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You can change your Nintendo Account country or region on Nintendo’s account website, but your eShop balance will not move to the new region. The balance rule depends on the region currently set on your account: Nintendo of America says to spend the funds to zero first, while Nintendo UK and Australia describe confirming that you will forfeit a remaining balance. Check renewals and digital pre-orders before you try to change the setting.
Change the country or region on your Nintendo Account
Make the change on Nintendo’s account website. On Switch, the eShop country follows the country or region set on the Nintendo Account; Nintendo UK says the eShop for the new region will open the next time you launch the application after updating the account.
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- Sign in to the Nintendo Account website.
- Open User Information.
- Under Profile, select Edit or Change. The label varies by regional support page.
- Choose the new Country/region or Country/region of residence. Nintendo of America says that if you choose Canada, you must also specify Quebec or Not Quebec.
- Save the change, review the notice, and agree to confirm it.
If Nintendo will not accept the change, check the account’s balance, automatic renewals, pre-orders, and family-account status before trying again. See Nintendo’s Nintendo of America instructions and Nintendo UK instructions for the region-specific steps.
What happens to your eShop balance
Your existing balance does not carry over to the new country or region. Nintendo UK states that it does not transfer when you change the country or region associated with your account. Do not expect it to convert, transfer, or remain spendable in the destination eShop.
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- eCash - Nintendo eShop Gift Card $100
| Current Nintendo service region | What to do with a remaining balance |
|---|---|
| Nintendo of America | Spend the funds until the balance is $0 before changing the country setting. Nintendo of America says the setting cannot be changed until the remaining funds are used. If you cannot spend them, Nintendo Australia’s guidance directs American-region account holders to Nintendo of America Customer Support. Nintendo of America balance instructions; Nintendo Australia guidance. |
| Europe / Nintendo of Europe | Nintendo UK says you should be able to change the region with funds remaining, but must accept losing the balance in the confirmation prompt. Nintendo UK balance guidance. |
| Australia and New Zealand | Nintendo Australia says you can change the region with funds remaining after agreeing to lose the balance. Nintendo Australia guidance. |
These instructions describe specific Nintendo service regions, not a universal rule for every country. If your account is set to another region, use that region’s current Nintendo support page and the confirmation prompt shown for your account.
Check for other reasons the change may be blocked
- Active automatic renewals: Nintendo of America lists active renewals for memberships, passes, or subscriptions as a possible blocker. Nintendo UK specifically names Nintendo Switch Online, Pokémon HOME Premium, and in-game passes; cancel an applicable renewal before changing regions.
- Unavailable digital pre-orders: A downloadable pre-order that has not yet become available can prevent the change. Nintendo UK says to cancel an outstanding pre-order.
- Child or supervised account: A child account’s country setting may not be changeable on its own. Nintendo says changing the family group administrator’s country may update related child accounts automatically. Age thresholds and extra confirmation steps differ by region; Nintendo of America notes additional steps for some child accounts when a family group changes to the United States or Quebec.
For the account’s applicable requirements, consult the support page for its region: Nintendo of America or Nintendo UK.
Rank #2
- This item can be redeemed on eShop only. This item cannot be redeemed on the Wii Shop
- The perfect gift for anyone who loves to play—including you. Choose from over 1,000 new, classic and indie games – delivered directly to your Nintendo Switch, Wii U or Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
- Nintendo eShop Digital Cards are redeemable only through the Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
- Digital Card balances can be shared across Nintendo Switch, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS family of systems, but may only be used on a single Nintendo eShop account.
Why a prepaid code will not transfer your old funds
A prepaid card or download code adds funds or content; it does not move an existing account balance between regions. Nintendo Japan says balance is managed per Nintendo Account: you cannot spend another account’s balance or combine balances across accounts, and added funds cannot be refunded. Nintendo also warns that prepaid and download codes sold for Japan may require the account’s country or region to be Japan. Check a code’s market compatibility before buying or redeeming it.
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See Nintendo Japan’s balance guidance and Nintendo Japan’s code guidance.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- This item can be redeemed on eShop only. This item cannot be redeemed on the Wii Shop
- The perfect gift for anyone who loves to play—including you. Choose from over 1,000 new, classic and indie games – delivered directly to your Nintendo Switch, Wii U or Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
- Nintendo eShop Digital Cards are redeemable only through the Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
- Digital Card balances can be shared across Nintendo Switch, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS family of systems, but may only be used on a single Nintendo eShop account.
Rank #3
- This item can be redeemed on eShop only. This item cannot be redeemed on the Wii Shop
- The perfect gift for anyone who loves to play—including you. Choose from over 1,000 new, classic and indie games – delivered directly to your Nintendo Switch, Wii U or Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
- Nintendo eShop Digital Cards are redeemable only through the Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
- Digital Card balances can be shared across Nintendo Switch, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS family of systems, but may only be used on a single Nintendo eShop account.
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