Switch 2 Has New (and Improved) Parental Controls
In keeping with its image as a family-friendly gaming company, Nintendo has updated the Parental Controls app for Switch 2, which is set to launch on June 5. This will allow parents to restrict their children’s use of the Nintendo Switch 2 if their children are under 16. The Parental Controls app is available on iPhone and Android .
The big new feature is that GameChat, the Switch 2’s new voice and video chat app, can now be restricted using the Parental Controls app. Nintendo says that children under 16 can only use GameChat if their account is managed by a parent using the Parental Controls app. Note that GameChat is free until March 31, 2026, after which you’ll need to pay for a Nintendo Switch Online membership to use the service.
Every time your child tries to initiate a video call using GameChat, you’ll receive an approval request on your smartphone. Nintendo says the video call will only begin once you approve the request. You’ll also need to pre-approve who they can chat with, as Nintendo says, “Players under 16 can only use GameChat with friends who have been approved by their parent or guardian.”
The company also encourages parents to regularly check their children’s GameChat history and add notes next to the people their child is playing with to indicate who they are. This will help parents know who is communicating with their children while they are playing on the Nintendo Switch 2. Parents will be able to see who their children are communicating with, how long they are playing with different people, and the field of view settings for the connected camera in video chats.
As with the Switch 1, you can also use the Parental Controls app to limit your kids’ playtime. The app will let you set different playtime limits for different days, meaning you can let them play longer on the weekend, for example. The app has built-in preset age restrictions that automatically restrict certain types of content for your kids, but you can also use custom settings. This will let you choose an age rating for the games your kids download, decide whether they should be allowed to post game content on social media, or even allow them to use GameChat at all.
Parents can also whitelist specific games, and the console will ignore the age rating for them. Additionally, the Parental Controls app will also let you view Switch 2 playtime for different members of your family, create a monthly playtime report, and even send you alerts every time a game is downloaded. Don’t forget that you can also set a screen lock PIN on the Switch 2 , which is also a pretty effective way to restrict console usage.