Nintendo Support

How to Manage Approved-Friend Settings for GameChat

Follow these steps to adjust which Nintendo Switch 2 friends are approved to use GameChat with you.

Note: Both users need to approve each other to use GameChat together. If you approve a friend but they have not approved you, they will not receive your invitations and will be unable to invite you.

Before you start

  • If you have not gone through the first-time setup for GameChat yet, you’ll need to follow those steps before you can manage your chat-approved friends.

  • A persistent internet connection is required to use GameChat. Welcome Offer: GameChat can be enjoyed for free until the end of March 2026. Afterwards, a Nintendo Switch Online membership will be required.

Complete these steps

For users aged 16 or older

  1. Press the C Button to open the GameChat menu.

  2. Select your user.

  3. Select Settings.

  4. Select Chat-Approved Friends.

  5. Scroll through the list and toggle the approval for friends you want to adjust.

  6. Once you’re finished, select OK.

For users under the age of 16, to request chat approval on Nintendo Switch 2

  1. Press the C Button to open the GameChat menu.

  2. Select your user.

  3. Select Settings.

  4. Select Chat-Approved Friends.

  5. Scroll through the list and toggle the approval for friends you want to adjust.

  6. If you want to approve a friend to chat with you, you will be prompted to send a request to your parent or guardian. Select Send Request to Parent/Guardian.

  7. Ask your parent or guardian to follow the steps below to approve the request.

For parents/guardians, to handle friend approval requests in the smart device app

  1. Open the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app on your smart device.

  2. Select GameChat.

  3. Select the user to manage chat-approved friends for.

  4. Select Chat Approval Requests.

  5. Perform the following steps to review each request and decide whether to approve or deny chat approval:

    1. Select the user.

    2. Ask your child about this friend.

    3. Decide whether to approve the friend.

    4. If you approve them, make a note to keep track of who the user is and why they were approved.

    5. After entering a note, select Next, then select OK.

For parents/guardians, to revoke approval for your child's friend

  1. Open the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app on your smart device.

  2. Select GameChat.

  3. Select the user to manage chat-approved friends for.

  4. Select that user you want to revoke chat approval for.

  5. Select Revoke GameChat Permission at the bottom.

  6. Select Revoke Permission in the pop-up.

  7. If your child sends another chat approval request for this user, the app will indicate the day you withdrew approval when you review the request.