Nintendo Switch console error codes: eShop and purchase codes

Switch eShop and purchase codes: what the number tells you

Before you chase an individual code, check three things: that Nintendo's online service is up, that the console's date and time and its software are current, and that the payment method or balance on the account is valid for the region. Write down the full code, with the dash, before searching, because two codes that look alike can mean different things.

Purchase errors are a payment or account problem more often than a console fault. Check that the card details on the Nintendo Account are current and match the billing address, that the card is accepted in your region, and that the account's region matches the eShop you are using. A balance on the account, gift card codes and download codes are handled separately, so a code that fails to redeem is not a payment problem.

If a purchase fails, look at your email and the account's purchase history before trying again, because a payment may have gone through even though the console showed an error. Redeeming a download code needs the code typed exactly, and several wrong attempts in a short time lock redemption for a while. Console date and time that are wrong can also stop the eShop connecting, so set them to automatic.

Nintendo's region rules matter for purchases: a card, a gift card and a download code each belong to a region, and a mismatch between the account region and the card or code produces errors that look like payment failures. If you moved country, change the account's region before buying. If an error appears only on the console, try the same purchase in a web browser on nintendo.com to see whether the account or the console is at fault.

Keep the full error code, the date and the game name if you contact Nintendo support, since they ask for them. Do not enter your card details on a page you reached from an unsolicited message; use the console's eShop or the official site.

When a purchase error persists, work through the account side first: sign in at accounts.nintendo.com on a computer and look at the payment methods, the region and any notices about the account. Remove an expired card and add it again, check for a temporary hold from your bank and make sure the date and time on the console are set automatically. If a download code will not redeem, make sure the code is for the console's region and has not been used. Nintendo's online services page shows outages that cause temporary eShop errors.