Nintendo dropping Google and Apple sign-ins by January 2027
Nintendo Switch users have until January 25, 2027, to change how they sign in to the Nintendo Switch app on their smartphones, 9to5google.com reported.
The upcoming change will strip away third-party authentication options for all players. Based on details from an official Nintendo support page, an upcoming Nintendo Switch app update will shift focus entirely to passkeys and phase out external logins after January 25, 2027.
What changes after January 26
As of January 26, 2027, you cannot use your Google or Apple accounts to log in to your Nintendo account. You also cannot create a new Nintendo account using those external credentials.
The platform shift impacts promotional rewards tied to external identity providers. The My Nintendo Platinum Points mission to link your Google account to the Nintendo account is likewise discontinued.
Registering a passkey through the app
To replace third-party account connections, Nintendo advises customers to set up a passkey within the Nintendo Switch app in order to gain a protected and dedicated authentication process.
If you forget to update your authentication method before January 26, you can still head to the Nintendo account page and run through the forgot password instructions. Nintendo recommends making sure you can log in to your account as soon as possible via non-Google or Apple links to ensure that you do not run into problems before the deadline.
Security measures behind the policy shift
Nintendo did not elaborate on the policy change in its documentation, although some surmise it is based on security-related measures. AI bots can now hack systems faster than ever, suggesting Nintendo is attempting to secure every area it cannot fully control.
Either way, if you use the Nintendo Switch app or maintain a Nintendo account of any kind, you should change how you log in immediately.
