How to Cancel Nintendo Online

As the owner of a Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Online is a good way to enjoy Nintendo Switch and classic NES titles for a reasonable price. However, if the time comes when you no longer want to play Nintendo titles, you need to cancel the service to stop being charged. Read on to learn how to cancel Nintendo Online.

How to Cancel a Nintendo Online Subscription

Canceling your Nintendo Online subscription is straightforward, but the exact method depends on whether you do it using a console or computer.

The sections below explain in more detail how to cancel Nintendo Online using your Switch or using a web browser on a computer.

How to Cancel a Nintendo Online Subscription on a Switch Console

The steps outlined below will show you how to cancel Nintendo Online directly on a Switch:

1. Using the Nintendo eShop icon on the HOME Menu, launch the Nintendo eShop.
2. Access your Account Information by tapping on the picture of your icon (in the upper-right corner).
3. Navigate to Nintendo Switch Online (on the left side of the screen).
4. Choose Turn Off Automatic Renewal for your Nintendo Switch Online membership. After auto-renewal is turned off, it cannot be turned on again.

There is no cancellation fee, and you can cancel at any time. However, there are also no refunds for cancellation. Instead, you will continue to have access to Nintendo Online until your subscription expires. To avoid being billed at the end of the period, make sure that you cancel at least 48 hours before the payment is due.

How to Cancel a Nintendo Online Subscription Online

The steps outlined below will show you how to cancel Nintendo Online by logging in to the Nintendo website through a web browser:

1. Go to accounts.nintendo.com.
2. Log in to access your Nintendo Account settings.
3. Click Shop Menu.
4. Choose Nintendo Switch Online.
5. Click Turn Off Automatic Renewal for your Nintendo Switch Online membership. After auto-renewal is turned off, it cannot be turned on again.

You can cancel your subscription at any time. You won’t be charged a cancellation fee. Keep in mind, however, you won’t receive a refund when you cancel. Instead, you will continue to have access to Nintendo Online until your subscription expires. If you want to avoid being billed at the end of the period, make sure you cancel at least 48 hours before the payment is due.

Considerations When Cancelling Nintendo Switch Online

Please also note the following considerations about canceling Nintendo Online:

• Multiplayer: Many Nintendo Switch titles with online multiplayer and co-op features require a Nintendo Online subscription to work. You won’t be able to access the multiplayer features of most games—even ones you own—after you cancel your subscription.
• Save Data Cloud: The cloud backup of your game data will no longer be available to you after you cancel your subscription. This feature will only become available again if you renew your subscription. However, Nintendo makes no guarantee that your cloud save data will be available if you renew after a very long time.
• NES Games: Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Online games are only available to Nintendo Online subscribers, so you will no longer be able to play classic NES games on your Switch after you cancel Nintendo Online

Reasons to Cancel a Nintendo Switch Online Subscription

There are many different reasons you may decide to cancel your Nintendo Online subscription. A few of these are listed below.

1. Selling your console: If you have decided to sell your Switch, there is no reason to maintain a Nintendo Online subscription, because the service does not work for other platforms.
2. Cutting costs: Although subscription services are an affordable way to access hundreds of titles, the cost of a subscription adds up over time, and it may be one of the things you choose to trim from your budget.
3. Lack of interest: Unlike other, multi-platform services, Nintendo Online is only for Nintendo Switch games. If you find you are no longer interested in any of the titles available that would be a good reason to cancel your subscription, perhaps even just temporarily.

Alternatives to Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo Online is not the only gaming subscription service available. If you are willing to change platforms, there are several alternatives to Nintendo Switch Online that you can enjoy.

A few of these alternatives are:

• Apple Arcade
• Xbox Game Pass
• EA Play
• Playstation Now

How Do I Get a Refund on My Nintendo Online Membership?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to get a refund on your Nintendo Online subscription. Nintendo does not offer refunds or credit for the remaining time left in the final billing period after you cancel. However, you will still have full access to the service until the last day of your subscription.

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Final Thoughts 

The process of how to cancel Nintendo Online is straightforward, but the exact way to do it depends on what specific device you are using. Using any device, you will not receive a refund when you cancel your subscription. Instead, you will still have access to all the features until the end of the billing period. After that, you will no longer have access to cloud save data, but you can continue to use saved data that is on the console itself. Several other features of many games will also become unavailable.

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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