Nintendo Switch Purchased Game Not Showing Up? Complete Fix Guide!

Whenever Nintendo Switch purchased game not showing up on your device, there could be quite a few possibilities that you should inspect.

If one thing is for sure, it is that you will NOT be scammed. Nintendo is proven to be a reliable company to work with so there is nothing to worry about.

If you’ve bought a game on Nintendo Switch and it's not there, you should first check in the “Redownload tab”. In case the game is still not there you should make sure that the payment actually went through.

Let’s learn how to solve the problem in a matter of minutes!

How To Fix When Purchased Nintendo Switch Game Is Not Showing Up?

In the solution guide below, we’ll first make sure that you’ve actually completed the payment.

Then we’ll explore possibilities and help you acquire the game you’ve supposedly bought.

Let’s start with the payment first:

Solution #1 Ensure The Purchase Has Gone Through

If a game you’ve just purchased isn’t showing up, chances are that this purchase didn’t actually go through.

Since games you download from Switch’s eShop will be automatically downloaded to your system, you should check if you actually purchased the game.

How Can I Tell When A Purchase Is Successful?

Any games you purchase on your current Nintendo Switch user account will be situated on the home screen of the eShop.

There, you will be able to browse all of your currently available games or the ones you are downloading.

If the purchase didn’t go through, your game will neither be on the home screen of the eShop nor in the “Redownload” menu.

How To Purchase A Game Correctly?

Before you proceed, ensure that your financial account has enough funds to cover the expenses for the game you’re purchasing.

1. Navigate to the Nintendo’s eShop.
2. Using the search field, locate the game you wish to buy.
3. Press on “Purchase”.
4. Proceed to the checkout screen and choose your billing method.
5. If shopping for the first time, add your payment credentials.
6. Tap on “Save” and let your Switch memorize this payment method.
7. Now tap on “Purchase this game”, and you will be sent to the checkout screen.
8. Choose the payment method that you’ve just added.
9. Confirm that you want to purchase the game.
10. Check the home screen.

Note: Once the game is purchased, it should start downloading automatically and it will be viewable on the home screen.

Solution #2 Choose The Correct User

Same as with Playstation and Xbox, buying a game on one of the accounts will not make it accessible for the other.

In that regard, you should verify that you’ve logged in with the correct user that has the game purchased.

For instance, if you’ve bought the game on “Account A”, but you’re currently logged in with “Account B”, the game will not be there.

The local files will be downloaded on the Nintendo Switch, but you can’t play them through this account.

If you have multiple accounts on your Switch, check all of them and determine which account has the game installed.

Tip: Use different names for your accounts to navigate easier.

Solution #3 Free Up System Storage

Since buying a game will automatically add it to the download list, not having enough system storage on the Nintendo Switch will prevent the game from showing up.

Therefore, you will have to clear up some old games that you don’t play anymore to free up some space.

Here is how to free up system storage on Nintendo Switch:

1. On your Switch, go to Settings.
2. Choose System.
3. Locate the Storage tab.
4. View all of the available games on your Switch.
5. Choose at least 1 or 2 games to remove.
6. Before exiting, ensure that at least 5 gigabytes are freed.
7. Check if the game is downloaded now.

Note: If the download doesn’t start, re-enable it from the home screen.

Solution #4 Download From “Redownload”

If the game is nowhere to be found on your home screen or storage, it probably got transferred to the “Redownload” page.

This section of the eShop can be accessed by going to Profile icon > Redownload on the side of the profile options.

Search for your game there. All games you had purchased and uninstalled in the past will be situated in that tab.

Once you trigger a download from there (by pressing the orange icon), the game will be transferred to the home screen

No Games In “Redownload Tab”?

If a Nintendo Switch purchased a game not showing up in redownload, the issue could either be with your Switch’ software or there is temporary maintenance or a server outage.

If you’ve verified that the purchase went through back in Solution #1, there is no audible explanation why the game would not show up in redownload.

Notice: Only purchased games that are not installed on your Switch will be in the “Redownload” tab.

Solution #5 Reset The Nintendo Switch

If nothing from our fixes worked so far, we strongly suggest performing a factory reset on the Nintendo Switch to solve the problem with the new game you’ve acquired.

Sometimes a software bug may have impacted your device and by resetting it to factory settings, you should get the game to show up.

Here’s how to reset the Nintendo Switch back to factory defaults in easy-to-follow steps:

1. Ensure that the Nintendo Switch is powered on.
2. Press and hold the device’s start button for 15 seconds.
3. Release the power button after the time interval.
4. Next, quickly press the start button normally.
5. Wait for the console to boot.
6. Check the eShop home and “Redownload” list for the game you’ve purchased.

Note: The factory reset will erase ALL locally stored games, and revert ALL settings to default.

Solution #6 Wait Out On Any Maintenances

Do not get discouraged, if your payment went through, the game will be delivered regardless of anything.

The problem you’re experiencing could be occurring due to ongoing maintenance that concerns the connectivity to the Nintendo servers and prevents the game from showing up on your device.

Feel free to check for maintenance here. Just select your region and you will be notified what is the approximate time of the maintenance and when the service will be back online.

Tip: Check the email you’ve registered your Nintendo account with to check for a purchase recipe.

Whenever a purchased Nintendo Switch game is not showing up you need to check in the “Redownload tab” first. In case it’s not there either, you might have purchased the game on a different account. As a last resort before seeking help from the support team, you should reset your Switch to default.

Read Next: Why Is My Nintendo Switch Making A Buzzing Noises?

Bottom Line:

That was everything about the problem where Nintendo Switch purchased game not showing up.

Don’t forget that no matter what happens, if your financial account was actually charged for the game, the product will arrive sooner or later.

In case you still have concerns you can visit the Nintendo support page and reach out to a representative to check for the problem and give you peace of mind.