How to Track a Stolen Nintendo Switch? [Explained Here]

There’s always a chance that if you carry your Nintendo Switch around, it can be lost or stolen. It’s a scary proposition, but you can be prepared for it! As they say, there’s no harm in hoping for the best as long as you’re prepared for the best!

So, how can you track a stolen Nintendo Switch?

Keep reading if you would like to find out more details about tracking a stolen Switch, how you would be able to deactivate a lost Switch, or how to figure out if your Switch is stolen and what will happen if you lose a Switch cartridge.

Is there a Tracking System on Nintendo Switch?

Unfortunately, the Nintendo Switch does not have an included tracking solution. On the brighter side, there are many solutions that you can purchase online. 

A mini device can be attached to your Switch, which connects with a mobile app and informs you of the whereabouts of your Switch using Bluetooth tracking. Therefore, it is limited to proximity but can be a lifesaver if you realize your console is lost when the Switch is still close by and easily recuperable.

This device also has a feature that will send you an alert in case your Switch is within the Bluetooth range of another user using the same device.

Yes, it is not entirely perfect, but it can prevent your Switch from possible theft if you realize it has been lost while it is still within the range of Bluetooth. It is also a better alternative than having no recovery method.

Feel free to check out these devices’ reviews to understand better what the device is and how it works. It can work with almost anything you want to keep track of, for example, your phone or laptop, not just your Nintendo Switch.

How Can You Track A Nintendo Switch?

Knowing the serial number of your Nintendo Switch is the most important thing you need for tracking your console. This serial number is usually found next to the USB-C port at the bottom of the Switch and can also be found in the System Settings menu of the console itself.

If you don’t know the serial number and your console has been stolen, you are probably lucky to have its packaging box within reach still. You will also see that at the bottom of the box, you can find the serial number of your Nintendo Switch model.

If you haven’t lost the box, but you bought your console from a retailer, head over to the store where you bought the console, as at least they should have its serial number in their records.

1. Once you have the serial number,  you can contact Nintendo’s customer support and give them your serial number, and they will then be able to check when was the last time the console was connected to the internet.
2. They will also be able to see the IP address and the city it is in, which should be the same place the thief is.
3. Now that you have received all this information from Nintendo, you can head over straight to the police and file your report by giving them the latest information you acquired from Nintendo.

But also add all the details you know already, such as what your console looks like, when and where it gets stolen, what else has been stolen with it, what games you have on it, and so on – the more details you give, the better.

What if you also have your credit card connected to your Nintendo account? Then you have to make sure to disconnect it as soon as possible to prevent the thief from using it to pay to purchase the games.

Here’s how you can unlink your credit card from the Nintendo account:

How To Unlink a Credit Card From Nintendo Switch?

1. You must log in to your account over at accounts.nintendo.com.
2. Next, you have to click on the Shop Menu.
3. Then you have to find your credit card there, and once you spot it, click on Delete.

How Can I Deactivate A Lost Nintendo Switch?

1. You can go to accounts.nintendo.com and log in to your account from a different device.
2. Then you have to open Shop Menu
3. Then click on “Deregister Primary Console.”
4. Here, you must enter your password and click OK.
5. Then you have to confirm deactivation by pressing Deregister.

Note: You must keep in mind that you can only deactivate a Nintendo Switch only once per year through the web. However, deactivating the account from the console itself can be done as many times as you want.

How Can I Know If My Nintendo Switch Has Been Stolen?

Once stolen, the thief will try to profit from the stolen Switch by reselling it in the illegal market. To be sure that your Switch is genuine, you can check the serial number of your Switch with Nintendo’s support.

They will be able to see if it has been categorized under the Switch labeled as stolen. Then you have to see if the Switch’s serial number matches the serial number of the Switch’s original packaging. You can then contact the police and ask if anyone has reported a missing Switch in your area.

It can be tricky to determine whether your Nintendo Switch has been stolen. But checking whether the serial number on the console is the same as that found on the box will prove to be a good start.

The serial number is written at the bottom of the box and on the bottom-left side of the console, acting as a kind of 2-step verification for the Switch.

If it is the same one on both, it’s most likely not stolen, but if you still have doubts and can’t know for sure, you may want to check with Nintendo’s customer support to see whether that is the case.

Suppose Nintendo’s customer support has no information about the Switch being stolen. In that case, you may want to contact the local police and confirm with them if they have any reports of any missing Nintendo Switch that matches the serial number of the one you have.

If you did not get the essential equipment together with your Switches, such as the charger, its dock, and its controller, then there is a high probability of you having a stolen Switch in your possession – unless, of course, the seller has provided you with the genuine information regarding the absence of things that should come together with the console could not be included with the purchase.

A leftover account still active on your just-bought Switch is a sure sign that your Nintendo Switch has been stolen.

What Will Happen If I Lose A Switch Game?

If you have lost a physical version of a Switch game, your saved data will remain on your console.

But of course, you will have to buy another cartridge of the game whose physical version has been lost to continue playing that game.

You do not have to worry about restarting your progress because of losing the game’s physical version. Your progress should be saved on the console when you were playing it, so once you have bought the game again, you should be easily able to continue from where you left it off.

But what if you have lost your Nintendo Switch console, along with the games? What will happen to the saves in this circumstance?

Well, in such a case, if you are subscribed to the Nintendo Switch Online, your saves should be stored intact in the cloud storage, but if you are not, sadly, your saved files are stuck only on your lost console.

Conclusion

In conclusion, you can invest in accessories to prevent losing your Switch and keep your data saved on the cloud in case you do end up losing the Switch or if it gets damaged so that you’ll still be able to pick up your game where you had left it when you find it again.