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How to Purchase or Download Content in Nintendo Switch eShop

Applies to: Nintendo Switch Family, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, Nintendo Switch - OLED Model

Steps to buy games or DLC from Nintendo eShop with existing funds, by adding funds, or by redeeming a Nintendo Switch Game Voucher.

Before you start

An Internet connection and Nintendo Account are required to access the Nintendo Switch eShop.

Complete these steps

Locate the game you want to purchase, and select it to reach the game details page:
- How to search for content in the Nintendo Switch eShop
  1. Select Nintendo eShop on the HOME Menu to launch the Nintendo eShop.
  2. If there are multiple user accounts on your system, select the account you want to use.
  3. Select the magnifying glass in the upper-left corner to access the Search menu.
  4. Enter a keyword into the keyword field and select Search to search by the keyword. A list of results will appear.
    - If you would like to narrow your search further, you can adjust the Price Range and/or Genre to only display games within the category you set.
  5. After selecting a game title, scroll through the game details to view any available downloadable content.
- Downloadable Content or In-Game Items
  
  Any DLC or In-Game Items associated with the game will also be available through the game details page. Select the individual DLC/item from the game details to proceed with purchasing it.
Select Proceed to Purchase. One of several different options will appear, depending on the game and your funds balance.
- Item already displays as Purchased
  
  Learn more about downloading an item that already displays as Purchased.

Which option appears after selecting Proceed to Purchase? "You can redeem a Nintendo Switch Game Voucher for this software" message The "Confirm Items to Purchase" screen The "You do not have sufficient funds" screen
1. If you want to use one of your Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers for the game, select Redeem Voucher.
  - Prefer to use Nintendo eShop funds
    
    If you prefer to use Nintendo eShop funds to purchase the game, select Proceed to Purchase. You will see one of the other options above.
2. Select Redeem to complete the purchase. The download will begin automatically, and you can check the download status on the HOME Menu.
Review the items, then select Confirm Purchase to buy them. The download will begin automatically, and you can check the download status on the HOME Menu.
- How to use My Nintendo Gold Points towards the purchase
  Enter the number of My Nintendo Gold Points points you want to use, then Next to apply them.
  
  Each Gold Point can be redeemed towards the purchase price at rates that depend on the currency the points were earned in.
  
  For more information on the current value of Gold Points, please see How Much Are My Nintendo Gold Points Worth Towards Digital Purchases?
  
  Select Confirm Purchase to complete the purchase. The download will begin automatically.
Additional funds will need to be added to complete the purchase.
- How to use My Nintendo Gold Points towards the purchase
  Select Redeem Points.
  
  The Redeem Points option will not appear if your Gold Point balance is currently 0.
  
  Enter the number of My Nintendo Gold Points points you want to use, then Next to apply them.
  
  Each Gold Point can be redeemed towards the purchase price at rates that depend on the currency the points were earned in.
  
  For more information on the current value of Gold Points, please see How Much Are My Nintendo Gold Points Worth Towards Digital Purchases?
  
  Add additional funds by using a credit card, a Nintendo eShop Card, or PayPal.
  
  If no additional funds are needed after applying Gold Points, you can select Confirm Purchase to complete the purchase. The download will begin automatically.
How do you want to add funds to purchase the game? Credit Card Nintendo eShop Prepaid Funds Card PayPal Account (U.S., Canada, and Mexico only)
1. Select Credit Card.
  - If you have a credit card stored, you will be prompted to either Use this credit card or Use another credit card. If you are using the stored credit card, you will not need to re-enter the credit card information to complete the purchase.
2. Select the dollar amount that you want to add (Required amount for purchase, $10, $20, $50, or $100).
  - If you select Required amount, any funds already in your current balance will be automatically applied to the game price, and your credit card will be charged for the remainder.
3. Enter the credit card number, expiration date, security code, and billing zip/postal code, and select Next.
  - How to save credit card information
    
    Nintendo Account owners aged 18+ can click the Save box on the credit card entry screen to store credit card information.
  - Accepted credit cards by region
    
    If a Nintendo eShop exists for your region, credit cards issued from your region will not work in a different region’s eShop. (For example, credit cards issued for the U.S. will only work in the Nintendo eShop for North America.)
4. Select Confirm, then Add funds and purchase to complete the purchase. The download will begin automatically, and you can check the download status on the HOME Menu.
1. Select Nintendo eShop Card.
2. Enter the 16-character prepaid code, then select Send.
  - Unused letters and symbols
    
    Any letters and symbols not used with prepaid codes (i.e. O, I, Z, commas, hyphens, etc.) will be disabled from the on-screen keyboard.
3. Select Confirm, then Add funds and purchase to complete the purchase. The download will begin automatically, and you can check the download status on the HOME Menu.
1. Select PayPal.
  - This option is only available to Nintendo Account owners in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, aged 18 years and older.
2. Link your PayPal account to your Nintendo Account, if you have not already done so.
3. Select the dollar amount that you want to add (Required amount for purchase, $10, $20, $50, or $100).
  - If you select Required amount, any funds already in your current balance will be automatically applied to the game price, and your PayPal account will be charged for the remainder.
4. Select Add funds and purchase to complete the purchase. The download will begin automatically, and you can check the download status on the HOME Menu.

Additional information

Details of your Nintendo eShop transaction will be sent to the e-mail address registered to your Nintendo Account after making a purchase.
If you are downloading multiple items at once, you can prioritize which one you would like to download first.
- How to prioritize a download
  1. From the HOME Menu, select the game icon for the download that you would like to prioritize.
    - The download could be the game itself, downloadable content for the game, or a game update.
  2. The “Downloading data…” screen will appear. Select Download Options.
  3. Select Download this software first to prioritize this download over any others that might be in progress.
  4. Select Back to return to the “Downloading data…” screen.
  5. Select Close to return to the HOME Menu.
  For more information, please read How to Prioritize a Download.

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How to Purchase or Download Content in Nintendo Switch eShop

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