One of the things that makes the Nintendo Switch so darn great is the very same thing that can make susceptible to theft or being lost. The Switch is an incredibly portable little system for the gaming power it holds. Unfortunately, its size can make it easy to misplace and a great target for terrible monsters to purloin. If you're going to be taking your Switch on the go then you might want to consider some of the following tips.
A bigger more boring bag
I know that a lot of Switch users are proud of their systems and like to advertise that they are proud owners of Nintendo's most recent home run. However, if you have a mind to keep your system safe then you might want to consider toning it down a bit. There are a lot of great carrying cases on the market emblazoned with the Switch logo but it might be worth it to invest in something a little more plainly designed. Also, if you choose something a little bigger it might be a little more difficult to slip from your sight. Amazon Basics offers a nice simple case which will keep your Switch safe. To someone who might be scoping out your bags, there could be anything in that case. You could be carrying toiletries around in there.
Tag it with a tile
Since the Nintendo Switch doesn't come out of the box with any sort of tracking solution you can add it with an after-market device. You can pick up a Tile Mate on Amazon for $20. This is a small device which will allow you to track pretty much anything, including your switch. Attaching the Tile to your Switch will allow you to use your phone to see where your precious cargo is. It only gives you direct tracking in a somewhat short range because it utilizes Bluetooth technology. However, there is also community tracking which will send you an alert if your device is within range of any other Tile user. It may not be perfect, but it's a reasonably priced workaround.
Go digital
If you're going to be hauling your Switch around with you everywhere you go then you are likely to be hauling games with you as well. The only problem with that is that if someone snatches your Switch case then they have made off with your entire game collection as well. If you download all your games digitally then you could always download them again when you finally replace your switch and your would-be thief gets a smaller score.
What to do if it does get stolen
Unfortunately, Nintendo has not armed Switch users with a whole lot of recourse if a system gets stolen. We live in a world where just about every piece of technology can effectively be bricked remotely but there is no such equivalent for your switch. Here are some of the options available to you if the unthinkable does happen.
Get your serial
If you had not recorded the serial number of your Switch when it got stolen there is another option. If you have the Switch Parental Controls app on your phone then you can easily get the serial number for the app in order to help with police reports or contacting Nintendo Support.
Call for help
The first thing you should do is contact Nintendo to let them know that your system has been stolen. You can contact them directly at their support line. They are available from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM Pacific. Nintendo Support can be reached at 1-800-255-3700.
Remove your credit card
If you have a credit card linked to your account you should definitely remove it. You can do that by going to accounts.nintendo.com
Select Shop Menu on the left
Now click the Delete button next to your credit card.
Unfortunately, with such a portable and desirable system, there is a bit of risk involved. Hopefully, you never have to go through the pain of getting your Nintendo Switch stolen.
