How to add 2-factor verification (2FA) to your Nintendo Switch Account

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(Pocket-lint) — Nintendo admitted back in April 2020 that hackers may have stolen names and passwords that could be used to access more than 300,000 Nintendo Accounts.

In a statement on its support site, it confirmed that Nintendo Network ID information for a staggering amount of gamers was illegally accessed. And that could mean that your ID and password have been seen, maybe even shared.

Originally, it was thought that 160,000 people were affected, but it's closer to double that, it turns out.

If you are one of the victims, you will either have been informed already or soon will be, as the Japanese gaming giant vowed to send emails to all account members it believes were exposed.

In addition, it discontinued the ability to use a Nintendo Network ID to access a Nintendo Account and started to inform users on the steps needed to reset their passwords soon.

However, you are also strongly encouraged, whether you have been affected by the breach or not, to enable two-factor verification (AKA two-factor authentication or 2FA) on your account for good measure. Here's how.

To switch on two-factor verification on your Nintendo Account, head to the account website here, sign in and follow these steps below.

The next step will require the use of the Google Authenticator app for iOS or Android.

This bit is very important: on the next webpage you will be given 10 «backup codes». You are strongly advised to write these down, although Google Authenticator has been updated to allow the app to switch between phones — if you lose or upgrade your current device, for example. That was not possible, previously. If you do find yourself locked out of your Nintendo Account and don't have your phone to hand, one of the backup codes can still