There are several reasons why you should get rid of your Nintendo Switch this holiday season. You could be upgrading it because you have a newer model (such as the OLED-screen version), regifting it to a friend or family member, trading it in, or selling it. (There are many options for selling a device for extra money, but Decluttr is a good place to start.)Whatever the reason, you should always ensure that your Switch has been factory reset and that all of your personal information has been erased.
Before you Reset
Nintendo provides a few tips and suggestions that you should keep in mind before performing a reset. To begin, the company recommends that resetting your Nintendo Switch should take no more than five minutes for consoles running system OS version 10.0.0 or higher. Furthermore, the company specifies which data will be lost if you initialize (Nintendo’s term for factory resetting) your Switch. This list is fairly straightforward, containing save data, screenshots, and user information stored on the device. If you only want to delete specific pieces of data, you can use Nintendo’s Data Management settings to select what gets deleted without having to completely reset your device. It is important to note that while factory resetting or initializing your Switch, you must be connected to the internet, and your Nintendo accounts will be unlinked during the process.
Resetting Your Switch
Resetting your Switch is a simple procedure. Simply navigate to System Settings on the main menu, scroll down to System, and select it. Once in System, scroll to the bottom of the menu and choose Formatting Options. If you have Parental Controls enabled on your Switch, you will be prompted to enter your Parental Control PIN after selecting Formatting Options. After entering Formatting Options, select Initialize Console to factory reset your Switch. Read the information presented to you on the screen and then click Next. Finally, press the Initialize button to finish factory resetting your Nintendo Switch.