Error Message: “This user cannot play this software. If you have not purchased the software, you can do so from Nintendo eShop.”
Description:
Certain games won’t launch from the HOME Menu on the Nintendo Switch console.
Additional Information:
- You can register one primary console per Nintendo Account.
- Once you've registered a primary console, your digital purchases can be played by anyone that uses the primary console.
- Once you've purchased downloadable software, you can use your Nintendo Account to access the software on any Nintendo Switch console (primary or non-primary).
- When using a console that is not the primary console for the Nintendo Account, you are the only player that can access downloadable software that you've purchased. Other players will not be able to access your downloadable software on a console that is not set as the primary console for your Nintendo Account.
Possible Solutions:
This error message means that you are not using the primary console for the Nintendo Account that purchased the software. On a non-primary console, the software can only be started by the user that purchased it. The solution depends on who originally purchased the software.
To determine which Nintendo Account bought the software:
- Check the purchase history for each account on your console. The software will be listed for the Nintendo Account that made the purchase.
- A receipt for each transaction in Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch is emailed to the Nintendo Account that made the purchase. (For Nintendo Accounts for children, the email is sent to the parent/guardian’s email address.)
- Check with other members of your household to see if they remember buying the software. Was the software purchased by you (or someone in your household, etc.)?
Was the software purchased by you (or someone in your household, etc.)?
- Update your Nintendo Switch console to the latest version.
- Change the primary console for that Nintendo Account to the console that you're using.
- If you are already using the primary console for that Nintendo Account, deregister the console, then make it the primary console again.
- On the non-primary console, downloadable software can only be started by the Nintendo Account that purchased it.
- Use the Nintendo Account that purchased the software to redownload the software on Nintendo eShop.
- Launch the software again from the HOME Menu.
- As long as the console is the primary console for the Nintendo Account that purchased the software, anyone on the console will be able to play the software.
You will need to use your own Nintendo Account to purchase the software for your console.
- Because the console is not the primary console for the Nintendo Account that originally purchased the software, software purchased with that account is not playable on the console. More info
- If you want to remove the icon from your HOME Menu, highlight the icon and select “Options”. Select “Data Management”, then “Delete Software” to remove the icon.
If you can't find a record of the purchase, it is likely that the software belongs to someone who no longer uses this console (previous owner, visiting friend, etc.). You will need to use your own Nintendo Account to purchase the software on your console.
- Because the console is not the primary console for the Nintendo Account that originally purchased the software, software purchased with that account is not playable on the console. More info
- If you want to remove the icon from your HOME Menu, highlight the icon and select “Options”. Select “Data Management”, then “Delete Software” to remove the icon.