Cancel Nintendo Switch Online directly from your console or account
You can stop your Nintendo Switch Online subscription without calling anyone or waiting on hold. Nintendo lets you cancel through your Switch console, your Nintendo Account online, or your device's app store — whichever one you used to start the subscription in the first place. The cancellation takes effect when ready, though you keep access until your current billing period ends.
The method you use depends on where you signed up. If you subscribed through the Nintendo eShop on your Switch, cancel there. If you subscribed through the Nintendo website or a mobile app, cancel in that same place. Cancelling in the wrong location won't work, so knowing where you started matters.
Key Takeaways
- Cancel through the Nintendo eShop on your Switch console by going to your account settings, selecting your subscription, and choosing the cancel option.
- If you subscribed through Nintendo's website, sign into your Nintendo Account, go to Subscriptions, and cancel from there.
- Subscriptions bought through Apple's App Store or Google Play must be cancelled in those apps, not through Nintendo.
- Your access continues until the end of your current billing period even after you cancel, so you don't lose service mid-month.
- Keep your confirmation email as proof the cancellation went through, in case Nintendo charges you again by mistake.
Cancel through the Nintendo eShop on your Switch
Open your Nintendo Switch and go to System Settings. Select Users, then the user account that has the subscription. Choose Nintendo Account Settings, then Subscriptions. You'll see Nintendo Switch Online listed with your current plan (Basic or Expansion Pack). Select it and choose Cancel Subscription. Confirm the cancellation when Nintendo asks you to verify.
After you confirm, Nintendo shows you a cancellation date — the last day you can use the service. Write this date down or take a screenshot. You'll receive a confirmation email at the address linked to your Nintendo Account within a few minutes.
Cancel through your Nintendo Account online
Go to accounts.nintendo.com and sign in with your Nintendo Account email and password. Click on Subscriptions in the left menu. Find Nintendo Switch Online and select Manage. Choose Cancel Subscription, then confirm when prompted.
This method works the same way as cancelling on the console — your service continues until the end of your billing period, and you get a confirmation email. If you have trouble finding the Subscriptions section, make sure you're signed into the correct account. If you have multiple Nintendo Accounts, each one's subscriptions appear only when you're logged into that account.
Cancel a subscription bought through Apple App Store or Google Play
If you started your Nintendo Switch Online subscription through an iPhone, iPad, or Android phone, you must cancel it through that app store, not through Nintendo. Nintendo cannot cancel subscriptions that Apple or Google manages.
On iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app, tap your name at the top, select Subscriptions, find Nintendo Switch Online, and tap Cancel Subscription. On Android, open Google Play, tap your profile icon, select Payments and Subscriptions, then Subscriptions, find Nintendo Switch Online, and tap Cancel Subscription. The cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period.
What happens after you cancel
You keep your Nintendo Switch Online access until the last day of your billing period. If you paid for a month, you have access for the rest of that month. If you paid for a year, you have access for the rest of that year. After that date, you lose access to online multiplayer, cloud saves, and the NES and SNES game libraries included with the subscription.
Your game saves don't disappear — they stay on your Switch console. You just can't access them from other consoles or restore them if you lose your Switch. Any games you own stay on your console and remain playable offline.
Stop recurring charges if Nintendo keeps billing you
If Nintendo charges you after your cancellation date, contact Nintendo Support with your cancellation confirmation email. Nintendo's support team can see the cancellation in their system and issue a refund if they charged you by mistake. This happens rarely, but keeping your confirmation email protects you if it does.
If you subscribed through Apple or Google and they keep charging you, contact Apple Support or Google Support instead — they handle the billing, not Nintendo. Both companies have refund processes for unwanted charges, and both usually refund charges within 30 days of the billing date.
Reactivate your subscription later
You can restart Nintendo Switch Online whenever you want. Go back to the same place you cancelled — the eShop, your Nintendo Account, or your app store — and choose to subscribe again. You don't lose your account or your game saves by cancelling. Your profile and all your data stay on your Switch.
When you resubscribe, you start a new billing period. If you had a yearly subscription and cancelled partway through, you don't get a refund for the unused time. Nintendo does not prorate subscriptions, so cancelling mid-year means you lose the remaining months you paid for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I lose my games if I cancel Nintendo Switch Online?
No. Games you own stay on your Switch and remain playable. You lose access to online multiplayer and cloud saves, but the games themselves don't disappear. If you own a digital copy of a game, it stays in your library.
Can I get a refund for the unused part of my subscription?
Nintendo does not refund unused time on subscriptions. If you paid for a year and cancel after three months, you lose the remaining nine months. Cancel only when you're sure you won't use the service for the rest of your billing period.
What's the difference between Nintendo Switch Online Basic and Expansion Pack?
Basic includes online multiplayer and cloud saves. Expansion Pack adds access to NES and SNES games, Game Boy games, and Nintendo 64 games. Both cancel the same way — through the same menu where you see your subscription listed.
Will I get charged again if I don't cancel?
Yes. Nintendo automatically renews your subscription at the end of each billing period unless you cancel. If you don't want to be charged again, you must cancel before your current period ends.
How do I know if my cancellation worked?
Check your confirmation email — Nintendo sends one within minutes of a successful cancellation. You can also go back to the same menu where you cancelled and verify that the subscription no longer appears, or that it shows a cancellation date.