Where to find automatic renewal settings on your Nintendo Switch

Automatic renewal is turned on by default for Nintendo Switch Online subscriptions and any other recurring charges tied to your account. To stop it, you go through your account settings on the console itself, not through a website or app. The setting is in the same place Nintendo stores your payment method and purchase history.

Start at the home screen and select your user profile icon in the top left corner. Go to Account Settings, then Subscriptions. You will see Nintendo Switch Online listed if you have an active subscription. Select it, and you will see the option to turn off automatic renewal. The button says "Turn Off Automatic Renewal" — select it, and the renewal stops.

If you have multiple user profiles on the same console, each one has its own subscriptions and renewal settings. You need to turn off renewal for each profile separately if more than one person has an active subscription.

Key Takeaways

  • Automatic renewal for Nintendo Switch Online is on by default and will charge your payment method every 12 months or every month, depending on which plan you chose.
  • You turn off automatic renewal through Account Settings > Subscriptions on the console itself, not through a website.
  • Turning off automatic renewal stops future charges but does not refund money you already paid for the current subscription period.
  • Your subscription remains active until the current period ends, even after you turn off automatic renewal.

What happens after you turn off automatic renewal

Once you turn off automatic renewal, your Nintendo Switch Online subscription stays active for the rest of the time you already paid for. If you paid for a 12-month subscription and turn off renewal after three months, you still have nine months of access left. The service does not cut off when ready.

When your current subscription period ends, Nintendo will not charge you again. Your online play, cloud saves, and access to the NES and SNES game library will stop working at that point unless you manually renew or turn automatic renewal back on. You will see a notification on your console a few weeks before the subscription expires.

Turning automatic renewal back on if you change your mind

You can turn automatic renewal back on at any time through the same Account Settings > Subscriptions menu. Select Nintendo Switch Online and choose "Turn On Automatic Renewal." Your subscription will renew automatically at the end of your current period.

If your subscription has already expired and you want to reactivate it, you can purchase a new subscription through the eShop or through Account Settings. Once you buy it, you can choose whether to turn on automatic renewal during the purchase process.

Why Nintendo uses automatic renewal

Automatic renewal is a common practice for subscription services because it keeps people from losing access by accident. If you forget to renew manually, your service keeps running without interruption. Nintendo uses it the same way streaming services, phone carriers, and gym memberships do.

The downside is that you have to remember to turn it off if you do not want to keep paying. That is why the setting exists — so you can choose whether the convenience of automatic renewal is worth the risk of forgetting to cancel.

Checking your payment method and renewal date

In the same Subscriptions menu, you can see when your subscription renews and which payment method will be charged. The renewal date appears next to Nintendo Switch Online. If you want to change which credit card or payment account gets charged, go to Account Settings > Payment Method and update it there.

If a payment fails when your subscription tries to renew, Nintendo will send you a notification and usually give you a few days to update your payment method before the service stops. You can also manually renew before the automatic charge happens if you want to use a different payment method.

Removing a payment method without canceling your subscription

If you remove your payment method from your Nintendo account, automatic renewal cannot happen because there is nothing to charge. However, Nintendo will still try to renew at the scheduled date, and the charge will fail. You will get a notification asking you to update your payment information.

This approach works if you want to keep your subscription active but prevent accidental charges, but it is not as clean as straightforward turning off automatic renewal. The renewal attempt still happens — it just fails. Turning off automatic renewal directly is the clearer way to stop future charges.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a refund if I turn off automatic renewal partway through my subscription?

No. Turning off automatic renewal stops future charges, but it does not refund the money you already paid for the current subscription period. Your service stays active until that period ends. If you paid for 12 months and cancel after one month, you lose the remaining 11 months of prepaid time.

What happens to my save data if my subscription expires?

Cloud saves stay on Nintendo's servers for six months after your subscription expires. You can reactivate your subscription within that window and your saves will still be there. After six months, they are deleted. Local saves on your console are not affected by subscription expiration.

Do I have to turn off automatic renewal on the console, or can I do it online?

You must do it on the console itself through Account Settings. There is no way to manage Nintendo Switch Online renewal through a website or the Nintendo Switch app on your phone. You need access to the actual console to change this setting.

If I share my console with family, will turning off my subscription affect other users?

Only the profile whose subscription you turned off will lose access. Other profiles on the same console keep their own subscriptions and renewal settings separate. Each person's account is independent, so canceling one does not affect the others.

Can I turn off automatic renewal before my first subscription period ends?

Yes. You can turn off automatic renewal when ready after you buy your first subscription if you know you do not want it to renew. Your service will stay active for the full period you paid for, and then it will expire without charging you again.