Nintendo Switch OLED setup: do it right after unboxing

Whether you have the new one Nintendo Switch OLED as a gift or as a present for yourself this holiday season, after unwrapping and lounging in its awesome display, it’s time to turn on this damn thing and set it up with your account info and game data I’ve found that newer out-of-the-box switches usually have enough charge to get started, so you should be able to start the process as soon as you open the box.

Press the power button for the first time and you’ll be treated to a short Nintendo Switch ($ 300 on Amazon) intro video. Then it’s on the mandatory configuration screens. The first is the language setting which includes 12 different options. Next is your region, be it the Americas, Europe, Asia or elsewhere. Nintendo’s next End User License Agreement. Read it if you want to, although you probably won’t.

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How to move into your new Nintendo Switch OLED

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Then comes the Wi-Fi configuration. Xbox Series and PS5, the switch itself does not have a LAN input, although the the new OLED Switch version of the docking station is. This is a step up from the original version of the console which lacked the port and required gamers to purchase a USB to LAN adapter to use wired Ethernet.

The next screen selects your time zone. Not only will you see the different areas, but also the different locations within the time zones, so find the one that would be closest to you.

The first option that can be disabled in this Switch OLED configuration is to connect the console to a TV. Since the Switch has the option of playing on a TV or in portable mode, you can test the connection between your docking station and your TV. But if you only use a handheld or are away from your TV, you can skip this step for now. I’m more of a pocket guy, especially with the new screen.

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The next screen will ask you to disconnect the Joy-Cons in order to use them to go to the next screen. You can only check the pairing of the two initial Joy-Cons here. If you want to combine others, you will need to do so later.

Then it’s a matter of creating or logging into your user account. This is especially important, as this will be the account to which game ownership, saved games, and other data will be linked. If this is your first time using a Switch, you will be asked to create an account. Once the primary user is logged in, other users can be added now or later if other people will be playing on the Switch.

At this point, the setup process might be a bit different for those with one Switch and those with two (or more). If this is your first Switch, it will be considered the primary device. For those planning on keeping two devices, this one will be considered the secondary, or as Nintendo calls it, the non-main console. You can switch the console hierarchy later if you want.

If you have two switches, both can download and play games purchased from Nintendo eShop as long as the consoles are online. The non-primary console will not be able to play purchased digital games if it cannot connect to the Internet. My plan, which echoes what I’ve heard from others who have two switches, is to have the OLED switch only for portable gaming while the old switch stays in the dock connected to the TV.

Read more: The best games on Nintendo Switch and best games for families in 2021

Return to configuration. New Switch owners will proceed to the next screen and then be asked if they want to sign up for Nintendo Switch online, the annual subscription service that enables online play and cloud saves and also includes retro Nintendo games. It’s not mandatory, but you need it if you want to play games like Mario Kart 8 online. Next are parental controls which allow parents to limit the time children can spend with the system and the games they are allowed to play. Nintendo also offers parental control apps for iOS and Android that you can use to stop the fun from a distance.

That’s it for the setup for new Switch owners.

Current Switch owners, on the other hand, can continue by selecting “Import user data from another console. “The next screen will ask you if you still have your other Switch console with user data or not. It will also ask if you plan to keep both. Trust me, it’s so much easier if you can respond to it. both questions in the affirmative.

Next is linking your Nintendo Account, but first you will likely need to perform a system update. Because, of course, you do. The switch will get the latest system firmware and operating system updates from the internet and begin installation. Once done, the system will restart.

After restarting, you will be back to logging in to Nintendo Account. This is where you will log into the account with your email, login ID or using a QR code on your smartphone. The QR code opens a browser to the Nintendo Account page, and I found that much easier than typing in my information on the Switch’s small onscreen keyboard. After logging in with the browser, you will then receive a confirmation code which you will need to return to the Switch and enter. Simple, right? To the right?

If you’re doing a Switch-to-Switch transfer, this is when you’ll start on the Switch Online setup and Parental Controls screens.

And that’s all. Press the Home button and start exploring your new OLED Switch. If you are still debating to get one, read CNET’s Scott Stein review and see why he calls it the best Switch yet, or find all our Nintendo news.