-Verification Settings Guide.
Select the game you want to eject from the list of your virtual game cards.
Select Options.
Select Eject from This System.
Select OK twice.
How to eject all of the virtual game cards currently loaded on a console
Select Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
Select the user linked to your Nintendo Account.
If you have enabled user verification, you may be prompted to confirm your identity by re-entering your password or entering a PIN .
Forgot password
If you have forgotten your password, please follow Forgot Nintendo Account Sign-in Info (Email Address, Password, Sign-in ID).
Forgot PIN or entered PIN incorrectly
For more information about user verification, read the User-Verification Settings Guide.
Press X to open the Quick Load menu.
Press X again.
Select Eject All to eject all currently loaded virtual game cards.
Select OK.
How to hide a game or DLC from your list of virtual game cards
Select Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
Select the user linked to your Nintendo Account.
If you have enabled user verification, you may be prompted to confirm your identity by re-entering your password or entering a PIN .
Forgot password
If you have forgotten your password, please follow Forgot Nintendo Account Sign-in Info (Email Address, Password, Sign-in ID).
Forgot PIN or entered PIN incorrectly
For more information about user verification, read the User-Verification Settings Guide.
Select the game or DLC you want to hide.
Select Options.
Select Hide twice to hide the game from the list of your virtual game cards.
Note that you can still perform various actions with hidden virtual game cards, like loading them in order to play or lending them to family members. To do so, follow the steps below to view your hidden virtual game cards.
How to view a hidden virtual game card
Select Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
Select the user linked to your Nintendo Account.
If you have enabled user verification, you may be prompted to confirm your identity by re-entering your password or entering a PIN .
Forgot password
If you have forgotten your password, please follow Forgot Nintendo Account Sign-in Info (Email Address, Password, Sign-in ID).
Forgot PIN or entered PIN incorrectly
For more information about user verification, read the User-Verification Settings Guide.
Scroll down and select Can't Find Software?.
Select View Hidden Virtual Game Cards.
If prompted, sign in to your Nintendo Account.
The list of your hidden virtual game cards will appear. They can be used from this list just as if they were not hidden.
How to unhide a hidden virtual game card
Select Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
Select the user linked to your Nintendo Account.
If you have enabled user verification, you may be prompted to confirm your identity by re-entering your password or entering a PIN .
Forgot password
If you have forgotten your password, please follow Forgot Nintendo Account Sign-in Info (Email Address, Password, Sign-in ID).
Forgot PIN or entered PIN incorrectly
For more information about user verification, read the User-Verification Settings Guide.
Scroll down and select Can't Find Software?.
Select View Hidden Virtual Game Cards.
If prompted, sign in to your Nintendo Account.
Select the virtual game card you would like to unhide.
Select Options.
Select Unhide. The virtual game card will now appear again in the list of all of your virtual game cards.
Lending Virtual Game Cards to family members
Just like with physical game cards, you can lend your virtual game cards to other people. Keep in mind that you will not be able to play games that you lend out to other people, and you don't necessarily need to lend out games to share them—any user on one of your consoles that can load virtual game cards can play any of your virtual game cards loaded to the console.
There are some restrictions for lending virtual game cards:
You and the borrower must have your consoles in proximity to each other to lend or borrow a virtual game card.
The borrower must be part of your Nintendo Account family group
Up to 8 Nintendo Account users can connect together into one family group. Members can have various roles, including supervised accounts (usually for children), parent/guardian accounts who can manage restrictions for supervised accounts, and the family admin that manages the group. Nintendo Switch Online family membership benefits are shared to all family group members.
You can lend up to three virtual game cards at a time.
The borrower can only borrow one game at a time—they cannot borrow games from multiple different people at once.
You can only lend one virtual game card at a time to a particular console, even if multiple family members have users on that console.
You cannot lend a virtual game card to a console that has users from multiple different family groups on the console.
When you lend a game, any DLC you have purchased is also lent.
Virtual game cards can be lent to a family member for 14 days, after which they are automatically returned and can be lent out again. The borrower can return them early if they are done playing—you can also retrieve them early if necessary.
Bring one of your consoles that can load Virtual Game Cards and the console of the person that you want to lend the game card to close to each other.
Make sure both consoles are connected to the internet.
For more information, see How to Connect a Nintendo Switch Console to the Internet Using a Wireless Network.
Select Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu on your console.
Select the user linked to your Nintendo Account.
If you have enabled user verification, you may be prompted to confirm your identity by re-entering your password or entering a PIN .
Forgot password
If you have forgotten your password, please follow Forgot Nintendo Account Sign-in Info (Email Address, Password, Sign-in ID).
Forgot PIN or entered PIN incorrectly
For more information about user verification, read the User-Verification Settings Guide.
Select the game you want to lend to your family member from the list of your virtual game cards.
Select Lend to Family Group Member.
Select Select a User to Lend To.
Choose who you want to lend the virtual game card to from the list of your Nintendo Account family members. Be sure to choose someone whose Nintendo Account is linked to a user on the console you want to lend the game to.
Desired user does not appear
This means the person you want to lend the game to is not a member of your family group. You can only lend games to members of your family group—add them to your family group, then try lending them the game again.
Message: Cannot lend this user virtual game cards right now. You can lend each person only one game at a time.
This means you have already lent that user a game—you can only lend one virtual game card at a time to each borrower. If you would like to let them borrow a different game, ask them to return the one they are currently borrowing, or retrieve the game that you have currently lent to them:
Select the game they are currently borrowing from the list of your virtual game cards.
Select Collect from Family Group Member.
Select Collect to confirm.
When the lent game has been returned, you can lend them a different game.
Select Lend.
Select Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu on the console with the user that will borrow the game.
Select the user that will borrow the game.
Have them enter their PIN or their Nintendo Account password, if prompted.
Select Borrow on the console with the user that will borrow the game.
Message: Unable to find the other user's system. Please try again.
Select OK, move the consoles closer to each other, and try again.
Message: You cannot borrow any more virtual game cards.
This indicates that the borrower has already borrowed a virtual game card from someone. They can only borrow one virtual game card at once—have them return the currently borrowed game, then try borrowing this game again.
Message: You cannot borrow any more virtual game cards on this system.
This indicates that someone else with a user on this console has already borrowed a virtual game card. Each console can only have one borrowed game card at once—have the person who is borrowing the other game return that game, then try borrowing this game again.
Message: You cannot borrow on this system because at least one of the users is in a different family group.
This indicates that one or more other users on this console are in different family group from the person trying to borrow this game. Members of a family group can only lend virtual game cards to other members of that family group.
To borrow a virtual game card with this console, perform one of the following:Ask the user(s) who are in the other family group to leave their family group and join yours instead.
Transfer the user(s) who are in the other family group to a different console.
Delete the user(s) who are in the other family groups from this console.
Note that you will not be able to play the lent virtual game card until the game is returned after fourteen days, the borrower returns it early, or you retrieve it.
The person that borrowed the virtual game card can now play the game (including any DLC you may have purchased) for up to fourteen days.
Note that you will not be able to play the lent virtual game card until the game is returned after fourteen days, the borrower returns it early, or you retrieve it.
Select Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
Select the user linked to your Nintendo Account.
If you have enabled user verification, you may be prompted to confirm your identity by re-entering your password or entering a PIN.
Forgot password
If you have forgotten your password, please follow Forgot Nintendo Account Sign-in Info (Email Address, Password, Sign-in ID).
Forgot PIN or entered PIN incorrectly
For more information about user verification, read the User-Verification Settings Guide.
Select the game you want to return from the list of your virtual game cards.
Select Return to Family Group Member.
Select Return to confirm.
Select Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
Select the user linked to your Nintendo Account.
If you have enabled user verification, you may be prompted to confirm your identity by re-entering your password or entering a PIN.
Forgot password
If you have forgotten your password, please follow Forgot Nintendo Account Sign-in Info (Email Address, Password, Sign-in ID).
Forgot PIN or entered PIN incorrectly
For more information about user verification, read the User-Verification Settings Guide.
Select the game you want to retrieve from the list of your virtual game cards.
Select Collect from Family Group Member.
Select Collect to confirm.
Message: The system you're trying to collect from is offline.
This indicates that the console you lent the game to is currently turned off or offline. Ask the person who borrowed it to turn their system on, connect it to the internet, and return the game to you.
Note that if you are unable to contact the borrower, the game will be returned automatically at the end of the 14 day lending period.
Message: The game is being played on the borrower's system.
This indicates that the person you lent the game to is currently playing the game. You can wait to retrieve the game until after they are done playing, or ask them to stop playing and return the game to you.
Note that if you are unable to contact the borrower, the game will be returned automatically at the end of the 14 day lending period.
Playing your games on more than two consoles
If you have more than two consoles that you want to use to play your digital games, please read How to Play Your Games Across Multiple Nintendo Switch Systems.